Paul Warren (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
Hillingdon, Middlesex, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
OccupationActor
Years active2005–present
Websitehttp://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]

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_(film) Woolly
2018 Ready Player One Special movement

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

References
  1. "Paul Warren – Actor". equity.org.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  2. "Paul Warren Interview - Jedi News - Broadcasting Star Wars News Across The Galaxy!". jedinews.co.uk. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  3. "Paul Warren - IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  4. "Paul Warren Actor Creature Performer". Paul Warren Actor Creature Performer. Retrieved 19 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 23 May 2016.
  7. "Exclusief interview met Paul Warren (Varmik) | Star Wars Awakens". Star Wars Awakens (in Dutch). 19 May 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  8. "'Avenger' auteur: Joe Johnston shapes a muscular 'Captain America' | Film Journal International". www.filmjournal.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  9. "Paul Warren interview". Jedi News. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  10. "Meet Paul Warren – Varmik the Hassk Thug – RetroZap!". RetroZap!. 6 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  11. "Paul Warren on Twitter". Twitter. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  12. "THE LAST JEDI Will Feature an Alien Version of Carrie Fisher's Dog". Nerdist. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  * Official website
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