Magical transformation: how the actors of “Harry Potter” have changed. Actors of "Harry Potter": then and now

Harry Potter is a character known to almost every child on the planet thanks to vivid film adaptations that have long become classics. Despite this, many fun facts from books about a young wizard did not make it into films. So, what interesting things from the biography of the boy with the scar remained behind the scenes?

Harry Potter films

The incredible popularity of the novels about the wizard of Privet Drive contributed to the decision to film them.

In 2001, based on the plot of the first book, a film of the same name was made, and a year later another one was made. To prevent the leading actors from growing up too much and looking much more mature than their heroes, the next films in the franchise began to be released at intervals of a year or two. The last novel was divided into 2 parts, and two films were made based on them. The Harry Potter films have earned more than $7.5 billion at the box office and are the second most successful franchise in cinema history (after Marvel).

Prototype of a boy wizard

The creator of the Harry Potter novels admitted that her young hero is a collective image, but some of his features are taken from real people, with whom she was familiar. Appearance and Harry received his last name from JK Rowling’s old childhood friend, Ian Potter. Later, fearing lawsuits from his relatives, the writer denied this fact.

As for the character of the young wizard, many of his traits resemble Joan herself. Thus, his irrepressible longing for his dead parents, which runs like a red thread throughout the entire novel, is very close to Rowling, who lost her mother and bitterly experienced this loss throughout the years of work on the series.

Hero's parents

Harry Potter's father, James, was once one of the most talented Gryffindor students. Having learned that his close friend Remus Lupine was a werewolf, he did not turn away from him, but developed the abilities of an animagus (the ability to turn into a deer).

While studying at Hogwarts, James met the mudblood (both parents are human), but very capable Lily Evans. A spark of sympathy broke out between the young people, which long years studies grew into true love. James and Lily married and had a son, Harry.

How Harry became the chosen one

During the same period, a powerful Dark wizard came to power, taking the nickname Voldemort. Many submitted to his power, but there were also those who challenged the Dark Lord's tyranny. Among them were Harry Potter's parents. Becoming increasingly powerful, the Evil Magician learned of Sibyl Trelawney's prophecy, which spoke of the birth of a young wizard destined to destroy the Dark Lord. Deciding not to wait for the baby to grow up and get stronger, the sorcerer was going to kill him.

At that time, two wizard families had sons. They turned out to be Neville Longbottom and Harry. There is a version that if the evil sorcerer had tried to kill Neville, he would have become the chosen one, but the choice of the powerful sorcerer fell on the Potter baby.

Thanks to the betrayal of one of James's friends, the Dark Sorcerer found out where James, Harry and Lily were hiding, and came to destroy the child. The father, defending the family, was killed first. And the mother’s sacrificial love, which overshadowed her son, helped protect the boy from the deadly spell and directed all the power of the villain’s magic against him. If Voldemort had not previously divided his soul into pieces and hidden them in various subjects(horcruxes), he would have died. However, due to the reflected spell, he became simply a disembodied spirit who wandered the world for about 10 years, looking for a way to gain a body and take revenge on young Harry Potter.

Events before the rebirth of the Dark Lord

After that fateful night, Harry was left an orphan. For the first 11 years of his life he knew nothing about magical world. He was raised by the Dursley family (Petunia Dursley was sister Lily), who spread rot on the baby as best she could. However, when the boy turned 11 years old, he learned the truth about wonderful world. Once at the school of witchcraft, he was very afraid that he would be sorted into Slytherin (a house known for dark wizard graduates) Harry Potter. Gryffindor was chosen by him because his parents studied here. Soon the boy with the scar managed to find true friends (Ron and Hermione), and also became a Quidditch seeker.

Meanwhile, the spirit of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named kept trying to be revived. He entered Hogwarts and intended to kidnap philosopher's Stone, capable of granting immortality. However, Harry and his friends unwittingly learned about the villain’s plans and were able to stop him.

In the second year of study, one of the Dark Lord's most loyal associates, Lucius Malfoy, threw younger sister Rona Weasley (Ginny) school diary of the Evil Wizard. This damned thing took over the girl’s mind and forced her to do terrible things and open the Chamber of Secrets, releasing the Basilisk from there. Setting the ancient monster against the unwanted students of Hogwarts, the Dark Lord intended to get even with old enemies, and at the same time gain flesh by killing Ginny. But Harry and his faithful friends were able to prevent evil.

