Willow

Disney. The lifeblood of my younger self. The teacher of some of my morals. The enjoyment of a weekend morning or after tea.

I owe a lot of who I am to Disney and the chance came last year to be involved in a Disney production; the follow up from the 1987 movie, Willow with Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer.

I’ve been signed up to a number of extra agencies since Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood was filmed on Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire. A couple of weeks of hard graft and nearly getting run over by Russell Crowe on his horse and I was hooked. This was even before I had acted on stage or made any steps to act on stage. It would be another 4 years before I embarked on that journey.

I’ve had a few background roles. I like being on set. I’m still staggered by how many people it takes to film scenes that last seconds on screen. And the logistics is something else! But I love it. I am hooked.

When you state your availability you never know what you’re getting yourself in for. It could be wearing your own clothes sat down for a full day, or you might be scrubbed up in dirt and be asked to wear 4-5 layers of medieval armour.

Medieval armour and weapons was flavour of the day when I arrived before embarking on just over two weeks filming on what I now know to be Willow on Disney+… That’s right, Disney!

On set, you never know how you’re going to be utilised. The Production Crew have their schedule and we are essentially props to make the scene look better, fuller, realistic. Not on Willow, to a certain extent. I felt valued. I felt utilised. We were given so much responsibility and access to the Talent.

You’re never given details of what is actually going on but I know that during the first week, we didn’t like them. The next week – great mates.

If grabbing a main character isn’t enough to get you excited I don’t know what will! Better yet, on a Disney production!

I’ve shared some images from Willow that you can see if you are subscribed to Disney+. My larger nose even had me noticed by one of the groups I help run with Pure West Radio at Haverfordwest High.

To know that I am part of a Disney Production – films and cartoons I grew up loving and learning from – fills me so much pride. Who knows? I may inspiring someone else right now.