Warwick Davis is a big name within the Star Wars community. Those that follow the movie universe religiously will know him for his role as Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi, along with many other small alien creatures. The actor spoke about his condition and how roles for people with it have become limited.
Warwick was born with a rare form of dwarfism called Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia. This genetic disorder is part of a group of disorders known as skeletal dysplasia which are characterized by abnormal growth and development of cartilage and bone. Overall, these deformities lead to people being shorter than usual. To learn more, click here.
For Warwick, the condition has found him great success in the sci-fi and fantasy world. Coming off the heels of his role in Return of the Jedi, he quickly set off to be a part of the Harry Potter franchise, every other Star Wars movie, and a total of over 80 theatrical credits.
The 47-year-old actor said that parts offered to actors of short stature were usually of unethical and poor quality, albeit his iconic role as the mini menace from the Leprechaun horror series, which spawned many B-level sequels, one in which was actually called “Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood.”
However, Warwick dished to the Irish Times on how times were changing and with them, the parts offered to people with dwarfism.
“We’re moving into a kind of world now where diversity is important to make sure that we all embrace that and hopefully that can only be a good thing for individuals in the profession who are diverse, in their physical appearance or what have you.”
Warwick admits there are better roles available but that they are coming at a shortage.
Another example is the case of Peter Dinklage who also suffers from dwarfism. He’s found success on the TV phenomena “Game of Thrones” where he won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Warwick decided to leave a legacy behind by establishing the Reduced Height Theatre Company, which celebrates and supports talent in the short actor community.
Davis’s daughter, Annabelle, also inherited dwarfism and has caught the acting bug from her father. She appeared in 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
Warwick is proud of his daughter and says she’s a realist, well aware of the industry she’s pursuing and its many challenges, especially with dwarfism.
Warwick Davis is slated to appear in several upcoming films and continue his legacy in a galaxy far far away with “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” and “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”
