Almost 15 years after a life-changing incident, the documentary David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived (David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived) comes to tell us the moving story of improvement of the gymnast, friend and stuntman of Daniel Radcliffe in the films of Harry Potter. Next, we tell you what you need to know:
What happened to David Holmes?
David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived will immerse us fully in the life of the prodigy gymnast from Essex, England, who was cast as a teenager as Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double, starting from the first film in the franchise. harry potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001).
Over the next ten years, the two formed an unbreakable bond. Unfortunately, in January 2009, prior to filming Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Holmes was seriously injured while rehearsing a stunt in which he was quickly pulled backwards with a harness. That spinal cord injury forced him to stay in the hospital for several months and he was permanently paralyzed from the chest down. Now, he uses a wheelchair.
What can we expect from the documentary?
Directed by Dan Hartley —video assistant on the second unit that shot the movies Harry Potter— and produced by Sky and HBO Documentary Films, The boy who lived shows David Holmes overcoming the accident that turned his world upside down. With an extraordinary spirit of resilience, he becomes a source of inspiration to Radcliffe and his fellow specialists, who did not abandon him or his family in his time of need.
“Some things are not the easiest to digest. I just want to be honest. And honestly, living with a broken neck is difficult,” Holmes confessed in an interview with the BBC to promote the documentary. “I’ve said it before, breaking my neck made me a man. And looking back, I am very grateful that I managed to retain my sense of identity, which is probably my greatest achievement.”
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The documentary mixes behind-the-scenes footage from his work as a stuntman with powerful personal footage filmed over the past decade, from what his life is like now to intimate interviews with Daniel, friends, family and his former team. A highly emotional exercise about fighting adversity, forging identities in an uncertain world and the ties that unite and drive us.
Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn, Vanessa Davies and Amy Stares share producing credit. Holmes, Radcliffe, Dan Hartley, Sue Latimer, Sarah Spahovic, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Tina Nguyen and Poppy Dixon are listed as executive producers.
“Dave is, and always has been, an extraordinary person, before and after the accident,” added Daniel Radcliffe. «I want people to know my friend, because he is very funny, intelligent, kind and generous. And he’s just an amazing person. That’s why I’ve wanted to share Dave with the world for a long time.”
Where to watch the documentary David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived?
The documentary is available from November 16, 2023 in HBO Max.