Willow: Ellie Bamber Talks About Her Role and Subverting the Fantasy Genre in the Series

Disney+ Hotstar series Willow is a sequel to 1988 film of the same name, directed by Ron Howard and executive produced by George Lucas.

Showrunner Jonathan Kasdan and executive producers Ron Howard and Roopesh Parekh have brought the magic and wonder of the original film to a new generation of viewers, combining elements of epic fantasy, comedy, and a contemporary edge.

The series features Warwick Davis reprising his role as Willow Ufgood, the aspiring sorcerer who is now the High Aldwyn of the Nelwyn people, alongside an impressive supporting cast including Joanne Whaley as Queen Sorsha, Dempsey Bryk as Prince Airk, Ruby Cruz as the prince’s sister, and Erin Kellyman, Tony Revolori, Amar Chada-Patel, and Ellie Bamber in other prominent roles.

Ellie Bamber plays Dove, a kitchen maid with a yearning to find herself and a hidden strength that helps propel the story forward as the characters face a new evil and danger. Bamber, a fan of the original film, was excited to discover that the series maintained the same playful and fun spirit while also being scary and subverting the fantasy genre.

“I loved how fun the original film is and how it doesn’t take itself too seriously and how it really subverts the fantasy genre in that way,” she said. “It’s not serious, it’s playful and fun, and it’s scary; it’s all of those things, and the series has that same DNA.”

Executive producer Ron Howard described Dove as a young woman who has not had many advantages in life but possesses a sense of yearning and has the potential to surprise and propel the story forward. Bamber added that her character Dove has much more to figure out, but with the help of the others, will eventually find a way to save the world.