Meet Daniel Radcliffe’s ‘Harry Potter’ Stunt Double David Holmes

Daniel Radcliffe turned a family identify after starring in Harry Potter — however his former stunt double David Holmes’ story stays untold.

Radcliffe, 34, and Holmes, 42, bonded in 2000 after Holmes was employed to be his stunt double within the beloved fantasy franchise. Nevertheless, tragedy struck in 2009 forward of Deathly Hallows: Half 1’s launch and Holmes was left paralyzed from a spinal damage.

The pair’s friendship went past the movies — and past the accident — and now, followers will get to know the person behind Harry Potter’s magical actions in HBO’s David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived.

“The movie is a coming-of-age story of stuntman David Holmes, a prodigious teenage gymnast from Essex, England, who is chosen to play Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double within the first Harry Potter movie, when Daniel is simply 11,” the official synopsis reads. “Over the following 10 years, the 2 type an inextricable bond, however on the penultimate movie a tragic accident on set leaves David paralyzed with a debilitating spinal damage, turning his world the other way up. As Daniel and his closest stunt colleagues rally to help David and his household of their second of want, it’s David’s extraordinary spirit of resilience that turns into their best supply of power and inspiration.”

Scroll right down to be taught extra about Holmes — and his upcoming documentary:

1. Which ‘Harry Potter’ Motion pictures Did David Holmes Star In?

Holmes first appeared as Radcliffe’s double in 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Moreover, Holmes performed Adrian Pucey within the first movie and Slytherin Beater No. 1 in 2002’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and techniques.

He continued to work alongside Radcliffe doing stunts within the first six Warner Bros. movies earlier than getting injured on the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Half 1. Holmes, nonetheless, is credited as “Harry Potter stunt double” in each Deathly Hallows: Half 1 and Half 2, which had been launched in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

2. How Did David Holmes Turn into Paralyzed?

The previous gymnast had an accident in January 2009 whereas on the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In the course of the shoot, Holmes plummeted to the bottom after a deliberate explosion for the stunt went awry, per Deadline. Following the accident, Holmes was identified as a degree C6/7 tetraplegic and was paralyzed from the chest down.

3. Did David Holmes Work as a Stunt Double in Different Movies?

Among the England native’s different stunt credit embrace Greet Road Hooligans, The Final Legion, My Boy Jack, Nationwide Treasure: E-book of Secrets and techniques, Doomsday, Prince Persia: The Sands of Time and 2015’s Mortdecai.

4. What Is David Holmes and Daniel Radcliffe’s Podcast About?

Holmes launched the “Crafty Stunts” podcast with Radcliffe in 2020. The enterprise enterprise falls beneath Holmes’ Ripple Productions umbrella, which he created in 2013. The podcast options interviews with stunt performers previous and current in hopes of shining a light-weight on how dangerous the job is and lift consciousness for the artwork.

5. The place and When Can You Watch ‘David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived’?

David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived premieres on HBO Wednesday, November 15, at 9 p.m. ET. It can even be accessible to stream on Max. The mission, which is government produced by Radcliffe and directed by Dan Hartley, will embrace “candid private footage shot during the last decade, behind-the-scenes materials from Holmes’ stunt work, scenes of his present life and intimate interviews with David, Daniel Radcliffe, pals, household, and former crew,” per HBO. “The movie additionally displays common themes of dwelling with adversity, rising up, forging identities in an unsure world, and the bonds that bind us collectively and carry us up.”