Kiran Shah is a Kenyan-Indian actor and stuntman who was Carrie Henn's stunt double as Newt in Aliens. Shah has appeared in several blockbuster movies, such as Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), The Dark Crystal (1982), Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), as well as all 6 Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings films.
Alien franchise credits[]
Newt (stunt double)[]
- Aliens (1986)
Other credits[]
- Superman (1978)
- Superman II (1980)
- The Dark Crystal (1982)
- Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
- Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- Legend (1985)
- Aliens (1986)
- The Sign of Four (1987)
- Braveheart (1995)
- Titanic (1997)
Biographical information[]
Personal life[]
Shah was born in Nairobi, Kenya. He lived in Kenya until he was twelve years old, when he moved to India with his family. While living in India, he became interested in films, and when his family moved to London, he became involved in the show business. His first film was the 1977 movie Candleshoe, as a stand-in for a girl called Sara Tamakuni, and when stunt coordinator Bob Anderson asked him to do her stunts as well, his career was started. Kiran played the part of Bolum in the 1977 movie The People That Time Forgot.
Career[]
Shah's credits include several blockbuster movies, such as Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), The Dark Crystal (1982), Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Legend (1985), Aliens (1986), The Sign of Four (1987), Braveheart (1995), and Titanic (1997) where he stunt doubled all the children in the film.
He has appeared as a stunt double or stand-in in all 6 Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings films movies. He was the scale double for Elijah Wood as Frodo. He doubled Bilbo Baggins as played by both Martin Freeman (in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies) and Ian Holm (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring). He is one of only 3 actors to play the titular character in Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy.
Aside from working as a stunt-double, he has also played several character roles. The most featured of these was as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, where he played Ginarrbrik. He also portrayed an aboriginee in a Sherlock Holmes film, The Sign of Four. A favorite movie role is when he played the monster who came out of a painting and attacked Natasha Richardson in the 1987 film Gothic. In addition to doubling for Martin Freeman as Bilbo, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey he also appeared as the Goblin Scribe.
Shah appeared as the mysterious Figure in the Steven Moffat scripted "Listen", the fourth episode of the eighth series of Doctor Who starring Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman.
In addition to being an actor and a stuntman, Kiran is also a poet. His poetry has been published in Great Britain and the U.S., and is based on his personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences.