Her death was confirmed by her husband Warwick Davis in a statement sent to the BBC. He did not specify the cause of death. However, he noted that his wife's health had been gradually deteriorating in recent years.
“My wife and soul mate, best friend. Devoted mother. My favorite person. My most trusted confidante and staunch supporter of everything I did in my career has passed away. The most open, warm person I have ever known. Her passing has left a huge hole in my life our family. I miss her hugs. She was a special character, always seeing the sunny side of life. She had a mischievous sense of humor and always laughed at my bad jokes,” recalled Warwick Davis in a statement to the BBC.
Harrison and Annabelle, the Davis children, wrote that their mother's “love and joy guided them throughout their lives.” “Mom was our best friend and it was an honor that she gave us her love.”
Disney, the owner of the rights to the film “Willow”, on the set of which the Davises met in 1988, published a statement. It called Samantha “a much-loved member of the British film and television community.” “Our thoughts are with the Davis family at this difficult time,” we read.
In “Willow” Warwick Davis played the title character. Samantha accompanied her husband in other films, including “Leprechaun 2” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II”. In 1995, the couple founded Willow Menagment, a talent agency for short-statured actors. In 2012 they founded Little People UK, a charity helping people with short stature.