Samantha Davis, founder of dwarfism charity Little People UK and wife of "Harry Potter" star Warwick Davis, has passed away at the age of 53.
Warwick announced his wife's death on Wednesday (April 17) night in a moving tribute, writing, "My wife and soul-mate, best friend. Devoted mother. My favorite human. My most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career has passed."
Highlights
- Warwick Davis announced the death of his wife Samantha, actress and founder of Little People UK.
- The family paid tribute to the late actress, highlighting Samantha's warmth, humor, and generosity.
- Samantha had achondroplasia and previously battled sepsis after a spinal surgery.
"Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs."
The 54-year-old "Star Wars" actor called his late wife "the most open, warm person [he had] ever known," adding, "She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life, she had a wicked sense of humor and always laughed at my bad jokes."
Image credits: warwickadavis
The couple's children, 27-year-old Annabelle and 21-year-old Harrison, also paid tribute to Samantha, writing, "Her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives."
"Mum is our best friend," they continued, "and we're honored to have received a love like hers."
While Samantha's cause of death has not been disclosed, Warwick explained that her mobility had become impaired in recent years but noted she was "determined that it would not impact her quality of life and limit what she did and was able to achieve."
Samantha had achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder that results in dwarfism due to a genetic mutation in the arms and legs.
"Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs," the actor wrote
Image credits: annabelleldavis
In 2019, the actress contracted sepsis, a life-threatening medical emergency caused by the immune system's overwhelming response to an infection, after undergoing decompression surgery on her spine.
"We went home a week later, and suddenly, I couldn't feel my legs. I thought I was still recovering from the surgery, so I went to bed, but the next day, I felt awful, as though I had been hit by a truck," she said at the time.
Samantha was an actress and the founder of the charity Little People UK
Image credits: annabelleldavis
Image credits: Mike Marsland/Getty Images
Samantha was known for her roles in "Through the Dragon's Eye," "ShortFellas," and "Honky Sausages." She also had an uncredited role alongside Warwick in the 1988 movie "Willow."
Warwick played both Professor Flitwick and the goblin Griphook in all eight films in the "Harry Potter" franchise. He also played several characters in the "Star Wars" film series, most notably Wicket the Ewok.
They co-starred in 1994's "Leprechaun 2" and were joined by their children in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," which saw Warwick in the roles of Griphook and Professor Filius Flitwick, while Samantha, Annabelle, and Harrison played Gringotts Goblins.
"Her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives," the couple's children, Harrison and Annabelle, wrote
Image credits: harrisonwdavis
Their final post on Instagram was shared on October 5, 2023. "A long overdue date night with my beautiful wife. She felt a bit overdressed for McDonald's," Warwick captioned the photo of the couple smiling for the camera.
Samantha and her husband founded the charity Little People UK in 2012 to help individuals with dwarfism and their families.
A statement on the charity’s website following the sad news reads, "Not only was Sammy a passionate advocate for the community, she was a friend to many, with a listening ear at any time and an endless positive spirit."
People sent their condolences to the family following the terrible news
