Size Matters Not: The Extraordinary Life and Career of Warwick Davis (49 page)

“Harrison?! Is that you in there?” I asked incredulously. I watched as the creature before me slowly nodded (and nearly fell over). What had they done to my son? Harrison was wearing an enormous (for him) silicone head, along with massive gnarled goblin hands and some roughshod boots that were at least ten inches long and made him walk like a penguin.

He was so overloaded with silicone that he reminded me of being inside Marvin the Paranoid Android. Sure enough, after the fourth take I heard a muffled pleading of “I need a break” come from under the silicone head. We quickly extracted a sweaty Harrison from beneath the giant head. He sighed heavily and penguined his way up to a row of director’s chairs, where David Heyman, the producer, happened to be sitting.

“I’m not doing any more,” Harrison said emphatically, leaning on the footrest of a tall director’s chair. “I need something to eat.”

As I mentioned earlier, Harrison’s giant appetite has never been truly appeased since the day his mouth first got to grips with solid food.

Of course, he got his break and his food. All the kids on Harry Potter were extremely well looked after—Harrison and Annabelle’s names were even emblazoned in stars on a side of the trailer. I was lucky if I got an paper printout taped to the door.

After the
Deathly Hallows: Part I
premiere, we stopped in briefly at the afterparty, held in the Freemasons Hall, one of the finest art deco buildings in the UK; a miracle of marble, granite, and stunningly bright painted ceilings with Masonic symbols. I was still in too much pain to really appreciate it, but we made a beeline for the chocolate fountain, which helped restore our spirits.

As always we couldn’t stay too long, we had a long drive back to Peterborough and the kids needed to get to bed. So I had no time to waste when I caught sight of Tim Burton. I adore his animations.
The Nightmare before Christmas
is a firm family favorite and I harbored a desire to voice a character in one of his future animations. I tried to catch his eye (never easy if you’re my height) but was spotted by Helena Bonham-Carter (aka Bellatrix Lestrange), whom I now knew quite well, and she kindly introduced me to her husband. I wasted no time and quickly pitched the idea.

“Yes, it’s great, isn’t it?” he said.

I was momentarily nonplussed. Then I realized. The party was very loud, what with the music and the thousand actors, directors, and journalists all yelling at each other.

“No, what I meant was I’d love to be involved in one of your animations, as a voice-over artist.”

“Yes, it’s a terrific film. I’ve seen them all, you know.”

I was about to try once more, but suddenly Sam was at my elbow, a chocolate-encrusted Harrison and Annabelle at her side.

“Warwick, we have to go now.”

“But—oh kaggernash, all right then.”

As we drove home, Sam and I chatted about the good old days on filming Potter. I realized that Harry probably still has some life in him yet. In fact, I’ve got a funny feeling that he’s still going to play a big part in my life for some time to come. . . .

On a visit to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Michael Gamdon (Dumblebore) gets his wand, and as you can see, he was even more excited about this than Annabelle and Harrison were. Remember children, wands are not toys. Just after I took this picture, I erupted in boils and grew a pair of wings.

 

Two of Hogwarts’ newest pupils being given the grand tour by Prefect Radcliffe.

 

Rupert Grint with his long lost Weasley brother, Harrison.

 

Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) and I may have crossed wands on the big screen, but in real life we’re good Twitter buddies.

 

A day return to Hogwarts, my good man.

 

¹
Unless you’re reading the third edition, that is.

²
The clips were private, just for viewing by the Harry Potter film family on that day, so I don’t think I should mention any of them apart from mine, sorry!

³
I think millions would pay handsomely to see Daniel treading the boards in a fetching pair of green tights.

⁴
I did suggest that I should open the premiere in full Flitwick regalia while playing the organ but I never heard back.

⁵
J. K. Rowling has made a lot of little people very happy—and I’m not talking about children.

The final word goes to my aged Aunt Jan

A SMALL TRIBUTE

You accepted the hand that life dealt you

And stayed well ahead of the game

With tenacity, humor, and courage

And with your endeavors found fame.

Although being vertically challenged,

In the eyes of the world you walk tall

With a very remarkable talent,

There’s so much you’ve achieved being samll.

Metaphorically you have climbed mountains,

Though sometimes the going was hard,

By resolve, and your great perseverance,

You deservedly hold the trump card.

Aha! So I did take my head off after all! I found this photo just as the book was going to press (see page 74).

 

Acknowledgments

First off, I must acknowledge Sam Harrison at Aurum for his unique and passionate vision for
Size Matters Not
and for turning it into his obsession – as he recently said: “I’ve watched
Labyrinth
far more times than is healthy.”

Similarly, I’d like to express my gratitude to Kris Hollington for his editorial wizardry and to his photographer wife, Nina, for shooting me, metaphorically of course. Surely they are the Han Solo and Princess Leia of the publishing world.

My literary agent, Andrew Lownie, provided me with much effective Yoda-like counsel, delivered at light speed.

I’d also like to show my appreciation to all the young Jedis who used the Force to hunt through archives all across the galaxy, supplying me with photos that have delighted, amazed, and embarrassed: Chris Holm and Tina Mills from Lucasfilm, Tracy Ames, Chela Johnson, and Lindsey Boccia from Lionsgate, Julie Heath from Warner Brothers, Margaret Adamic from Disney, and my Mum from Sussex.

Much gratitude to Melissa Smith at Aurum, David Welch of SS Graphics, and Rob Brown at Saxon Graphics for all their work in assembling and laying out the book’s dozens and dozens of pictures, not to mention Clare Stacey at Head Design for her work on the jacket. Many thanks also to Gilvanio Bragagnolo and WAES for providing the studios for the photo shoot – and for returning my light-saber after I left it there (though it did need a new set of batteries when I got it back).

Many other people have generously provided me with their time and input during the writing of this book, especially: George Lucas, Ron Howard, Ricky Gervais, Kenny Baker, Mark Hamill, David Heyman, Lynne Hale, David Baron, Vanessa Davies, David Iskra, Derek Maki, Daniel Balaam (even though he’s an idiot), Nicky Melina, Kristen Waidalowski, Oliver Moore, Lisa Blackman, and Deirdre and David Milner.

Thank you all for toiling long and hard to bring my little autobiography to fruition. You have passed the Hogwarts “Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests” with flying colors, and your certificates are in the mail.