On November 30, the series “Willow” was released on Disney+ - a continuation of the legendary 1988 fantasy of the same name about the adventures of a kind Lilliputian who dreams of becoming a great sorcerer. The main role in the new series, as in the original film, was played by dwarf actor Warwick Davis. Let's remember him and other actors with this feature. 
Photo: still from the film Alina Dang
Warwick Davis 
Davis is hardly the most popular dwarf actor, but he is certainly one of the most in demand. His height is 107 cm. Warwick got into cinema quite by accident and quite early - his grandmother heard an announcement on the radio about the beginning of the casting of short people for roles in the sixth episode of Star Wars. Davis was only eleven at that time, and he adored the Universe of George Lucas, so he immediately asked his loved ones to take him to the auditions, which were taking place not far from home. Despite his age and lack of experience, the film crew liked Warwick and he was entrusted with the role of the Ewok Wicket. He played the quirky little alien not only in the final episode of the trilogy, but also in several television spin-offs.
Lucas was so pleased with Davis that he invited him to almost every project that required dwarf actors. In 1986, Warwick starred in “Labyrinth,” a fantasy film with David Bowie, and two years later he received the main role in the fairy-tale film “Willow,” where his hero, a modest farmer and aspiring wizard, does good deeds and goes on a dangerous journey . Both films were produced by George Lucas.
In the 1990s, Davis was also not left without work. He appeared in the horror franchise "Leprechaun", in which he played the role of an evil gnome, taking revenge on big people for their tactlessness. In total, the Briton played in six parts of this story.
In addition to the Star Wars universe, which he will return to in 2015 and take part in each new installment, Warwick’s career included another beloved franchise: Harry Potter. In it, he played several roles at once: Professor Flitwick and goblins from various episodes, including the most important one, Griphook.
Kenny Baker 
“Star Wars” has become a launching pad for a variety of actors: from newcomers Mark Hammill with Carrie Fisher, to giants such as Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, and dwarfs. The franchise introduced the world not only to Warwick Davis, but also to Kenny Baker, whose face does not appear in the frame. But you definitely know him! He played the cute robot R2-D2.
Baker was born in 1934 and by the time the Star Wars castings began he was already a popular creative personality in narrow circles. He worked in a circus, a midget theater troupe and a cabaret. He came to audition for the George Lucas universe with his dwarf friend Jack Purvis. Both got roles - Purvis became an Ewok, and Baker became the most important hero of the story, the droid R2-D2. Since technology did not yet allow the creation of robots without the participation of actors, Kenny had to huddle in a small metal case with a control panel. Even with his small height (112 cm), the actor got stuck in the miniature suit several times, but did the job properly. For this he deserved recognition - together with the film crew, Baker left the footprints of his hero in Hollywood.
Baker's career wasn't limited to Star Wars. He performed in stand-up shows and acted in films, with big directors. In particular, the Briton appeared in films by David Lynch (“The Elephant Man”), Terry Gilliam (“Time Bandits”) and Milos Forman (“Amadeus”), and on the set of “Labyrinth” he again crossed paths with Warwick Davis. Baker's health allowed him to act until the 2000s - he played the main role of his life, the droid R2-D2, in episodes I-III of Star Wars, and in the sequel trilogy he only advised the film crew. The actor passed away on August 13, 2016.
Verne Troyer 
American Verne Troyer is one of the shortest adult actors in film history. His height is only 81 cm. This is what prompted the creators of Austin Powers to invite Verne to play the role of a clone of Dr. Evil named Mini-Me. Although Troyer's career began several years before the spy comedy: in 1994, he was a stunt double for a 9-month-old baby and performed some stunts in the adventure comedy Baby Walking. He did this kind of work for five years, appearing in trash horror films (Pinocchio's Revenge), science fiction comedies (Men in Black), and Terry Gilliam's movie trip (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas). .
However, these roles were insignificant, and the actor did not gain popularity with their help. Fame came to him precisely thanks to Austin Powers. In tandem with Mike Myers, he managed to create a memorable character even without lines. Troyer's comedic experience was subsequently exploited in other projects: the TV series Sabrina the Teenage Witch, the films Bubble Boy and Sex Guru, where he again played with Myers. Verne can also be seen in the first Harry Potter as the goblin Griphook and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
Troyer himself adored his comedic role, calling for him to be presented as a comedian. His reputation was ambiguous. On American TV, he is famous for his participation in various trash talk shows, in which he did not hesitate to use black humor and perform obscene acts on camera. In life, he was tormented by alcohol addiction, which caused his death in April 2018.
Tony Cox 
This African-American actor got into cinema thanks to another dwarf actor, the founder of the “little people” society of America, Billy Barty. Cox was inspired by the films with his participation and wanted to become a performer himself. Cox started with commercials and TV series, and came to big cinema along the same path as many other dwarf actors. In the sixth episode of Star Wars, he played one of the Ewoks.
In the 1980s, Tony tried himself in small roles in Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice" and Clint Eastwood's "Bird", and also took part in the skit of George Lucas' dwarf actors "Willow". Following this, Cox successfully retrained as a comedian - in this role he managed to hit the jackpot. Tony has embodied many memorable images on the screens. He was especially successful in two roles: a limousine driver in the comedy “Me, Myself and Irene” and an elf from the cult black New Year’s comedy “Bad Santa.”
In addition to films, Cox often appears in music videos. He has collaborated with rappers such as Tupac, Snoop Dogg and Eminem.
Peter Dinklage 
It’s impossible to imagine this collection without Peter Dinklage. Without any doubt, he is the most popular dwarf actor in Hollywood and beyond. Moreover, he was able to achieve this not thanks to the largest franchises, as was the case with Davis or Baker. Dinklage began his career in the theater, and in the 1990s he tried his hand at low-budget films.
At the same time, Peter never got stuck in one role or role - this is another difference between him and other dwarf actors. He appeared on the horizon of big directors thanks to the festival drama “The Station Agent.” The American played a toy collector who, after the store closes, moves to another house, where he looks at his life in a new way. Dinklage has won several awards and received many interesting offers, both in film and television. The most famous projects are “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” and, of course, “Game of Thrones”.
The television show based on the works of George Martin allowed the actor to demonstrate all facets of his talent. His Tyrion Lannister is definitely one of the best characters in the series, a charismatic character with a subtle sense of humor, equally at home in dramatic episodes and battle scenes. Dinklage became the first dwarf actor to be nominated for several prestigious film awards. “Game of Thrones” brought him a Golden Globe, an Emmy and several Screen Actors Guild Awards. And also the love of audiences around the world and a lot of interesting roles: from film adaptations of Marvel comics to festival hits like Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and the musical Cyrano.
However, the main achievement of Peter Dinklage is that he managed to break through the wall of identical roles and functions for “little people.” Today he is an inspiring example, a role model for other people with the same physical development characteristics who dream of great achievements.
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