Daniel Radcliffe Makes Documentary About His Harry Potter Stunt Double Who Was Paralyzed On Set
When we think of Daniel Radcliffe, we usually have the immortalized image of him in his Hogwarts uniform, a Z lighting bolt scar on his forehead, bravely fighting evil to defend Hogwarts.
This time, though, the talented actor will get behind the camera to support one of his close friends and former stunt double, David Holmes.
Daniel Radcliffe worked as the executive producer of an upcoming HBO documentary about his Harry Potter stunt double who severely injured himself on set
Image credits: Philip Romano
Radcliffe is the executive producer of David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived, an upcoming HBO documentary that tells the story of his stuntman and how his life took a dramatic turn after suffering an accident that left him paralyzed with a debilitating spinal injury.
The gymnast worked alongside Radcliffe from the first to the sixth film of the successful Harry Potter franchise. In January 2009, he broke his neck while working on set for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
The stuntman, David Holmes, was left paralyzed from the chest down while working on Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Image credits: Warner Bros
The scene that led to the severe accident was when Harry Potter gets propelled into the air following an explosion. During filming, Holmes fell to the ground with more force than planned and was left paralyzed from the chest down.
“The film is a coming-of-age story of stuntman David Holmes, a prodigious teenage gymnast from Essex, England, who is selected to play Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double in the first Harry Potter film, when Daniel is just eleven,” the documentary’s synopsis reads.
For one of the scenes, the gymnast got propelled into the air following an explosion and fell to the ground with more force than planned
Image credits: davidholmes83
“Over the next 10 years, the two form an inextricable bond, but on the penultimate film a tragic accident on set leaves David paralyzed with a debilitating spinal injury, turning his world upside down.”
“As Daniel and his closest stunt colleagues rally to support David and his family in their moment of need, it is David’s extraordinary spirit of resilience that becomes their greatest source of strength and inspiration.”
Holmes worked alongside Radcliffe from the first to the sixth HP film, forming “an inextricable” bond
Image credits: davidholmes83
After spending so many hours working side by side on set, Holmes and Radcliffe have formed a solid relationship.
“I would hate for people to just see me and Dave and go, ‘Oh, there’s Daniel Radcliffe with a person in a wheelchair’— because I would never, even for a moment, want them to assume that Dave was anything except for an incredibly important person in my life,” the actor said about his stuntman during a 2021 interview with The Mirror.
The documentary will feature “behind-the-scenes material from Holmes’ stunt work and intimate interviews with Radcliffe, friends, family, and former crew”
Image credits: davidholmes83
The two are so close that, in 2020, they launched a project, the Cunning Stunts Podcast, together.
In addition to acting as an executive producer, the Lost City star will appear on camera for interviews with Holmes along with former Harry Potter crew members.
David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived premieres on HBO Nov. 15
Image credits: Warner Bros
The Essex gymnast began his career as a stunt double when he was only 14 years old on Lost In Space. Other films of his include Prince of Persia and The Golden Compass.
According to HBO, the film, set to premiere November 15, “reflects universal themes of living with adversity, growing up, forging identities in an uncertain world, and the bonds that bind us together and lift us up.”
People were immediately curious to know more about the stuntman
The stunt doubles in every production needs to get more recognition and respect.
They should be named in the intro with the cast. Atleast it seems as they are highly regarded by many actors.
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Considering how much money they made off the HP movies, I’m sure they can afford to pay what’s needed to ensure he’s always going to be cared for. They at least owe him that, even if he did sign a contract that acknowledged the risks. 🤔
I can't believe everyone here saying they've never heard of this, it's a really well known fact, at least here in the UK. As for suing the studio to pay for treatment, it's completely unnecessary in the UK! The NHS cover all his medical needs and the UK doesn't have the same attitude to suing people as countries like the US because we don't need to! He most likely got some sort of compensation after the accident but wouldn't have to use it for health care costs as the NHS will pay for everything he needs including any type of home help or carer and medical apparatus like his wheelchair etc. Stunt doubles go into that career knowing the risks and spend years learning how to do the work safely. What happened is awful it's noones fault sometimes accidents just happen. He doesn't seem to blame anyone on the production for what happened to him and has a very positive outlook on life, his disability doesn't hold him back from enjoying his life.
The stunt doubles in every production needs to get more recognition and respect.
They should be named in the intro with the cast. Atleast it seems as they are highly regarded by many actors.
Load More Replies... Considering how much money they made off the HP movies, I’m sure they can afford to pay what’s needed to ensure he’s always going to be cared for. They at least owe him that, even if he did sign a contract that acknowledged the risks. 🤔
I can't believe everyone here saying they've never heard of this, it's a really well known fact, at least here in the UK. As for suing the studio to pay for treatment, it's completely unnecessary in the UK! The NHS cover all his medical needs and the UK doesn't have the same attitude to suing people as countries like the US because we don't need to! He most likely got some sort of compensation after the accident but wouldn't have to use it for health care costs as the NHS will pay for everything he needs including any type of home help or carer and medical apparatus like his wheelchair etc. Stunt doubles go into that career knowing the risks and spend years learning how to do the work safely. What happened is awful it's noones fault sometimes accidents just happen. He doesn't seem to blame anyone on the production for what happened to him and has a very positive outlook on life, his disability doesn't hold him back from enjoying his life.
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