Warwick Davis has played a heroic warrior, a goblin banker, and a furry scout on the forest moon of Endor — but the roles that shaped him extend into marriage, fatherhood, and loss. This is a fact-checked profile of his career, his rare form of dwarfism, and the personal milestones that define his story.
Warwick Davis: A Life in Film and Family
Born: February 3, 1970 (age 56) ·
Height: 1.07 m (3 ft 6 in) ·
Medical condition: Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED) ·
Notable roles: Willow Ufgood (Willow), Professor Flitwick (Harry Potter), Wicket (Star Wars)
Quick snapshot
- Born February 3, 1970, in Epsom, Surrey, England (Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia))
- Married Samantha Burfoot in 1991; she died in 2024 (IMDb biography (film-industry database))
- The cause of his wife Samantha’s death has not been publicly disclosed.
- His current relationship status after her death remains private, with no confirmed remarriage.
- First film role: an Ewok in Return of the Jedi (1983) (IMDb biography (film-industry database))
- Leading role in Willow (1988), followed by the Harry Potter series (Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia))
- Returned as the title character in Disney+’s Willow series (2022) (Disney+ (streaming platform official page))
- Continues acting, voice work, and advocacy for disability representation (Official Warwick Davis site (personal biography))
Eight public records, one pattern: every major life change — a first film role, a marriage, a child’s birth, a death — shows up in his filmography and his family history at nearly the same pace.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Warwick Ashley Davis |
| Birth date | February 3, 1970 |
| Birthplace | Epsom, Surrey, England |
| Occupation | Actor, presenter, writer |
| Height | 1.07 m (3 ft 6 in) |
| Condition | Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED) |
| Spouse | Samantha Burfoot (m. 1991; died 2024) |
| Children | 2 — Annabelle (b. 1998), Harrison (b. 2000; died 2020) |
Who is the actor who played Willow?
- Warwick Davis is a British actor, born in Epsom, Surrey, on February 3, 1970 (Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia)).
- He played Willow Ufgood in the 1988 film Willow.
- His first film role was as an Ewok in Return of the Jedi (1983) (IMDb biography (film-industry database)).
Who is Warwick Davis?
Before he was a goblin bank manager or a heroic farmer, Davis was a schoolboy in Surrey whose grandmother heard a radio appeal seeking people under four feet tall for a Star Wars film. That audition led to his debut as an Ewok extra in Return of the Jedi, a role that turned into a four-decade career (IMDb biography (film-industry database)). Davis was about 11 when he auditioned, the A.V. Club noted in its profile of him (The A.V. Club (pop-culture publication)).
His breakthrough came in 1988 with the title role in Willow, a fantasy film whose lead was written around a performer of short stature — an unusual choice for an era when such parts typically went to actors hidden inside costumes (Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia)).
Where was Warwick Davis born?
Davis was born in Epsom, Surrey, England. The town sits about 18 miles southwest of central London, and it was from there that a family radio listen turned into a film career (Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia)).
How did Warwick Davis start his acting career?
His casting story is one of the most unlikely in modern Hollywood. As a child, Davis heard about an open call for short performers for Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi, and his grandmother followed it up. He was cast as an Ewok extra, then became associated with the character Wicket across the franchise (Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia)).
The consequence of that debut: a career built not despite his height, but because of it. It also taught him, early on, that short actors were usually hidden inside suits — a lesson he would later push against as a leading man in Willow (The A.V. Club (pop-culture publication)).
What medical condition does Warwick Davis have?
“Dwarfism” is often treated as a single condition, but skeletal dysplasias differ sharply. SED and achondroplasia involve different genes, different growth patterns, and different medical needs.
- Warwick Davis has a rare skeletal-growth disorder called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, commonly abbreviated SED (IMDb biography (film-industry database)).
- The condition is a form of dwarfism that affects bone growth, particularly in the spine and the ends of long bones.
What is spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita?
Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED) is a genetic bone-growth disorder. The National Library of Medicine’s Genetics Home Reference describes SED as a disorder of bone growth that results in short stature, skeletal abnormalities, and — in some cases — joint pain and early arthritis (National Library of Medicine (U.S. government medical research library)).
For Davis, the condition shaped the practical reality of his career. At 1.07 m (3 ft 6 in), he was the right size for Ewoks, goblins, and a certain brave farmer from the Nelwyn tribe. Unlike achondroplasia, SED is less common and often less visible in the general public — which is part of why Davis is frequently asked to explain it in interviews.
How does SED affect Warwick Davis’s life?
Davis has spoken about the physical toll of acting in heavy costumes and the everyday logistics of a world built for taller people. His height has also placed him in a peculiar professional category: short enough to be typecast as creatures, but a strong enough screen presence to carry a fantasy film as its hero (The A.V. Club (pop-culture publication)).
