Warwick Davis talks Dwarfism challenges, career, and more with ‘The Times Weekend’

U.K. newspaper The Times recently ran a profile of Harry Potter actor Warwick Davis, who portrayed both Professor Flitwick and Griphook in the films. In the profile Davis discusses what it’s like living with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenital, a rare form of dwarfism, mentioning both how it affects his everyday activities-like changing light bulbs-and how a desire to be politically correct sometimes causes people to inadvertently be disrespectful, or hinders them from mentioning his height at all. You can see the entire article right here.

Warwick states, “That’s a problem. It stops people communicating, because they’re always worried about what they might say.”

He also speaks about his latest project, working on An Idiot Abroad, a travel documentary television show produced by Ricky Gervais, and how he got his lucky break in acting-his grandmother letting him know that the casting directors of Return of the Jedi were looking for short actors. Davis landed that role when he was just 11 and has had a steady career in fantasy and Sci-Fi films since then, including his memorable and nuanced performances in the Harry Potter films.

In terms of his career, Davis emphasizes that perseverance is vital by stating:

You can’t sit back and wait for people to come to you. You have to create your own projects, keep focused, and not be afraid to knock on doors. I’ve always been that way. It’s how I got into the industry. I seized an opportunity and got lucky. Maybe that’s how I differ from someone who went through drama school. If you’re faint of heart, you’re going to give up when the phone stops ringing.

With a statement like that, it seems like Davis might belong in Gryffindor rather than Ravenclaw! Read more about Davis’s career, his perfect weekend, and his experiences on An Idiot Abroad in the full profile.