Warwick Davis | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Davis at Nightmare Weekend Richmond in 2023 | |
| Born | Warwick Ashley Davis (1970-02-03)3 February 1970 (age 55) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Television | |
| Height | 3 ft 6 in (107 cm)[1] |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3,[a] includingAnnabelle Davis |
| Relatives | Peter Burroughs (father-in-law) |
| Website | warwickdavis |
Warwick Ashley Davis Jr (/ˈwɒrɪk/WORR-ik; born 3 February 1970)[2] is an English actor and television presenter. Active within the industry since he was eleven, Davis is among thehighest-grossing supporting actors of all time and has the highest average gross revenue of all supporting actors.[3] He played the title character inWillow (1988) and theLeprechaun film series (1993–2003); several characters in theStar Wars film series (1983–2024), most notably Wicket theEwok; andProfessor Filius Flitwick and the goblinGriphook in theHarry Potter film series (2001–2011).
Davis starred as a fictionalised version of himself in the sitcomLife's Too Short (2011–2013). He has also presented theITV game showsCelebrity Squares (2014–2015) andTenable (2016–2024). In 2025, Davis was awarded theBAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement from theBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts.[4]
Davis was born on 3 February 1970 inEpsom,Surrey, the son of Susan J. (née Pain) and Ashley Davis, an insurance worker.[5][6] He has a younger sister. He was educated atChinthurst School inTadworth,Surrey, and theCity of London Freemen's School.
Davis was born withspondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, a rare bone growth disorder that results indwarfism. When Davis was 11, his grandmother heard a radio item about a vacancy at Borehamwood Job Centre for people who were 4 feet (120 cm) or shorter to be inReturn of the Jedi.[7] As he was aStar Wars fan, this was a dream come true for Davis. During the filming ofReturn of the Jedi,Mark Hamill bought Davis everyStar Warsaction figure that he did not already own.[8][9]
Davis was originally cast as an extraEwok, but whenKenny Baker, who was originally going to beWicket, fell ill,George Lucas picked Davis to be the new Wicket after seeing how he carried himself as an Ewok.[5]
Davis based his Ewok movements on his dog, who tilted his head from side to side whenever he saw something strange.[10] During production on the film, Davis was the subject of a shortmockumentary film about his experience as Wicket, titledReturn of the Ewok, made byReturn of the Jedi's first assistant director,David Tomblin. The unreleased film was a fictional look at his decision to become an actor and act in the film and his transformation into Wicket the Ewok. Davis reprised his role as Wicket in theABC made-for-TV filmsCaravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure andEwoks: The Battle for Endor.
In 1987, Davis was called toElstree Studios near London to meet withRon Howard and George Lucas to discuss a new film project calledWillow, which was written with Davis specifically in mind.Willow was his first opportunity to act with his face visible. He co-starred withVal Kilmer in the film, which received a Royal Premiere before thePrince andPrincess of Wales. He then moved to television to be in theBBC Television adaptation of the classicThe Chronicles of Narnia, specifically inPrince Caspian,The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (asReepicheep), andThe Silver Chair (asGlimfeather) and an episode ofZorro filmed inMadrid. In 1993, he played the villainous Irish lead character inLeprechaun, oppositeJennifer Aniston, a role he reprised in five sequels, from 1994 to 2003. He also played a leprechaun in the 1998 family filmA Very Unlucky Leprechaun. Davis returned to theStar Wars universe, playing four roles inStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace: Weazel, a gambler sitting next to Watto at the Podrace; Wald, who was Anakin's Rodian friend,Yoda in some scenes where Yoda was seen walking, and finally, a street trader seen walking around the streets of the city of Mos Espa.
Davis played the role of ProfessorFilius Flitwick in theHarry Potter film series.[11] In addition to playing Flitwick, Davis played the role of the goblin Griphook inHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 andPart 2, despite the role being played previously byVerne Troyer.
