Daniel Radcliffe sheds light on the hidden tragedy that happened on the Harry Potter set

The Harry Potter saga is full of mysteries and hidden details. That is why, over ten years after it ended, people still watch the films. However, while the Harry Potter universe is wide, layered and hides infinite secrets it now appears like events that happened on set are also still being unveiled.

On 24 October 2023, the news came out that Daniel Radcliffe, the star of Harry Potter, is an executive producer on a documentary that sheds light on a dire incident that happened on set.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

In the documentary we meet David Holmes, Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double. Holmes worked on the Harry Potter films since the first ever movie. While Radcliffe was 12 when he starred in The Philosopher’s Stone Holmes was a bit older and an amazing gymnast.

During the course of ten years Radcliffe and Holmes became close friends. This friendship was solidified when a terrible incident took place on the set of Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

Deadline explains:

Holmes was working on Deathly Hallows: Part 1 when an explosion that was part of a planned stunt sent him plummeting to the ground

The accident left Holmes paralysed from the chest down.

Why do a documentary now?

David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived is set to be released on 15 November on HBO and is advertised as:

a coming-of-age story of stuntman David Holmes, a prodigious teenage gymnast from Essex, England, who is selected to play Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double in the first ‘Harry Potter’ film, when Daniel is just 11.

Over the next 10 years, the two form an inextricable bond, but on the penultimate film a tragic accident on set leaves David paralyzed with a debilitating spinal injury, turning his world upside down.

As Daniel and his closest stunt colleagues rally to support David and his family in their moment of need, it is David’s extraordinary spirit of resilience that becomes their greatest source of strength and inspiration.

The accident which happened in 2009 is not something that is widely known.

The bond between Radcliffe and Holmes has been strong for a while. During the 2020 lockdown, the two launched a podcast called Cunning Stunts. The aim of it is:

to highlight and pay tribute to the amazing work that our Stunt Coordinators and Performers do whilst on set in the name of entertainment.

On Cunning Stunt, Daniel Radcliffe talked about the consideration that stuntmen and women should get. Fair to say that his words directly shine a light on why he wanted to produce the documentary. He stated:

I think there’s a myth around stuntmen that they are just superhuman in some way (...) When the public see something really painful or horrible, they think it was a visual effect or that there’s some clever, safe way of doing it. Often that’s not the case.

There’s no way of faking, for example, falling down stairs. When you get hit by a car, you’re still getting hit by a car, even if it’s going slower than it would. They find the safest way of doing it, but it can still hurt.

About the documentary Holmes said on Instagram:

Being a stuntman was my calling in life, and doubling Harry was the best job in the world. In January 2009, I had a stunt rehearsal accident that changed my life forever.

This film tells the story of not just my achievements in front of camera, but also the challenges I face every day, and my overall attitude to life after suffering a broken neck.

The documentary will include behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast, producers and crew.

Read more:

⋙ Harry Potter: Dumbledore actor Sir Michael Gambon has died aged 82, cause of death revealed

⋙ Harry Potter cast members that are now parents, from Rupert Grint to Oliver Phelps

⋙ Kate Middleton: New photos shows her uncanny resemblance to Harry Potter's Professor McGonagall

Sources:

Variety: Daniel Radcliffe’s ‘Harry Potter’ Stunt Double Was Paralyzed After ‘Deathly Hallows’ Set Accident — Now They’ve Teamed Up for a Doc to Tell His Story

Deadline: Daniel Radcliffe To EP Doc About His Stunt Double Left Paralyzed After ‘Deathly Hallows’ Accident

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