Hollyoaks star Annabelle Davis has acting in her blood. As the daughter of film stars who appeared in the likes of Star Wars and Harry Potter, she grew up on set.
Now the eldest kid of Willow lead Warwick Davis is set to become a name in her own right – playing plucky lawyer Lacey in the Channel 4 soap.
Annabelle, 25, says she owes her success to her dad, who forged the way for actors with dwarfism. Warwick, 52, best known as Prof Filius Flitwick and goblin Griphook in Harry Potter, landed a role in Return of the Jedi aged 11.
He auditioned after his grandmother heard a radio ad calling for people under 4ft tall to apply. His performance as Ewok Wicket set him off on the road to stardom.
Both Annabelle and her dad have the same condition – spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, a rare bone growth disorder. Her mum is Harry Potter actress Samantha Davis.
The actress says of her dad: “He’s a trailblazer. He always tries to do something different. To raise that awareness on screen is so important. That’s why I was so excited to play someone on a soap.”
Annabelle is believed to be the first actor with dwarfism to appear in Hollyoaks.
She considers the role a chance for viewers to see someone a bit different on screen and learn about the condition.
She adds: “It will hopefully open doors for other little people in other soaps as well. I know there’s been a few but there’s plenty of room for a lot more.”
Growing up, Annabelle wanted to be an artist or a psychologist, rather than an actor. Going to Hogwarts with her parents and brother Harrison was so commonplace it felt normal.
She says: “We were just visiting dad at work. It was only when I was 15 or 16 I really appreciated what he did. I watched his films and realised the amount of work. I then craved to try it.”
Her dad and grandad put her on the books of a talent agency they ran for short actors – or, as Annabelle says, little people – and an offer to play Sasha Bellman on the CBBC show The Dumping Ground came in.
Annabelle says: “It was a show I watched on CBBC for years. I was really excited.
“I didn’t think I’d actually get it, I just wanted to try it out and see whether I liked it. I ended up getting the role and doing that for seven years.”
She also played a naughty goblin in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, alongside her mum, appeared in two Star Wars films with her dad and was cast as Mims in Disney+ fantasy series Willow – a sequel to the 1988 film that starred Warwick.
Rather than distance herself from her dad’s successes, Annabelle says she’s grateful for his guidance, and credits him with teaching her everything.
She says: “I’ll always go to him if I’m unsure what to do with a script. I couldn’t do it without him. It’s 100% down to my dad and growing up in the industry. That’s where I fell in love with it.
“Seeing all the creatives come together, the art department, scripts, costumes, and seeing all these elements creating one beautiful picture. I saw that and thought I’d love to be a part of that.”
Spending her childhood on film sets meant she met massive Hollywood names, such as Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp.
Annabelle says: “When [dad] worked with Johnny on Life’s Too Short I completely lost my mind.
“Helena Bonham Carter on Harry Potter – I vividly remember my dad taking me to her trailer. To see in her full get-up was so amazing. A lot of them became oddly normal.” When she turned 13, she celebrated her birthday on the Hogwarts set.
She says: “Dad felt bad for working so said come along. In the Great Hall everyone, including Alan Rickman, sang me happy birthday. They brought out a Colin the Caterpillar cake.
“It was surreal, and very embarrassing for a 13-year-old. But it’s one of the greatest moments of my life.” Now it is Annabelle’s turn to step proudly into the spotlight.
When she’s not making the seven-hour round-trip commute between her home near Cambridge and the Hollyoaks set in Liverpool, she is busy brushing up on legal terminology for her role as the power-dressing lawyer Lacey Lloyd.
She reveals: “Lacey has got a lot to prove, she’s got a lot of tricks up her sleeve. She’s good at her job. It’ll be great to see her get her teeth into some good cases.”
Producers have been working with Warwick and Samantha’s charity Little People UK to ensure Lacey comes across as a well-rounded character.
There is a potential relationship on the horizon for the lawyer, and her friendship with school chum Rayne (Jemma Donovan) will play a key part in her story arc.
The world of soaps is different from film, Annabelle admits, being faster paced, and there’s a lot to learn.
But she is throwing herself into the role with the self-assurance she gained from growing up with dwarfism. “My confidence comes from being short,” she says bluntly. “What I’m lacking in height I make up for in personality.
“At school you’ve got to be sure of yourself. Everyone is two feet above you so you’ve got to keep up.”
She adds: “Growing up with an acting background and going to events, you learn quickly how to behave and hold yourself.”
Annabelle encourages people to ask her questions about her condition – and says the reaction to her casting has been nothing but positive.
She says: “For me, it’s important to explain to people what’s going on with me. I’ve only had it a couple of times when people have asked me why I’m short. I explain I’ve got dwarfism.”
She encourages people to speak up if they have questions. “If I was in their shoes I might be curious. If you come across as kind and compassionate, it’s not bad to ask.”
Being on Hollyoaks might start further conversations, raise awareness and break down barriers, she hopes.
“The work the soaps are doing is presenting these minority groups as normal. Lacey is a girl that’s applied for a job. She just happens to be short.
“It’s still important to explore her experiences because she’s short but that doesn’t distract away from her character. I’ve had a lot of people reach out to say they’re really excited to see that representation on screen.
“It’s adding more colour and flavour to an already diverse show.”
