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David Holmes: Daniel Radcliffe’s ‘stunt double’ in the Harry Potter film series is a living example of courage, hope and unyielding resilience

David Holmes: Daniel Radcliffe’s ‘stunt double’ in the Harry Potter film series is a living example of courage, hope and unyielding resilience

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David Holmes official poster

In the Harry Potter film series, the titular character played by Daniel Radcliffe is often referred to as ‘The Boy Who Lived’. However, in real life, the title aptly fits David Holmes Daniel’s ‘stunt double’ in the popular franchise, based on JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series of novels. The 2023 documentary David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived, which is available to stream on HBO Max and Jio Cinema, chronicles an important portion of this stuntman’s life before and after he met with a tragic accident on the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 that broke his neck and paralysed most parts of his body. Directed by Dan Hartley and co-produced by Daniel, the HBO original film narrates a tale of courage, hope, and unyielding resilience.

The athletic David who always referred to himself as a ‘gymnast, stuntman and extraordinaire’, is known to have never believed in the concept of fear. He loved being the lead stuntman for his friend Daniel, and often called his job the best in the world. Unfortunately, all the good things for him came crashing down on a fateful day in January 2009 while performing a stunt for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, following which his close friend Marc Mailley had to replace him for the rest of the film to perform the rigorous actions.

But even after losing the most crucial thing in his life, David never complained or blamed anyone. In the documentary, his friends and colleagues—including Daniel, Marc, and Greg Powell (stunt coordinator)—often seem teary-eyed as they speak of the horrifying day. Meanwhile, David can only be seen reflecting positivity and courage with a smile on his face. Harry Potter star Daniel’s efforts to shed light on the inspiring life of his stuntman and friend of over two decades are applaudable, too.

Currently, David is running multiple charities to support important causes. The former actor-stuntman is also working as a British podcast host and living his life on his own terms with the support of his near and dear ones.