When I was younger, I went through a phase where I thought maybe I could be a stunt performer. I had no idea how to do it, and I was never sure if I was “sporty” enough or thin enough or if I needed to also have some acting experience. Thirty years later, it’s just a lost dream now. In that time, I realized that stunt performing is one of the hardest, most dangerous jobs in the world done by some of the most athletic people. You’ve probably seen plenty of documentaries about overcoming adversity, but THE BOY WHO LIVED is all about that and more. It’s also full of reasons why stunt performers deserve more recognition, more awards, and better pay and protections.
THE BOY WHO LIVED also scratched another itch for me. After being a massive fan of the Harry Potter books, movies, and games for 20+ years, I consciously decided not to put any more money into its billionaire creator’s pocket about four years ago. I believe she’s said and done very dangerous things to the LBGTQ+ community, especially to trans kids, and she doesn’t need any more money. I don’t begrudge my friends who still consume new Potter-related content, but I admittedly have little patience for those who need to promote all things Rowling, all the time. THE BOY WHO LIVED was a wonderful way to reconnect with stories that had meant so much to me over the last two decades in a way that she had no connection to.
For me, it was a completely new story in the Potterverse as I never knew anything about Daniel Radcliffe’s stand-ins and stunt doubles and how they formed a family over the decade they filmed the seven films together. David Holmes is 6-7 years older than Daniel, but both men agree that they always treated each other as equals, even when Dan was just 11 years old in the first film. David lights up a room everywhere he goes, so it’s no surprise that he formed such strong bonds with Dan and his other colleagues. As an already accomplished gymnast, he naturally became a stunt performer.
Not knowing David’s story meant I didn’t know that he suffered a terrible, life-altering accident while working on HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2. This doc is not only a story about a beloved and accomplished stuntman, an enduring friendship between two people who shared one of the biggest film roles for a decade, but also about the tragedy that struck David’s life.
For many people who suffer accidents that paralyze most or all of their bodies, it often works out not to be a tragedy at all. But for David, it’s different. THE BOY WHO LIVED also covers his health issues 14 years after the accident and what’s to come for him. It’s bittersweet and sad but filled with love and hope, not unlike the Potter series.
DAVID HOLMES: THE BOY WHO LIVED is now streaming on Max.
