Warwick Davis Was A Last-Minute Replacement To Play Star Wars' Wicket

Life is full of surprises, curveballs, and moments of serendipity. Fate may play a part in the lives of the Jedi in the "Star Wars" galaxy, but in the real world, it may have intervened in the life of an actor who played a key role in the Rebellion. Actor Warwick Davis, now famous for playing the affable Ewok Wicket in 1983's "Return of the Jedi," has become a quintessential part of George Lucas' sci-fi fantasy empire. As a beacon for the franchise, Davis is arguably the most beloved performer outside of the holy trinity of Luke, Leia, and Han (all due respect to Chewie, Lando, and our favorite protocol and astromech droids). Always a staple at the fan convention Star Wars Celebration, it's nearly impossible to picture an alternate reality in which Davis was never a part of the vast canon of "Star Wars." 

Although it seems meant to be now, Davis could easily have missed his chance to co-star in "Return of the Jedi," which would have sent him down a completely different life path. Luckily for fans and Davis alike, the actor's grandmother happened to randomly be listening to the radio one day back in 1981. A casting call looking for actors of Davis' stature beamed out over the airwaves, leading to a pivotal moment that completely changed their lives. If his grandmother hadn't tuned in that day, moviegoers would have never been blessed with Davis' presence in the "Star Wars" universe, his star turn in "Willow," and, of course, his painfully lame limericks in "Leprechaun."

Originally, George Lucas wanted to explore the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk in "Return of the Jedi." We didn't actually see the dense forest planet in live-action until "Revenge of the Sith," unless you count the horrid Wookiee sitcom setting in 1978's "Star Wars Holiday Special." Instead, a much cuter decision was made to create the incredibly huggable Ewoks, setting the stage for Warwick Davis to swoop in to rescue (or capture) Leia Organa on the moon planet of Endor. 

Davis was only 11 years old when his grandmother heard the radio ad casting call that would change his life. The high-profile production was one of the most anticipated projects of all time, and the announcement that the filmmakers were looking for short actors to play Ewoks must have received a phenomenal response when it first aired. "It's like these 'Sliding Doors' moments," Davis told the UK's Independent while promoting the hilarious BBC sitcom "Life's Too Short" back in 2011. "It's amazing isn't it, if she wasn't in the room at that moment ... all of it's different ... all of it's different."

According to EW, R2-D2 actor Kenny Baker was originally supposed to play the role of Wicket while Davis would have been an extra, but when Baker got sick, Davis suddenly found himself called into the larger role and living a fantasy any child of the '80s would have absolutely cherished. After being asked to reprise the role of Wicket in the made-for-TV movie "Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure" in 1984, Davis never seriously pursued acting and certainly didn't expect to continue playing in the "Star Wars" sandbox for years to come. "I find myself here today and it's what I do. The career discovered me rather than me going after it."

Diehard "Star Wars" fans will readily admit that Warwick Davis has become the everlasting beating heart of the franchise over the years. His sincerity and joyful participation in all things Lucasfilm has only been rivaled by Anthony Daniels, who has appeared in every film in the saga as C-3PO. For Davis, his inclusion in the continued adventures within the galaxy have almost become an expected addition to every story. After appearing as Wicket in "Jedi," "Caravan of Courage," and "The Battle For Endor," Davis popped up in "The Phantom Menace" as a weapons dealer named Weazel, a Blarina alien called Wollivan in "The Force Awakens," and as a Canto Bight gambler named Wodibin in "The Last Jedi." 

Countless cameos aside, Davis also played Weazel in the vastly underrated "Solo: A Star Wars Story" — an arms expert that was part of Enfys Nest's space pirate brigade known as the Cloud-Riders. For fans of Dave Filoni's incredible series "Star Wars: Rebels," Davis may be most revered for his voice-over work as Thrawn's deadly assassin, Rukh. Going completely full circle, he also reprised his role as Wicket in "The Rise of Skywalker" with his aptly named son, Harrison, appearing at his side. 

Clearly, the "Star Wars" universe would be a much emptier place without the continued contributions of Davis, who has championed the franchise and its passionate fanbase for decades. Maybe he'll even appear in the upcoming season 3 of "The Mandalorian" when it premieres on Disney+ on March 1, 2023.