WARWICK DAVIS-LOUD,FUNNY LARGER THAN LIFE

THE STAR OF WILLOW OPENS UP ABOUT FAMILY, SETTING A WORLD RECORD AND WHY PEOPLE NEED TO PUT DOWN THEIR PHONES

- GILLIAN TELLING

After appearing in some of the biggest film franchises of all time—including Star Wars and Harry Potter—Warwick Davis says he’s used to being recognized in public. “I’ve tried a mustache and hat,” he says of attempting to go incognito, “but I think I’ll have to try stilts and a really long overcoat next.” He’s joking, but after 40 years in the business, he’s among the most prominent actors with dwarfism in cinematic history. “I’m in the Guinness Book of World Records for supporting actor with the highest-grossing box office,” says the 3-ft.-6 Davis, who was born with a rare bone-growth disorder. He also might be the actor with the most Lego figurines representing the characters he’s played. “I think I’ve got eight. It’s very flattering to have a little figure of yourself on your desk!”

Young Warwick "Your parents say to you, 'These are the best days of your life.' And they're right," Davis, in 1984, says of his childhood in Surrey, England.

Now Davis, 52, is starring in the Disney+ TV series Willow, a fantasy dramedy based on his 1988 cult-classic film that also starred Val Kilmer. The show follows his aspiring sorcerer character, who has to teach Princess Elora Danan—the baby he rescued in the original film—how to harness her magical powers to help save their kingdom from evil. “It was quite physically and emotionally demanding,” he says about reprising the role. But, he says, it was also lots of fun, especially because he got to show off his comedic chops.