The series of novels about a young wizard and his two friends by JK Rowling has been one of the most popular in the fantasy category for over two decades. Each of the books was even adapted into films, which instantly became a sensation, winning the hearts of viewers around the world.
For 9 years he replaced Radcliffe in stunt scenes. The accident ended his career
A group of stuntmen also worked on the set together with famous actors. Their task was to produce difficult and often risky scenes. David Holmes was associated with the production from the beginning, replacing Daniel Radcliffe, who played the title role. When he was hired by the producers, he was only 17 years old. He was always well prepared and approached his tasks with commitment and precision. Many even predicted a career for him in the world of cinema. However, everything changed in 2009 during the filming of the last of the series “The Deathly Hallows”.
Holmes was present on the set almost constantly. He shot scenes of dynamic broom flying and explosions. The team made sure to take all necessary precautions, but, as we know, not everything can be predicted, because the work of a stuntman involves risk, as David learned the hard way. While rehearsing a flight scene, he accidentally fell to the ground, breaking his neck. “I hit the wall and then landed on the mat underneath. The stunt coordinator grabbed my hand and said, “Squeeze my fingers.” I could move my arm to grab his hand, but I couldn’t squeeze his fingers – . – I looked into his eyes and then I realized that what had happened was really serious – he said, admitting that he remembered it vaguely because he was constantly “losing consciousness from the pain”. As a result of the accident, Holmes was paralyzed from the chest down. This ended his career dreams forever.
Today, the Harry Potter stuntman is paralyzed. What does he do every day?
After the accident, Holmes spent many weeks in hospital, recovering and learning to function in a wheelchair. However, it was not easy for him, he could not imagine that he would never regain fitness. – My first thoughts were not that I wouldn’t be able to walk. They had to do with all these other things, like not being able to dance or have moments of intimacy again – years later. In difficult times, he could count on the support of his colleagues. He was regularly visited by, among others, Daniel Radcliffe, whom he replaced, and Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy. Although initially the vision of the future was unacceptable to him, he eventually began to get used to the situation. However, he did not intend to sink into despair and even more enjoy life.
Today, Holmes hosts the podcast “Cunning Stunts”, in which he talks about his experiences as a stuntman. He also welcomes other people who have also experienced similar injuries. He wants to inspire people and prove that disability does not rule out anything. For this reason, he likes to travel, even to the most exotic corners of the world, and shares reports from these trips with his community on Instagram.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
