Samantha Davis, the wife of Star Wars and Harry Potter actor Warwick Davis and herself an actress, has died aged 53.
Samantha co-founded the dwarfism charity Little People UK and featured in the final Harry Potter film, alongside Warwick.
Warwick announced the news in a statement to the BBC, revealing she had died on 24 March.
“Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs,” he said.
“She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes.”
He added that she was his “most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career”.
The couple met on the set of George Lucas’s film Willow and married three years later in 1991.
Their two children together, Annabelle and Harrison, also paid tribute to their mother, saying: “Her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives.
“Mum is our best friend and we’re honoured to have received a love like hers.”
Samantha’s agency, Little People, also shared a statement, calling her passion for supporting members of the community “unmatched,” and pledging to “continue her legacy for a long time to come”.
They added: “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, we know this is going to be a huge loss to everyone and we want you to know we will be here to support.”
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Founded charity to help people with dwarfism
Samantha also played a goblin in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 while her husband played both Professor Flitwick and the goblin Griphook in all eight films in the franchise.
Annabelle, 27, has followed in her parents’ acting footsteps, starring in CBBC’s The Dumping Ground and Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks.
Warwick starred as the titular hero Willow Ufgood in the 1988 original film Willow and reprised the role for the 2022 sequel.
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He also played several characters in the Star Wars film series.
Samantha and Warwick co-founded Little People UK in 2012 to help people with dwarfism and their families.