In 2004, Davis played the character "Plates" in the indie filmSkinned Deep, directed by special effects artist Gabriel Bartalos. In 2006, Davis appeared, alongside fellowHarry Potter starDaniel Radcliffe, in an episode of BBC's comedy seriesExtras as a satirical version of himself. Davis starred in the film version ofThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, as the "body" ofMarvin the Paranoid Android (the voice was provided byAlan Rickman). In December 2006, Davis starred in thepantomimeSnow White and the Seven Dwarves at theOpera House, Manchester, and again in 2007–08 at theNew Wimbledon Theatre.
Davis appeared inThe Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, in which he playedNikabrik the Dwarf, adding to his previous involvement in TV adaptations of theChronicles of Narnia series. He also appeared as a contestant on the 2007 series ofChildren in Need reality showCelebrity Scissorhands. Davis starred as a fictional version of himself inLife's Too Short, written byRicky Gervais andStephen Merchant, who also starred.[12] In December 2012, Davis returned toNew Wimbledon Theatre to reprise his role inSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs.[13]
Davis also appeared in the 2008 TV seriesMerlin as the characterGrettir, the gatekeeper to the "lands of king fisher" in the episode "The Eye of the Phoenix" in Series 3.[14]
In March 2013, Davis presented an episode of theITV seriesPerspectives: "Warwick Davis – The Seven Dwarfs of Auschwitz", in which he explored the story of theOvitz family, a touring musical troupe which included seven dwarfs who survived theNaziAuschwitz concentration camp and the experiments ofJosef Mengele.[15]
Davis appeared as the character Porridge in theDoctor Who episode "Nightmare in Silver", first broadcast in May 2013.
In late 2013, Davis appeared for one month as Patsy in the musical comedySpamalot, based on the filmMonty Python and the Holy Grail in London.[16] At the same time, Davis hosted a press conference to announce the Monty Python reunion.[17]
In 2014, Davis hosted a factual series forITV calledWeekend Escapes with Warwick Davis. The show saw Davis and his family travelling around Britain, enjoying short weekend holiday breaks.[18] The show returned for a second series in spring 2015. From 2014 to 2015, he hosted the revived version of game showCelebrity Squares onITV. The first series was shown in 2014 and a second aired in 2015.[19]
Davis appeared in the 2015 sequelStar Wars: The Force Awakens.[20] In July 2015, he became the voice ofGordon the Gopher in a pilot developed for BBC Taster, and the pilot progressed well, becoming one of the highest rated on the BBC's Taster section.[21][22]
In November 2016, Davis began presenting the daytime ITV game showTenable. The show returned for further series in 2017 and 2018.[23] Davis also appeared inRogue One: A Star Wars Story, released December 2016, as the rebel fighter Weeteef Cyubee and that was also his firstStar Wars role with a blaster.[24] In April 2017, atStar Wars Celebration Orlando, it was announced that Davis would voiceGrand Admiral Thrawn's bodyguard Rukh in the fourth season ofStar Wars Rebels.[25] In December 2017, Davis appeared as Wodibin, an alien gambler, inStar Wars: The Last Jedi.[26] Davis appeared in the filmSolo: A Star Wars Story, released in May 2018, reuniting with hisWillow director Ron Howard. This was Davis' eighth appearance in aStar Wars film.[27] In the film, Davis reprised his role of Weazel fromThe Phantom Menace.[28] Davis also briefly appeared inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, reprising his role of Wicket. He appeared in the role alongside his son Harrison, who also cameoed as Wicket's son Pommet.[29][30]
Davis reprised his role as Willow Ufgood in the Disney+ seriesWillow to generally positive critic reviews.[31][32][33][34]
In February 2025, Davis was awarded aBAFTA Fellowship.[35]
In September 2025, it was announced Davis would reprise his role of Professor Flitwick in the upcomingHBOHarry Potter TV series.[36]
Davis plays Wicket in four films and Weazel in two films; all fifteen of Warwick Davis' Star Wars characters break down as such:[37]
