This ‘Harry Potter’ Set Accident Is More Terrifying Than Lord Voldemort

The big picture

• David Holmes, Daniel Radcliffe's stunt double in the
  Harry Potter
  movies, was paralyzed from the chest down after an accident on set.
• Holmes had to relearn simple tasks and experienced lasting effects from his injury, including limited mobility in his hands and arms.
• Since then, Holmes has taken up car racing, launched a podcast and become an activist, refusing to let his paralysis define him.

In the years since Harry Potter The movies are over, fans have learned a lot about what goes on off-screen, but there are still a lot of events that take time to come to light, especially those involving the lesser-known members of the Harry Potter family While the series shot to the size of Daniel Radcliffe i Emma Watson to stardom, others are not so recognizable, probably because no one knows when they appear on screen. Stunt doubles are often the unsung heroes of movies, despite the fact that they assume the greatest risks. Making movies can be a surprisingly dangerous business, and Harry Potter it was no different.

With eight films, it should come as no surprise that the filming process had at least one disaster, but that doesn't make the story any less impactful. The former double and entrepreneur, David Holmes, was Radcliffe's double for most of the films. But that changed after an accident on the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 left him paralyzed from the chest down. Yet even after his life-changing injury, Holmes has refused to let his circumstances define him. After years of healing, Holmes spoke the mirror about the events surrounding his paralysis and how he has chosen to live since then.

What happened to David Holmes on the set of 'Harry Potter'?

Flying is widely recognized as one of the most dangerous stunts, and unfortunately, it is also common in Harry Potter. While rehearsing for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Holmes practiced a backhand stunt to mimic the effects of an explosion. As expected, a high-strength cable pulled him back, but something went wrong and Holmes crashed into a wall before landing on the carpet. The fall broke his neck, leaving him paralyzed. The stuntman did not initially realize the severity of his injury, and claimed his first concern was that his parents would be called and worried.

Afterwards, the stunt coordinator asked Holmes to squeeze his fingers. Although Holmes could take the other man's hand, he could not squeeze. And that was when he realized that things were very bad. Despite drifting in and out of consciousness, Holmes remembers the day well. Holmes compared the pain to the feeling he had experienced from broken bones, stating in his interview with the mirror, “recognizing that strange feeling all over my body from my fingertips to my toes, I knew it really hurt.” The injury changed a lot for Holmes and had lasting effects that he still deals with.

The healing of the fall took a long time and will never be completed. Holmes' diagnosis includes paralysis from the chest down and limited mobility of his hands and arms. After the injury, Holmes was rushed to Watford General Hospital for immediate care, but was later transferred to the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital in Stanmore, north-west London, where he spent six months . After the injury, Holmes had to relearn simple tasks. During the time he spent healing, most of his muscles atrophied, meaning he had a lot more recovery to do. Holmes told The Mirror: “I've gone from being able to stand on my hands for half an hour at a time to suddenly not being able to sit up in bed.” At first, Holmes struggled to find his balance, unable to sit up straight, but that didn't last. The process required patience, persistence and no small amount of pain, but Holmes learned to function with his new circumstances.

Holmes formed close relationships with the “Harry Potter” cast.

Harry Potter it was not Holmes' first film as a double. She began a career as a competitive gymnast at age six, and by age fourteen was a body double for the child actor in Lost in space. stunt coordinator, Greg Powellmet Holmes shortly before starting Harry Potter and suggested him for Radcliffe's double, beginning his involvement with the series. Before her injury, Holmes trained in gymnastics, trampolining, high diving, kickboxing, horse riding and swimming. Holmes worked on all the Harry Potter films until his accident in 2009 and explained the mirror“It was an amazing experience. I loved it and Dan was an absolute pleasure to work with. The cast and crew were like a second family and I'm still in touch with many of them to this day.”

Spending so many years with the cast and crew of harry potter, it is not surprising that Holmes befriended the others. Both Radcliffe and Tom Felton she visited him in the hospital, but not out of courtesy. Radcliffe specifically stated that they remain friends, saying: “I have a relationship that goes back many, many years with Dave. And I wouldn't want people to just see me and Dave and go, 'Oh, there's Daniel Radcliffe with a person in a wheelchair wheels,' because I would never, even for a moment, want them to assume that Dave was anything but an incredibly important person in my life.” Radcliffe even organized a charity dinner and auction to cover Holmes' medical bills. The actor was also an executive producer of a documentary released in late 2023 called David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived, which allowed Holmes to tell his story for the first time. The years spent working together seem to have resulted in a lifelong friendship between Radcliffe and Holmes.

What has David Holmes been doing since 'Harry Potter'?

Fourteen years after his injury, Holmes has a busy life. Although in a wheelchair, Holmes has not become inactive. He has started racing in a specially modified car, which he can control with his hands using a push-pull system. Holmes uses it to drive around the track at terrifying speeds, still unafraid of danger. He also partnered with two quadriplegic friends to launch Ripple Productions, where they created a series of podcasts for people who have suffered traumatic injuries. Holmes furthers his activist work by being an appeal ambassador for RNOH, the specialist orthopedic hospital where he spent much of his recovery. Despite the accident that changed his life, Holmes remains positive, and does not let what happened to him define him.. Although his life may not look the same as before, Holmes took control of his situation and made a life for himself.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is available to stream on Max in the US

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