In book 3, the character's biography acquires new details. So, the hero learns that he has a godfather - Sirius Black, who became an indirect culprit in the death of Harry's parents (he told the Dark Lord about the place where Lily and James were hiding), for which he served time in Azkaban. However, he recently escaped and is now hunting his godson. Being quite brave, young Potter dreamed of finding Black and avenging his parents. He managed to get on the trail of the fugitive, but it turned out that the traitor was not Sirius, but Peter Pettigrew, who, after the disappearance of his Master, hid from everyone, turning into Ron's rat. Harry manages to make friends with his godfather, but due to Peter's flight, it is impossible to prove Sirius's innocence, and Black is forced to go into hiding.

Meanwhile, the escaped Pettigrew finds what is left of Voldemort and helps him gain flesh using Harry's blood. To lure the boy, who is carefully guarded by Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic, the Dark Lord's associates force him to participate in a competition taking place at Hogwarts. Young Potter manages to escape death, but his friend Cedric Diggory dies.

Harry's participation in the fight against the Dark Magician

After the events of book 4 of the Harry Potter series, the biography and character of this hero change noticeably. JK Rowling justifies this by the character's maturation. In the new novel, the boy finds himself in disgrace with the Ministry of Magic because he claims that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has risen. They declare him a liar and try to get him expelled from Hogwarts, but through the efforts of Dumbledore, the guy remains a Gryffindor student.

The new teacher Dolores Umbridge, fearing a riot, does not teach the schoolchildren anything useful. Meanwhile, many who believe Harry want to learn how to defend themselves. To help them, Potter and his friends organize secret classes in self-defense against evil witchcraft. Harry's students call themselves "Dumbledore's Army." Umbridge manages to find all its participants and expel Albus Dumbledore from Hogwarts.

Meanwhile, the rebel Dark Lord wants to steal the record of Sibyl Trelawney's prophecy from the Ministry and learn it in full. To stop the Black Sorcerer and prove the veracity of his words, Harry and his companions escape from Umbridge and engage in battle with Voldemort's followers. Arriving members of the Order of the Phoenix (a secret organization fighting the Dark Lord) help the children cope with the Death Eaters, but the godfather of the boy with the scar dies in the battle.

In the 5th novel, the main character and his friends manage to find out about the secret eternal life Voldemort (horcruxes). However, during the investigation, Albus Dumbledore dies, and Professor Snape (hiding under the pseudonym “Half-Blood Prince”) turns out to be a spy for the Dark Lord.

In the final novel, Harry Potter and the Hallows of Death, Harry and his two faithful companions decide to find the Horcruxes and destroy the Evil Wizard, who has seized power in the Ministry of Magic and is now doing his dirty work. Voldemort himself longs to find the most powerful one in history (Elderberry) and kill Potter with her help. Having obtained the coveted artifact, the wizard feels that the wand does not obey him.

In search of the last Horcruxes, Harry and his friends secretly return to Hogwarts, which is now led by Snape. It gradually becomes clear that he is not a traitor, but faithfully served Dumbledore and secretly protected the boy with the scar all these years. From him, Potter learns that he is the last Horcrux that the Dark Lord does not know about. Therefore, he must be killed by Voldemort himself. While Ron and Hermione destroy other artifacts of the Evil Warlock hidden in Hogwarts, Harry surrenders to the Dark Lord. He casts a deadly spell against him and believes that he has killed his sworn enemy. However, the boy manages to survive, and he and his comrades begin the final battle with the followers of Voldemort at Hogwarts.

During the final fight, the Dark Magician himself dies from his own deadly spell, since the Elder Wand recognized Harry as its owner and, protecting him, directed its power against Voldemort.

Personal life of the character

Almost from the very first book, many girls around the world were in love with its main character named Harry Potter. The boy's biography, meanwhile, in the first novels did not contain information about his heartfelt passions.

Only in book 4, Harry’s first crush became a talented Hogwarts student, Zhou Chan. Despite the fact that the girl liked Potter, at that time she was dating Cedric Diggory. After his death, Cho became a member of Dumbledore's Army, and she and Harry began an affair. But main character I didn’t know how to behave with her, so they often quarreled, and the girl was unreasonably jealous of her lover for Hermione. Due to a misunderstanding, Harry and Cho broke up. Although in future books Chan hinted to him that she would not mind starting over, at that time Potter already had another lover.

