Mr. Sin

Background:

“The most important thing is never to forget to always have love in your heart.” Deep Roy

Kenyan actor, stuntman and puppeteer Deep Roy is one of the little persons who play bigger-than-life characters both on the big screen and the small one. Because of his small stature, he has landed a variety of unusual characters in his acting career, including playing apes in the movies Greystoke - The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) and the Tim Burton remake of Planet of the Apes (2001). In Burton’s 2005 adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, he portrayed all of the Oompa-Loompas, a gig that required him to have extensive training in dance, yoga, and even some minor instrument playing. Roy also collaborated with the director for Big Fish (2003) and Corpse Bride (2005).

The dwarf actor, who is often confused with actor Kiran Shah, is also known for performing in such films as The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983), The Never Ending Story (1984), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), and Surviving Eden (2004). On television, Roy is probably best known for his roles as Mr. Sin in “Doctor Who” episode “The Talons of Weng-Chiang” (1977) and an elf in Benji’s Very Own Christmas Story (1978). His other television credits include “The X-Files” (2001) and “Blake’s 7” (1978-1980).

Between roles, Roy is a passionate writer. He has finished a music-demo of Pettycoat Lane, a musical he co-wrote for the stage. A Stephen King style sci-fi thriller, Requiem Of The Unborn, is ready for production.


God’s Light

Childhood and Family:

Mohinder Purba, who would later be famous as Deep Roy, was born in Nairobi, Kenya to Indian parents. His father was a businessman, now deceased, who relocated the family to England, where Roy had opportunity to start a career in showbiz.

Sometimes credited as Gordeep Roy or Roy Deep, his given name, Gordeep, means “God’s Light.” He is a true ‘Blue Blooded’ successor of India’s Maharajah Vinepal, 26 generations removed.


From Stand-Up Comic to TV/Film Personality

Career:

Standing at 4’ 4”, Deep Roy made a decision to pursue a career in the entertainment industry in order to gain appreciation and visibility and to safe his manly self-esteem after his family had spent a lot of money to medically correct “nature’s mistake.” Raised in England, the Kenya-born got his start in the business as a stand-up comic in local cabaret clubs and soon made theater debut on the London stage in Ray Cooney’s “Miracle Worker” at the Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea.

In 1976, Roy stepped into the cinematic industry for a supporting part as the villainous Italian murderer in the Peter Sellers crime/comedy The Pink Panther Strikes Again, directed by Blake Edward. This was followed by performances in Roots of Evil (1979), Licensed to Love and Kill (1979), Flash Gordon (1980) and The Dark Crystal (1982). Roy’s role as Droopy McCool, a member of the Max Rebo band, in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) introduced him to wider audience. On TV, Roy, who debuted on guest spot on a 1976 episode of “The New Avengers,” appeared regularly on the series “Blakes 7” from 1978 to 1980 as well as made a memorable appearance as Key Elf in Benji’s Very Own Christmas Story (1978). But, it was his portrayal of the “pig-brained Peking Homonculus” or Mr. Sin, a desperado with a distinctive appetite for homicide, in the 1977 Tom Baker’s “Doctor Who” episode “The Talons of Weng-Chiang” that made him a popular face among TV sci-fi fans.

Roy was cast as an ape in the adventure film Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) and had a memorable supporting turn, as Teeny Weeny, in the fantasy film The Never Ending Story (also 1984). He then appeared as Tin Man in the Fairuza Balk starring vehicle Return to Oz (1985), Grid’ not ‘Kid in Starship (1985), a little girl in Weekend Warriors (1986), Mambino in Alien from L.A. (1988), Bonzo in Going Bananas (1988) and Grizabella in Lethal Woman (1989). He also had an uncredited part in the Western made-for-TV Desperado: The Outlaw Wars (1989).

The short performer kept on making many films during the 1990s. His movie credits included Disturbed (1990), Rebel Storm (1990), The Resurrected (1992), Freaked (1993), Dickwad (1994), Under the Hula Moon (1995) and Jane Austen’s Mafia! (1998). The millennium saw him team up with director Ron Howard and popular comic actor Jim Carey for the successful film How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), in which he appeared as post office clerk, and after a guest spot on “The X Files” (2001), Roy began his partnership with director Tim Burton in Planet of the Apes (2001), appearing as young gorilla boy and the senator’s daughter, respectively. The sci-fi/ action movie starred Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth and Helena Bonham Carter. He rejoined the director in 2003’s Big Fish, a story about a son trying to learn more about his dying father by reliving stories and myths his father told him about himself. The same year, he appeared with Eddie Murphy in Disney’s The Haunted Mansion.

The next years, Roy could be seen as Indian Mo in the comedy Surviving Eden (2004) and again reunited with Burton for the movie adaptation Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), where Roy portrayed all of the Oompa-Loompas, and for the animated feature Corpse Bride (2005), providing the voice of General Bonesapart. In late 2006, the actor appeared as a “mine-me” style David Hasselhoff character, opposite the real Hasselhoff, in a series of British TV commercials for Pipex broadband.

In addition to his acting career, Roy has also worked extensively as a stunt double. He has worked for many films, include Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986), The Jungle Book (1994), Roald Dahl’s Matilda (1996), Disney’s The Kid (2000), A Man Apart (2003) and Van Helsing (2004).


Awards:
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