In 2009, David Holmes, a stunt double for Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, became paralysed after he sustained a spinal injury while filming an aerial sequence for Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows.
Fourteen years later, his story will be the subject of a documentary, titled David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived, which will air on HBO.
Directed by Dan Hartley and executive produced by Daniel Radcliffe, the documentary will feature “candid personal footage shot over the last decade”, as well as “behind-the-scenes material from Holmes’ stunt work, scenes of his current life and intimate interviews” with the likes of Holmes and Radcliffe.
The official synopsis reads:
“The film is a coming-of-age story of stuntman David Holmes, a prodigious teenage gymnast from Essex, England, who is selected to play Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double in the first Harry Potter film, when Daniel is just 11. Over the next 10 years, the two form an inextricable bond but on the penultimate film, a tragic accident on set leaves David paralysed with a debilitating spinal injury, turning his world upside down. As Daniel and his closest stunt colleagues rally to support David and his family in their moment of need, it is David’s extraordinary spirit of resilience that becomes their greatest source of strength and inspiration.”
On Tuesday (Oct 24), Holmes shared about the documentary on his Instagram page, saying: “Being a stuntman was my calling in life, and doubling Harry was the best job in the world. In January 2009, I had a stunt rehearsal accident that changed my life forever.
“In the turbulent world we find ourselves living in right now, I would like to quote Harry: ‘We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.’ I am only able to live because of the united love and support that I am fortunate enough to have had. And it is thanks to this love and support that I am able to share my journey with you all.”