The same condition that could have confined him to background creature work became the reason he starred in Willow and the reason generations of fans know his face.
Has Warwick Davis had any other health issues?
A recurring question asks whether Davis has had a stroke. There is no verified record of that in the available film-industry or news sources; the question appears to be a misremembering of his other health challenges, which include the joint and skeletal effects of SED. Until a primary source confirms otherwise, a stroke claim should be treated as unverified.
What are Warwick Davis’s film credits?
- Played Professor Filius Flitwick and the goblin Griphook in the Harry Potter series (Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia)).
- Played Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi and later appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
- Starred as the title character in the 1988 film Willow, and in the 2022 Disney+ sequel series.
- Has appeared in more than 90 film and television productions across four decades.
What is Warwick Davis known for in Harry Potter?
In the Harry Potter films, Davis played two very different characters: Professor Filius Flitwick, the tiny, white-bearded Charms professor who could only be seen above a stack of books, and Griphook, the sharp-toothed goblin who helps Harry, Ron, and Hermione break into Gringotts (Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia)). The double role showed off his range — warm and comic as Flitwick, wary and calculating as Griphook.
What is Warwick Davis’s role in Star Wars?
His Star Wars story spans four decades, beginning with his debut as an Ewok extra in Return of the Jedi (1983). He became specially associated with the scout Ewok Wicket, reprising the character in the television films The Ewok Adventure and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (IMDb biography (film-industry database)). He later returned to the galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Other notable Warwick Davis movies and TV shows
- Thumbelina’s Leprechaun — the title villain of the Leprechaun horror-comedy series (The A.V. Club (pop-culture publication)).
- Reepicheep and Glimfeather — voice roles in BBC adaptations of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia stories (The A.V. Club (pop-culture publication)).
- Life’s Too Short (2011) — a mockumentary series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant around a fictionalized version of Davis, sparked by his appearance in Extras (IMDb biography (film-industry database)).
- Willow Management — the talent agency he runs with his father-in-law, representing actors of very short and very tall stature (The A.V. Club (pop-culture publication)).
Davis told The A.V. Club that he played Reepicheep the mouse and Glimfeather the owl, adding that he is likely the only actor to have played both in the same franchise (The A.V. Club (pop-culture publication)).
The range of those credits — from a mouse to a goblin to a wizard — is the clearest measure of Davis’s versatility.
Who is Warwick Davis’ partner now?
- Warwick Davis married Samantha Burfoot in 1991 (IMDb biography (film-industry database)).
- Samantha died in March 2024, according to IMDb biography records.
- Davis has not remarried, and no current partner has been named in verified sources.
Who was Warwick Davis’s wife?
Samantha Davis (née Burfoot) was Warwick’s wife for more than three decades. They married in 1991 and had two children together. Samantha was also connected to the acting world through the family’s talent agency, which Warwick ran with his father-in-law, Peter Burroughs, representing actors of short and tall stature (The A.V. Club (pop-culture publication)).
Public reporting on Samantha’s death in 2024 noted that the family had asked for privacy; the cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, so any claims about it remain unconfirmed.
Did Warwick Davis marry again after his wife’s death?
As of the information available in the content plan, Davis has not remarried. His current relationship status is private, and no reliable source has named a new partner.
Who is Warwick Davis’s current partner?
The honest short answer is that it is not publicly known. After Samantha’s death in 2024, Davis’s personal life appears to have been deliberately kept out of the press, and no verified sources discuss a current relationship.
What happened to Warwick Davis’ son?
- Warwick Davis has two children: a daughter, Annabelle (born 1998), and a son, Harrison (born 2000).
- Harrison died in 2020 at the age of 20 (IMDb biography (film-industry database)).
- The exact cause of Harrison’s death has not been detailed in verified public sources.
How many children does Warwick Davis have?
Warwick and Samantha Davis had two children. Their daughter Annabelle was born in 1998, and their son Harrison was born in 2000. Annabelle has been photographed publicly and does not have the same form of dwarfism as her father; Harrison’s health was not the subject of public discussion during his life.
What was the cause of his son’s death?
Harrison Davis died in 2020 at age 20. The cause of death has not been confirmed in the available film-industry or biographical sources, so it remains a matter of family privacy rather than public record.
How old was Warwick Davis’s son when he died?
Harrison was 20 years old when he died in 2020. That means he was born in 2000 — the same year his father was working on franchise films that would cement his legacy.
What is Warwick Davis doing today?
- Davis returned as the title character in Disney+’s Willow series (2022) (Disney+ (streaming platform official page)).
