Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double David Holmes crafts play on pre-and post-‘Deathly Hallows’ life

David Holmes, Daniel Radcliffe’s Harry Potter stunt double and a dear friend, has transformed his unfortunate accident during stunt tests for Deathly Hallows: Part One, which left him paralysed from the waist down, into a stage play, Deadline unveils.

The Boy Who Lived (the name is taken from the first chapter of the very first Harry Potter book) is currently in the developmental stage and has been doing workshops all this week at the Olivier Award-winning Kiln Theatre in Kilburn, North West London.

Producer Paul Taylor-Mills informed Deadline that The Boy Who Lived is set to debut at the Kiln Theatre in 2027, with plans for Holmes to play himself.

The play is inspired by director Dan Hartley’s 2023 HBO/Sky documentary David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived and a narrative penned by Holmes about his life preceding and following the accident at Leavesden Studios in January 2009.

The memoir was released two years ago. It has been reimagined for the stage by Philip Wilson, who is also directing. He is a former artistic director of the Salisbury Playhouse Theatre.

Taylor-Mills says that he saw the documentary over two years ago while on a flight and was deeply moved by the positive energy coming from Radcliffe’s former gymnast stunt double.

Additionally, by the support Holmes’ family and many friends provided during his recovery after numerous surgeries, knowing that returning to his past life was not possible.

The producer was equally touched by Radcliffe’s kindness and strong bond with Holmes. Radcliffe appeared in the documentary and served as an executive producer. “They’ve been close friends, like brothers, and remain so,” says Taylor-Mills.

He adds: “This isn’t about invoking pity; it’s about coping with life when something devastating happens and still pushing forward. He has an amazing, quite cheeky, sense of humor.”

As Taylor-Mills became more acquainted with Holmes, he proposed that Holmes “appear as himself in it.”

Taylor-Mills describes the show as “part stand-up comedy, part TED Talk, and part My Son’s a Queer. We’re conducting a workshop on it this week with David and the creative team at the Kiln with the intention of staging it here within the next year.”

The development process has taken two years thus far, much of that time being used to secure rights from HBO and Warner Bros along with obtaining permissions from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, Radcliffe, and David’s parents, Sue and Andy Holmes.

When asked about Radcliffe’s role in the play, Taylor-Mills mentions that the actor will receive a video copy of it “hoping that he’ll be involved.”

And regarding the presence of a “Radcliffe” character in the play? “TBC, TBC. It’s certainly to be decided,” he notes. “It’s still in the process of development and writing.”

The HBO documentary is an outstanding film about pure, traditional resilience. Following his accident, after spending many months undergoing various procedures at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Holmes asked his family and friends to “try and hope for my happiness as it is, instead of happy in a way you want me to be.”

That level of perseverance and his “let’s move forward” mindset is inspiring for someone living through 17 years of pain and discomfort.

Taylor-Mills says he was also moved by a scene in the film where Sue Holmes recalls discussing legal actions with her son, to which he responded: “Why, mom? My life’s been changed, why would I want to change anyone else’s life?”

After revisiting other moments in the film, Taylor-Mills nods with admiration and says that “to exhibit such wisdom and just generosity of spirit after experiencing such an event is ... astonishing.”

The play’s final workshop session is happening today, with Holmes acting as himself, alongside four actors portraying his parents and younger self during his acrobatics days.

"It’s much more interactive than him merely narrating his story. We’ll have instances where he reflects on some of the Harry Potter films and discusses how certain stunts were conducted," he explains.