Paul Warren
Paul Warren at The Camden Film Fair 2019
Born (1974-10-28) 28 October 1974
Hillingdon, Middlesex, United Kingdom
OccupationActor
Years active2005–present
Websitehttp://www.paulwarren.actor

Paul Warren (born 28 October 1974) is a British actor. He is best known for playing characters wearing heavy prosthetic makeup and/or creature suits, most notably in Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in films such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), Andor (TV series) (2022), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Thor: The Dark World (2013) Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and The Marvels (2023).[1]

Paul also had creature acting roles in Clash of the Titans (2010), World War Z (2013), Ghost Stories (2017), Willow (TV series) (2022) and Unwelcome (2023)[2]

Personal life

Paul was born in Hillingdon, West London, United Kingdom.[3]

Career

He began his film career in 2006 as a body double for Daniel Radcliffe on the film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007): "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".[4]

Later that same year, 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".[5]

His first creature performing role was in 2009, where he played a tortured soul who pulls the boat across the river styx in the 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.[6] 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[7]) 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."[8]

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."[9]

In Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Paul plays a dowager alien called Gatha Elbaphay in the Canto Bight casino.[10] The character created quite a buzz online when it was revealed by director Rian Johnson that the animatronic space pug Awgree she holds was based on Carrie Fisher's very own pet pooch Gary, affectionately known on set as Space Gary.[11]

Paul is credited as Quadpaw performer in the Star Wars television series Andor. He was also a Troll in episode 6, season 1 of the TV series Willow. Both produced by Lucasfilm.[12]

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, 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.[13]

Occasionally he still steps out from behind the prosthetics, for example when he provided mime/movement for Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One (2018) and when he was a special action performer on Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) for that stunning stunt scene in the church choreographed by the late great Brad Allan.[14]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2023 The Marvels Skrull Also played the character 'Toothless' (deleted scene)
2023 Unwelcome Redcap Mr Sniff Was also the creature movement coach
2022 Willow (TV series) Troll Season 1 Episode 6
2022 Andor (TV series) Quadpaw Performer Season 1 Episode 6
2018 Ready Player One IOI (special movement)
2018 Ghost Stories Woolly
2017 Star Wars: The Last Jedi Gatha Elbaphay Credited as creature and droid puppeteer
2016 Houdini and Doyle First Alien Season 1 Episode 6
2015 Star Wars: The Force Awakens Varmik Credited as creature and droid puppeteer
2014 Kingsman: The Secret Service Church congregation Stunts
2014 Guardians of the Galaxy Toothless
2013 The Tractate Middoth Rant's Ghost TV film
2013 Thor: The Dark World Marauder Creature
2013 Last Days on Mars Infected Marko
2013 World War Z Zombie Also visual effects movement reference
2013 Wrath of the Titans Hermes Deleted scene
2011 X-Men: First Class Young Magneto (body double)
2011 Captain America: The First Avenger Skinny Steve Rogers Pre-production visual effects body double
2010 Hereafter Dying Patient
2010 Clash of the Titans Charon's Tortured Soul
2007 The Deaths of Ian Stone Emaciated Ian
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry Potter (body double)
2006 Children of Men Injured Refugee

References

  1. ↑ "Paul Warren - IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  2. ↑ "Paul Warren - IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "Paul Warren Actor Creature Performer". Paul Warren Actor Creature Performer. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "Exclusief interview met Paul Warren (Varmik) | Star Wars Awakens". Star Wars Awakens (in Dutch). 19 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "Exclusief interview met Paul Warren (Varmik) | Star Wars Awakens". Star Wars Awakens (in Dutch). 19 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  6. ↑ "Exclusief interview met Paul Warren (Varmik) | Star Wars Awakens". Star Wars Awakens (in Dutch). 19 May 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "'Avenger' auteur: Joe Johnston shapes a muscular 'Captain America' | Film Journal International". www.filmjournal.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "Paul Warren interview". Jedi News. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  9. ↑ "Meet Paul Warren – Varmik the Hassk Thug – RetroZap!". RetroZap!. 6 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "Paul Warren on Twitter". Twitter. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  11. ↑ "THE LAST JEDI Will Feature an Alien Version of Carrie Fisher's Dog". Nerdist. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  12. ↑ "Filmography". Paul Warren Official Website. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  13. ↑ "Filmography". Paul Warren Official Website. 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  14. ↑ "Filmography". Paul Warren Official Website. 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
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