fiction.wikisort.org - Actor

Paul Warren (born 28 October 1974) is a British actor known for roles in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres, often wearing heavy prosthetic makeup and/or creature suits.[1] He is probably most known for playing 'Varmik' a hassk thug in Star Wars: The Force Awakens,[2] but has also appeared in such films as Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: The Dark World, Clash of the Titans, World War Z and Ghost Stories[3]

Paul Warren
Paul Warren at The Camden Film Fair 2019
Born	(1974-10-28) 28 October 1974 (age 48) Hillingdon, Middlesex, United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2005–present
Website	http://www.paulwarren.actor

Personal life

Paul was born in Hillingdon, Middlesex, United Kingdom.[4]

Career

He began his film career as a body double for Daniel Radcliffe on the film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: "I spent much of my time 20ft up in the air on the hydraulic broomstick system and doing other physically demanding activities during the shoot, whilst building a good rapport with the cast/crew and a reputation as a versatile performer".[5]

In 2007, he was recommended to the legendary Stan Winston Studio as a good choice to portray an emaciated version of the title character (played by Mike Vogel) in The Deaths of Ian Stone. Crediting Winston and his team, he said, "This door opening into the world of acting under silicone and foam latex, is what ultimately led to a film career playing characters in heavy prosthetics and creature suits".[6]

His first creature performing role was in 2009, where he played a tortured soul who pulls the boat across the river styx in the 2010 remake of Clash of the Titans.

In 2010, Paul was used as a visual effect double for skinny Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger.[7] He was the original template for Skinny Steve in the pre-production VFX head replacement tests and was on set for the recruitment scene as a visual reference. Body double duties for the rest of production (which total about 5% according to director Joe Johnston[8]) were performed by stage actor Leander Deeny.

On getting the role of Varmik, one of the Hassk triplet's in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he says, "It felt very surreal. I wasn’t told what it was that I was being asked to go in for; only that the production was putting together a team of core creature performers for a film at Pinewood Studios. I had been recommended to them by creature designer and makeup artist Martin Rezard, who I had worked with previously on Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: The Dark World."[9]

Varmik is of particular interest to Star Wars fans due to his origin: "The character is based on 2 classic pieces of Ralph McQuarrie's Star Wars production art from 1975. The cantina showdown and early Chewbacca designs. The former is a particular favorite of J. J. Abrams' that he wanted to bring to life on screen."[10]

In Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Paul plays a Dowager alien in the Canto Bight casino.[11] The character created quite a buzz online when it was revealed by director Rian Johnson that the animatronic space pug it holds was based on Carrie Fisher's very own pet pooch Gary, affectionately known on set as Space Gary.[12]

Occasionally he still steps out from behind the prosthetics, for example when he provided mime/movement for Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One and when he was a special action performer on Kingsman: The Secret Service for that stunning stunt scene in the church choreographed by the late great Brad Allan.[13]

During the 2020 covid pandemic period, Paul joined the cast and crew of the killer goblin film Unwelcome. As well as playing the Redcap goblin Mr Sniff, he also took on a new role of Creature Movement Coach for Nick Chopping's stunt team.[14]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2006	Children of Men	Injured Refugee
2007	Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix	Harry Potter (body double)
2007	The Deaths of Ian Stone	Emaciated Ian
2010	Clash of the Titans	Charon's Tortured Soul
2010	Hereafter	Dying Patient
2011	X-Men: First Class	Young Magneto (body double)
2011	Captain America: The First Avenger	Skinny Steve Rogers	Pre-production vfx body double
2013	Wrath of the Titans	Hermes	Deleted scene
2013	Jack the Giant Slayer	Not So Strong Man
2013	World War Z	Zombie	CGI movement reference
2013	Last Days on Mars	Infected Marko
2013	Thor: The Dark World	Marauder Creature
2014	Guardians of the Galaxy	Kyln / Knowhere Alien
2014	Kingsman: The Secret Service	Church congregation	Stunts
2015	Star Wars: The Force Awakens	Varmik	Credited as creature and droid puppeteer
2017	Star Wars: The Last Jedi	Dowager	Credited as creature and droid puppeteer
2018	Ghost Stories	Woolly
2018	Ready Player One		Special movement
2023	Unwelcome	Mr Sniff	Was also the creature movement coach

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2008	That Mitchell and Webb Look	Pisswiddle Crickteer	Episode 2.3
2008	Sorry, I've Got No Head	Witchfinder	Multiple appearances in seasons 1, 2 & 3
2010	The Legend of Dick and Dom	Goblin	Season 2 Episode 1
2010	The Bill	Drug Addict	Season 26 Episode 9
2011	Holby City	Drug Addict	Season 13 Episode 32
2011	EastEnders	Dan Peace	Episode dated 11 July 2011
2011	Peep Show	Supply Teacher	Season 8 Episode 2
2013	The Tractate Middoth	Rant's Ghost	TV film
2016	Houdini and Doyle	First Alien	Season 1 Episode 6
2022	Andor (TV series)	Quadpaw Performer	Season 1 Episode 6
2022	Willow (TV series)	Creature performer

References

External links

  * Official website

• Paul Warren at IMDb
• Paul Warren on Twitter
• Paul Warren on Facebook
• Paul Warren on Instagram

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