Warwick Davis Returns To Willow In A Series That Is “A Love Letter” To The Original Film
Thirty four years after the movie Willow premiered comes a new series on Disney+ bringing us back into the world of the dark fantasy adventure. Warwick Davis returns to the iconic role of sorcerer Willow Ufgood to lead a group of misfits on a dangerous rescue mission into the unknown.
At the Willow press conference, the cast and creatives talked about difficulty in balancing a new story with nostalgia. “[That’s] the challenge […] with every episode. You’re walking the line between making it familiar and satisfying what fans expect from the brand Willow and then trying to push it forward and tell a story that’s surprising and unexpected,” said writer and executive producer Jon Kasdan. “The great weapon we had with us was Warwick, who just lent the whole universe of Willow credibility. The moment you see him on screen, you suddenly believe these six other foolish kids could somehow fit into that world and really inhabit it. They did so so beautifully and with such gusto and enthusiasm and authenticity, that it was sort of an amazing thing to watch all these things come together, and become something that feels like a progression from the movie as much as a love letter to it.”
Warwick Davis expressed his delight for returning to this world. “One of the most enjoyable things about the series was really those call backs to events that had happened in the film. You know, times that when I as a character talk about those events. That was a really fun way of looking back at those things and certainly I think fans will get a kick out of,” shared Davis. “We went back to locations, environments that we’d already been to in the film. In particular, Nockmaar was one of those particular places that for me really gave me the shivers. You know, there I am kind of standing or sitting somewhere that Bavmorda would have sat and still kind of [feeling] her presence in that area. That just shows you how powerful the film was and those settings and also Jean Marsh’s performance.”
Kasdan revealed that George Lucas’ kind words while on the set of Solo made him feel this project was really possible. “[I] said to him in this moment, when I found myself sitting next to this God of my childhood, [that] the one thing I thought that Lucasfilm really had an opportunity to do was to tell more Willow stories. He smiled wryly and said he couldn’t agree more and had been trying to make that happen for quite a while and was a supporter and an advocate for any of that that we could get off the ground,” shared Kasdan. “That sort of faith and excitement and genuine boyish enthusiasm was really critical to feeling like this was something we could go off and do.”
This time around the project was a family affair as Davis’ real-life children — Harrison and Annabelle — joined the production. “I remember the time I first showed Harrison the movie. At the time I think he was about six. I left him in our living room watching it and went and did a bit emailing and work. He came running through to my office saying, ‘Dad, dad, you’re in trouble, are you okay?’ I said ‘I’m fine.’ At that time I was being attacked by a troll on screen. So yeah, it had a profound effect on Harrison. And he’s had counseling ever since,” laughed Davis. “But it was wonderful to have Harrison and my daughter Annabelle as part of the series.”
He continued: “Annabelle plays Mims, Willow’s daughter. And she’s a brilliant actor in her own right now. We had a lot of fun playing the scenes together. Obviously we’ve got that natural chemistry between us, which I think really shines in the scenes we have together. I’m immensely proud of her work. And also Harrison, for me, he’s the most perfect stunt and photo double. He stands the same height as I do, looks just like me. He’s slightly disappointed now that he’s never going to be recognized for the work he did, because as a stunt double and photo double, you should not be known, you should not even exist.”
Davis also opened up about some of the challenges in returning to the role of Willow Ufgood. “For me, the physical challenges of the role… I remember first time round when I was seventeen, it was physically quite challenging. You know, the difficult terrains, the harsh conditions in the mountains of New Zealand. But this time around, I’m not seventeen anymore. [I’m] fifty-two. So rough terrain, mud, that sort of thing, very unwieldy dialogue from Mr Kasdan… all of those things were challenging,” he said, shouting out the support from his wonderful cast. “[There’s'] also doing the original material justice. You know, having the weight of the fans with me, wanting to do the very best job that we could, and deliver a series that everyone could enjoy, be it the fans of the original and the new audience we hope to bring to this show as well.”
“Nonetheless the experience was a fun one. It’s one I look back on with great affection and fondness. What makes projects special are the people, not the material, the character,” he shared. “It’s the people you work with. This amazing ensemble cast we have here, and Jon our writer, the various directors we had throughout the series as well.”
Ruby Cruz, who plays Kit in the new series, opened up about what she took away from working alongside the veteran Davis. “Getting to just be around someone who’s so good at what he does, and someone who’s such a professional in what they do, like Warwick… watching [him] be able to just switch it on and off, which is something I really struggle with, was a huge,” said Cruz. “I really admire [him] for that. Coming in, [he’d] just waltz on set and then suddenly [he’d] be like in the most emotional state. Or [he’d] be cracking one-liners the entire time, while everything is going to disaster. Just being around [him] and getting to witness [him] in [his] element was really cool.”
The first two episodes of Willow hit Disney+ on November 30, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday.
