Warwick Davis

Warwick Ashley Davis (/ˈwɒrɪk/ WORR-ik; born 3 February 1970) is an English actor and television presenter. Active within the industry since he was eleven, Davis is among the highest-grossing supporting actors of all time and has the highest average gross revenue of all supporting actors. He played the title character in Willow (1988) and the Leprechaun film series (1993–2003); several characters in the Star Wars film series (1983–2024), most notably Wicket the Ewok; and Professor Filius Flitwick and the goblin Griphook in the Harry Potter film series (2001–2011).

Davis starred as a fictionalised version of himself in the sitcom Life's Too Short (2011–2013). He has also presented the ITV game shows Celebrity Squares (2014–2015) and Tenable (2016–2024). In 2025, Davis was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Davis was born on 3 February 1970 in Epsom, Surrey, the son of Susan J. (née Pain) and Ashley Davis, an insurance worker. He has a younger sister. He was educated at Chinthurst School in Tadworth, Surrey, and the City of London Freemen's School.

Davis was born with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, a rare bone growth disorder that results in dwarfism. 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 in Return of the Jedi. As he was a Star Wars fan, this was a dream come true for Davis. During the filming of Return of the Jedi, Mark Hamill bought Davis every Star Wars action figure that he did not already own.

Davis was originally cast as an extra Ewok, but when Kenny Baker, who was originally going to be Wicket, fell ill, George Lucas picked Davis to be the new Wicket after seeing how he carried himself as an Ewok.

Davis based his Ewok movements on his dog, who tilted his head from side to side whenever he saw something strange. During production on the film, Davis was the subject of a short mockumentary film about his experience as Wicket, titled Return of the Ewok, made by Return 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 the ABC made-for-TV films Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor.

In 1987, Davis was called to Elstree Studios near London to meet with Ron Howard and George Lucas to discuss a new film project called Willow, which was written with Davis specifically in mind. Willow was his first opportunity to act with his face visible. He co-starred with Val Kilmer in the film, which received a Royal Premiere before the Prince and Princess of Wales. He then moved to television to be in the BBC Television adaptation of the classic The Chronicles of Narnia, specifically in Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (as Reepicheep), and The Silver Chair (as Glimfeather) and an episode of Zorro filmed in Madrid. In 1993, he played the villainous Irish lead character in Leprechaun, opposite Jennifer Aniston, a role he reprised in five sequels, from 1994 to 2003. He also played a leprechaun in the 1998 family film A Very Unlucky Leprechaun. Davis returned to the Star Wars universe, playing four roles in Star 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 Professor Filius Flitwick in the Harry Potter film series. In addition to playing Flitwick, Davis played the role of the goblin Griphook in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2, despite the role being played previously by Verne Troyer.