Deep Roy

Born Mohinder Purba on December 1, 1957, in Nairobi, Kenya, Deep Roy later moved to London where he pursued a career in entertainment. He initially trained in accounting before transitioning into comedy, starting as a stand-up comic in local cabaret clubs in 1970. His professional screen debut occurred in 1976 in an episode of “The New Avengers” titled “Target!,” followed by his film debut in “The Pink Panther Strikes Again” the same year. His early career also included roles in television series such as “Doctor Who” (1977, 1986), where he played Mr. Sin in “The Talons of Weng-Chiang,” and various characters in “Blake’s 7” (1978-1980).

Roy’s career advanced with significant roles in notable films. He served as a stand-in for Yoda in “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) and portrayed the character Droopy McCool, R2-D2’s body double, and an Ewok in “Return of the Jedi” (1983). He took on the role of Teeny Weeny in “The NeverEnding Story” (1984), a character known for riding a racing snail. Over the years, he developed a significant working relationship with director Tim Burton, appearing in “Planet of the Apes” (2001), “Big Fish” (2003), and providing the voice for General Bonesapart in “Corpse Bride” (2005). One of his most recognized performances came in Burton’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005), where he played all 165 Oompa-Loompas, requiring extensive training in dance, yoga, and instrument playing.

His filmography also includes appearances in “Flash Gordon” (1980), “The Dark Crystal” (1982) as a puppeteer extra, “Return to Oz” (1985) as the voice of the Tin Man, and “Howling VI: The Freaks” (1991). More recently, he was cast as Keenser in J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek” (2009) and reprised the role in its sequels, “Star Trek Into Darkness” (2013) and “Star Trek Beyond” (2016). He also appeared as an Egyptian Guard in “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (2009) and in a more prominent speaking role as Aaron, a criminal, in the HBO series “Eastbound & Down” (2010).