Actor Daniel Radcliffe makes documentary on his paralysed Harry Potter stunt double

David Holmes (right) was Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double for 10 years. PHOTO: HBO

LONDON – Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is shining the spotlight on his stunt double in a documentary called David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived.

Holmes was Radcliffe’s stunt double for 10 years, since the blockbuster film franchise began with Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone (2001).

An accident in 2009 on the set of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) left Holmes paralysed with a debilitating spinal injury.

The documentary film – with Radcliffe, 34, serving as executive producer – features interviews with the British actor and his double, candid personal footage and Holmes’ stunt work from over the years.

Holmes, 42, shared about the documentary in an Instagram post on Tuesday, writing that his Harry Potter gig was “the best job in the world”.

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

“In the turbulent world we find ourselves living in right now, I would like to quote Harry: ‘We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.’”

He added: “I am able to live only because of the united love and support that I am fortunate enough to have had. And it is thanks to this love and support that I am able to share my journey with you all.”

Holmes also thanked medical staff, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and Radcliffe for their support.

“I want to say a very special thank you to Daniel – for his willingness to help tell my story and for his years of support, friendship and love,” Holmes wrote.

“We are both immensely proud of our time on the Harry Potter films, and the joy and comfort it brings to audiences around the world on a daily basis.”

The documentary airs on HBO on Nov 15, but will not be available in Singapore.

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