| Title | Year | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi | 1983 | Wicket |
| Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure | 1984 | Wicket |
| Ewoks: The Battle for Endor | 1985 | Wicket |
| Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace | 1999 | Wald, Weazel,Yoda (walking shots), a street trader onTatooine |
| Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens | 2015 | Wollivan |
| Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | 2016 | Weeteef Cyu-Bee |
| Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi | 2017 | Wodibin, Thamm (voice), Kedpin Shoklop |
| Star Wars Rebels | 2017 | Rukh (voice) |
| Solo: A Star Wars Story | 2018 | Weazel, DD-BD, W1-EG5, WG-22 |
| Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker | 2019 | Wicket, Wizzich Mozzer |
| Star Wars: Tales of the Empire | 2024 | Rukh (voice) |
In 1995, Davis co-founded, with fellow actor and father-in-lawPeter Burroughs, the talent agency Willow Management, that specialises in representing actors under five feet (1.5 m) tall. Many of Davis's co-stars and fellow actors with dwarfism fromStar Wars,Willow,Labyrinth and theHarry Potter series are represented by the agency. In 2004, the agency also began representing actors over seven feet (2.1 m) tall who had suffered from being confined to "niche" roles. Over forty members of Willow Management were cast as goblins inHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.[38]
In April 2010, Davis published hisautobiography,Size Matters Not: The Extraordinary Life and Career of Warwick Davis, with a foreword byGeorge Lucas.[39]
In October 2012, Davis appeared in a set of videos with the popular YouTube groupThe Yogscast, after the hosts of the Yogscast's podcast "The YogPod" discussed him in several episodes. In January 2013, he appeared in aComic Relief episode ofThe Great British Bake Off, winning that episode's title of "Comic Relief Star Baker".[40]
Davis is a founder of the Reduced Height Theatre Company, which stages theatrical productions cast exclusively with short actors and using reduced height sets. Their first production wasSee How They Run, touring the UK in 2014.[41] In February 2015, the production was the subject of theBBC's "Warwick Davis' Big Night" as part of theModern Times documentary series.[42]
On 15 July 2014, Davis appeared on stage withMonty Python during their live showMonty Python Live (Mostly). He was the special guest in their "Blackmail" sketch.[43] In June 2016, he was the castaway on theBBC Radio 4 programmeDesert Island Discs, choosingJon Hopkins'Monsters theme,The Guinness Book of Records and a pen and paper as his favourite record, book, and luxury item respectively.[44]
Davis produced a new original musicalEugenius! byBen Adams and Chris Wilkins, which premiered as a concert performance on 29 June 2016 at theLondon Palladium (which Davis also starred in as Evil Lord Hector) followed by fully staged runs atThe Other Palace in 2018.[45]
In February 2017, the BBC broadcast an episode of the genealogy programmeWho Do You Think You Are? about Davis.[46] In the episode Davis learned that in his family tree he had an ancestor that had been married to two women at the same time, another who had died in an asylum fromsyphilis and another who performed atminstrel shows inblackface.[47]
In December 2024, Davis appeared as a guest judge on the Food Network competition showHarry Potter: Wizards of Baking.[48]
Davis is 3 feet 6 inches (107 cm) tall.[1]
He was married toSamantha Davis (née Burroughs[49]), the daughter of Davis' business partnerPeter Burroughs and the sister of actress Hayley Burroughs, until her death on 24 March 2024.[50] Davis met the Burroughs family while filmingWillow, where Samantha and Peter had minor roles as Nelwyn villagers.[51] They have two surviving children; daughter, actressAnnabelle Davis; and son, actor Harrison Davis. Harrison was named after actorHarrison Ford, whom Warwick met on the 1981 set ofReturn of the Jedi.[52]
