Warwick Davis shares lovely memories of David Bowie on the set of Labyrinth that prove he was the best
28 November 2022, 11:39
David Bowie's Magic Dance in Labyrinth
David Bowie was apparently a total gent on set, despite the wig and oh-so-tight tights.
Listen to this article
Warwick Davis is back on screens in the long-awaited TV spinoff of his classic fantasy movie Willow, which has people looking back at some of his other classic roles.
Davis's breakthrough role was as an Ewok in Return of the Jedi, and he also had key roles in the Harry Potter franchise and the Leprechaun horror film series.
- How Michael Jackson and Sting almost starred in Labyrinth instead of David Bowie
- Listen to the Smooth Icons Live Playlist on Global Player
- A guide to David Bowie's underrated songs from Labyrinth
One of his best-loved films is Jim Henson's puppet-propelled 1986 musical Labyrinth, which starred Jennifer Connelly as Sarah Williams opposite David Bowie's Goblin King, with Davis supporting as Goblin Corps.
Asked if there would be a TV sequel or reboot of Labyrinth given the impact of Bowie's performance – and iconic outfit – Davis shrugged off the question, while recalling how lovely David was during filming.
"They did Dark Crystal, but I haven’t heard any talk about Labyrinth," he told The Guardian.
He added: “Those tights were a bit too tight, weren’t they?
"He was very, very down to earth on the set, by the way.
"Wanted to go by Dave, despite this huge wig and seven pairs of socks down his tights."
There have in fact been reports that a sequel to Labyrinth is indeed in the works, with Doctor Strange's Scott Derrickson said to be in the frame to direct the project from a script written by Maggie Levin.
Jim Henson's daughter Lisa is on board as a producer, while his son Brian – who voiced Hoggle in the original film – is an executive producer.
It is not clear if another actor will play the role of the Goblin King following David Bowie's death in 2016, or if Jennifer Connolly will be involved.