HBO has readied a documentary about David Holmes, the stuntman who stood in for Daniel Radcliffe in almost all of the Harry Potter films before he was paralyzed on the set of Deathly Hallows Part 1. The film, entitled David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived, premieres on HBO and Max November 15th.
Holmes, described as a “prodigious teenage gymnast from Essex, England,” worked as Radcliffe’s stunt double from 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone until 2010’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, when he broke his neck while performing a stunt and became paralyzed from the chest down. Directed by Dan Hartley, the documentary tells his story with behind-the-scenes material from Holmes’ stunt career, personal footage from the past decade, and interviews with friends, family, and crew members. Radcliffe is among those featured in the film and also serves as an executive producer.
HBO’s official statement for David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived describes an “inextricable bond” between Holmes and Radcliffe — one that hasn’t faded in the years following the end of the Harry Potter franchise. In 2020, the two launched the “Cunning Stunts” podcast, which was meant to shine a light on the realities and dangers of stunt work.
Radcliffe last appeared in “Weird Al” Yankovic’s sort-of biopic, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
