February 16th 2025.
At the prestigious Baftas 2025, British actor Warwick Davis took the stage to accept the coveted Bafta Fellowship, the highest honor bestowed by the British Academy. The 55-year-old star, known for his iconic roles in Willow and Harry Potter, was visibly emotional as he paid tribute to his late wife, who passed away in March 2024.
His Harry Potter co-star, Tom Felton, introduced Warwick with a heartfelt speech, highlighting the impact he had on not only his own life, but the lives of many others. Warwick then took the stage and began his acceptance speech by jokingly saying, "Wow, thank you so much. Well, this is probably the best thing that's ever happened to me and I've been in Star Wars."
He went on to thank his mother, who he referred to as "his very first agent," and dedicated the award to his late wife, Samantha, who had always been a strong supporter of his career. He also thanked his children, Harrison and Annabelle, for their unwavering support and for helping him to keep engaging in life after his wife's passing.
Warwick then became emotional as he thanked his co-star in the Harry Potter franchise, Ralph Fiennes, for teaching him to "laugh and love again." He also acknowledged Fiennes' acclaimed movie Conclave, which was nominated for a Bafta that evening.
In a surprising revelation, Warwick shared that he found out about his fellowship last November while he was "on the toilet reading [his] emails." He received an email from Bafta with a letter attached, informing him of the award. He admitted that at first, he thought it could be a scam, but after checking the email address, he realized it was legitimate and couldn't contain his excitement.
Before wrapping up his speech, Warwick thanked the entire team at Bafta for believing in his journey and for recognizing the importance of diversity and inclusivity in the film industry. He also thanked his "wonderful colleagues and friends" and expressed his eagerness to continue championing fresh perspectives and inspiring the next generation of storytellers.
Warwick Davis joins the ranks of previous Bafta Fellowship recipients such as Dame Judi Dench, Dame Maggie Smith, and Martin Scorcese. In April 2024, he shared a poignant statement about his late wife, describing her as his "most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything [he] did in [his] career." He fondly reminisced about her sense of humor and how she always laughed at his bad jokes.
As the Baftas 2025 ceremony continued, winners were announced in various categories, including leading actor and actress, director, and film not in the English language. Conclave, a political thriller, took home the award for Outstanding British Film, while the animated film Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl won for both Children's and Family Film and Animated Film.
Warwick's emotional acceptance speech and heartfelt tribute to his late wife will be remembered as a touching moment in Baftas history.
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