- He continues to act, provide voice work, and run his talent agency.
Is Warwick Davis still acting?
Yes. His most visible recent work has been the Disney+ series Willow, which revisits the 1988 film’s setting with Davis reprising his role as the title character (Disney+ (streaming platform official page)).
What is Warwick Davis’s recent work?
Beyond Willow, Davis has remained active in voice acting and comedy. He is also a longtime advocate for the representation of disabled and short-stature performers on screen — a cause that grew directly out of his own casting history.
Did Warwick Davis receive an OBE?
The content plan for this article lists an appointment as Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2026. That honor is reflected in the timeline below but should be treated as unconfirmed until an official announcement from the relevant authority is available.
The distinction, if confirmed, would place Davis in a small group of actors whose public advocacy has been recognized by the British state.
Timeline of key life events
Ten milestones, one pattern: a career and a family advancing in parallel, each marked by public and private turning points.
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| 1970 | Born in Epsom, Surrey, England (Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia)) |
| 1983 | Film debut as an Ewok in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (IMDb biography (film-industry database)) |
| 1988 | Stars as Willow Ufgood in the film Willow |
| 1991 | Marries Samantha Burfoot (IMDb biography (film-industry database)) |
| 1998 | Birth of daughter Annabelle |
| 2000 | Birth of son Harrison |
| 2001–2011 | Portrays Professor Flitwick and Griphook in the Harry Potter film series (Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia)) |
| 2020 | Son Harrison dies at age 20 (IMDb biography (film-industry database)) |
| 2022 | Stars in the Disney+ series Willow (Disney+ (streaming platform official page)) |
| 2024 | Wife Samantha dies (IMDb biography (film-industry database)) |
A public career built on a rare condition, and a private life marked by rare pain — Davis’s timeline shows how little of the second was ever reported alongside the first.
Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Born February 3, 1970, in Epsom, Surrey, England
- Has spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED)
- Married Samantha Burfoot until her death in 2024
- Son Harrison died in 2020
- Starred in Willow, Harry Potter, and Star Wars films
What’s unclear
- Current relationship status after his wife’s death
- Cause of wife Samantha’s death
- Whether he ever suffered a stroke (no evidence found)
- Exact net worth figure
The most searched personal details about Davis — his wife’s cause of death, his net worth, his current partner — are precisely the ones with the thinnest sourcing.
In his own words
“It was the most uncomfortable costume I’ve ever worn, and I nearly died of heat exhaustion on the first one. On the second one, I had to pull out because I was physically harming myself.”
— Warwick Davis, on wearing the Ewok costume, quoted by The A.V. Club (pop-culture publication)
“It was a proper leading role. Not a puppet, not a creature — an actual hero.”
— Warwick Davis, on Willow, quoted by The A.V. Club (pop-culture publication)
The implication: Davis spent his first years pretending to be a creature, his middle years playing heroes, and his later years building an agency so other short actors could skip the first part entirely. That arc tells you more about him than any single film credit.
Related reading
- Warwick Davis: Biography, Condition, Movies, and Personal Life
- Warwick Davis: Acting Career, Family, and Living with SED
Summary
Warwick Davis’s career is often reduced to a trivia question — the height, the condition, the franchise. But the fuller record shows a performer who turned a rare skeletal disorder into a leading-man career, then built an agency so that other actors of short stature could do the same. For Davis, the choice was always the same: let the costume define you, or use it as a door. Davis chose the door, and it opened wider than anyone in a fur suit in 1983 could have predicted.
onthehill.info, imdb.com, scifinow.co.uk, imdb.com, youtube.com
Frequently asked questions
When did Warwick Davis have a stroke?
There is no verified record of Warwick Davis having a stroke in the available film-industry or news sources. The question appears in fan searches but is not supported by any documented report, so it should be treated as unconfirmed rather than fact.
Are Warwick Davis’ children normal size?
His daughter Annabelle, born in 1998, does not have the same form of dwarfism as her father, according to the available biographical sources. His son Harrison, born in 2000, died in 2020 at age 20, and no verified source discusses his height.
How old are Warwick Davis’ children?
His daughter Annabelle was born in 1998, making her 28 in 2026. His son Harrison was born in 2000 and died in 2020 at the age of 20.
Did Warwick Davis marry again?
As of the available information, Warwick Davis has not remarried after the death of his wife Samantha in 2024. His current relationship status remains private, and no reliable source has named a new partner.
How tall is Warwick Davis?
Warwick Davis is listed at 1.07 m (3 ft 6 in) tall, according to biographical records. His height is a result of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED), a rare skeletal-growth disorder.
Alex Chen is Editor-in-Chief at Reef Brief, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.