Unlike most people with dwarfism who have a condition calledachondroplasia (70.65%), Davis' dwarfism is caused by an extremely rare genetic condition calledspondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED). Davis' wife, Samantha, had achondroplasia, and their two children have SED.[52] As a result of inheriting both conditions, the couple's first son died nine days after birth.[49][52] Their second son was miscarried at 19 weeks.[53]
Davis has said the only real drawback to being small was the associated health problems. Of his own dwarfism, Davis has said, "Well, as you get older, it gets worse... Your joints, for a start. My hips are dislocated, so they're sitting out here. Very painful knees. I had surgery on my feet when I was very young. There's a risk ofretinal detachment, but I know the signs now."[54]
Davis is co-founder of Little People UK, a charity that provides support to people with dwarfism and their families.[55]
On 18 April 2024, Davis said his wife's death had "left a huge hole in our lives as a family."[56]
| † | Denotes projects that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Prince Caspian/The Voyage of the Dawn Treader | Reepicheep | ||
| 1990 | The Silver Chair | Glimfeather | ||
| 1991 | Zorro | Don Alf onso | Episode: "The Jewelled Sword" | |
| 1996 | Gulliver's Travels | Grildrig | ||
| 1997 | The Fast Show | Dwarf | Series 3 Episode 8 | |
| 1998-2001 | Jamboree | Baby Bopkin | [63] | |
| 2005 | Extras | Himself | ||
| 2009 | M.I.High | Per Trollberger | Season 3 Episode 11: "The Visit" | |
| 2010 | Merlin | Grettir[64] | Episode: "The Eye of the Phoenix" | |
| 2011 | Life's Too Short | Himself | Creator | |
| 2011-2012 | An Idiot Abroad | Himself | 5 episodes | |
| 2013 | Doctor Who | Porrige/Ludens Nimrod Kendrick Cord Longstaff XLI | Episode: "Nightmare In Silver" | |
| Bookaboo | Episode: "Dustbin Dad" | |||
| 2014 | Catchphrase | Contestant | Celebrity Series 3, Episode 1 | |
| 2015 | The One Show | Guest presenter | Stand-in presenter | |
| Catherine Tate's Nan | Graham Fanee | Episode: "Nanger Management" | [65] | |
| Realms of Fightinge | Teuthis | Web series | ||
| 2015–2016 | Planet's Got Talent | Narrator[66] | 2 series | |
| 2016 | Billionaire Boy | Himself | Television film | |
| The Dumping Ground | Lou | 2 episodes | [67] | |
| The Entire Universe | The Big Bang | Television special | [68] | |
| Fantastic Beasts and JK Rowling's Wizarding World | Presenter | |||
| Jonathan Creek | Rev. Wendell Wilkie | Episode: "Daemons' Roost" | ||
| 2016–2024 | Tenable | Presenter | ITV game show | |
| 2017 | Who Do You Think You Are? | Himself | 1 episode | |
| 2017–2018 | Star Wars Rebels | Rukh (voice) | 6 episodes | |
| 2017–present | Comic Relief | Co-presenter | 2017 telethon | |
| 2019–2024 | Moominvalley | Sniff (voice) | 26 episodes | |
| 2020 | JJ Villard's Fairy Tales | Rumpelstiltskin (voice) | Episode: "Rumpelstiltskin" | |
| 2021–2022 | Moley | Moley (voice) | 52 episodes | |
| 2022 | Willow | Willow Ufgood | Lead role | [69] |
| 2024 | Star Wars: Tales of the Empire | Rukh (voice) | Episode: "The Path of Anger" | |
| 2024 | Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking | Guest judge | 2 Episodes | [70] |
| 2027 | Harry Potter † | Professor Filius Flitwick | Currently in production | |
| TBA | Valeria 3D † | Leonardo | Pre-production; Television movie |
| Award Ceremony | Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA | 1990 | Best Performance by a Younger Actor | Willow | Nominated | |
| The BAM Awards | 2017 | Best Cast | Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi | Nominated | |
| DVD Exclusive Awards | 2001 | Best Actor | Leprechaun 5: In the Hood | Nominated | |
| Family Film Awards | 2024 | Best Iconic Film | Willow | Nominated | |
| Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards | 2003 | Best Acting Ensemble | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Nominated | |
| Young Artist Award | 1989 | Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama | Willow | Nominated |
| Award Ceremony | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Academy of Film and Television Arts | 2025 | The Fellowship | Honored | [71] |
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