Second and main love Ginny Weasley became his life. This girl was in love with Harry from the moment she met, but for many years he did not pay attention to her. On Hermione's advice, Ginny began dating other guys to overcome her shyness. She succeeded, and not only turned into one of the most charming girls at Hogwarts, but also achieved a place as a player on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Gradually, Potter fell in love with the girl, and after the overthrow of the Dark Lord they got married.

The further fate of Harry Potter

After the final destruction of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, the young man with the scar and his wife had three children. Their parents doted on them. Harry Potter's children were named by their father in honor of deceased loved ones. The hero named his eldest son in honor of his father and godfather - James Sirius; the second son was named Albus Severus in honor of Dumbledore and Snape; and the charming daughter was named Lily Luna (in honor of Lily Evans and Luna Lovegood). In addition to their offspring, the Potter couple also raised the orphaned son of Lupine and Tonks (Teddy).

Concerning professional achievements, then Harry leads the Aurors, and Ginny becomes a correspondent for the Daily Prophet.

The play Harry Potter And The Cursed Child tells the adventures of Harry's middle son, Albus Severus. He and his friends find the last one and try to save Cedric Diggory. However, by interfering with the past, the children accidentally ensure that Voldemort remains alive and seizes power in the present, and Ron and Hermione do not marry.

Trying to return everything to its original state, Albus learns that the Dark Lord has a daughter, Delphi, who is trying to save her father from death. To stop her, Harry, his wife, friends and Draco Malfoy go back in time and prevent events from changing.

All parts that have been filmed

  • "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", 2001.
  • "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", 2002.
  • "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", 2004.
  • "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", 2005.
  • "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", 2007.
  • "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", 2009.
  • "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" Part 1. (2010).
  • "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" Part 2. (2011).

Daniel Radcliffe - performer of the role of Harry

The main character of the series of novels by JK Rowling played in the epic film British actor Daniel Jacob Radcliffe. Like all children of the late nineties, Daniel enthusiastically read novels about a young wizard, and when he learned about the casting, he gladly took part in it and received main role. After the release of the first film about the young wizard, the actor who played Harry Potter became world famous. While Daniel starred in the franchise, he practically did not participate in other projects. The exception was the picture about Rudyard Kipling's son - “My Boy Jack”.

After Harry Potter, Radcliffe began to drink a lot, but was able to overcome his destructive passion and return to his profession. His most famous works recent years: the series “Notes of a Young Doctor” (based on the work of M. Bulgakov), the thrillers “The Woman in Black” and “Horns,” as well as the films “Victor Frankenstein” and “The Swiss Army Man.”

Interesting facts

  • Harry Potter's birthday is July 31, 1980.
  • This hero has dark hair, emerald eyes and a thin build.
  • After the first overthrow of the Evil Wizard, the poor orphan became his accidental Horcrux, which the villain himself did not know about, and therefore dreamed of killing Potter.
  • Before the Horcrux inside Harry was destroyed, the guy had the ability to understand and speak the snake language.
  • The hero's first magic wand had a phoenix wing as its core. Interestingly, the Dark Lord's wand was made from the feather of the same bird. After the boy disarmed Draco, the Elder Wand began to obey him (Malfoy had previously taken it from Dumbledore in a duel). In the movie, at the end, Harry breaks the most powerful wand, depriving it of its power. However, in the book, the hero returned the almighty wand to Dumbledore's crypt, believing that when he died a natural death, the artifact would lose its power.

  • The boy with the scar's patronus is a stag (like his father's).
  • Harry has several scars on his body. The most famous is the trace of the Dark Lord's spell (in the form of lightning). The guy had a round mark on his chest from the horcrux medallion that he had to wear for a long time. Also on one of the hands there is a scar from Nagini’s teeth, and on the other the inscription “I must not lie” is burned (the consequences of Dolores Umbridge’s punishment).
  • Unlike the film adaptation, the book mentions not two, but four brooms of the main character. The first was a toy (it was given to Harry Potter by his godfather for his first birthday). The second (“Nimbus 2000”) was a gift from the dean of Gryffindor, Minevra McGonagall. The third (“Lightning”) was again given by his godfather. And the fourth was a cute Christmas souvenir from Nymphadora Tonks.
  • JK Rowling made a lot of plot holes when she worked on the Harry Potter series. The biography of many heroes contains inconsistencies. One of the most notable of these is the cause of the Dark Lord's death. It is not clear why Harry's subordinate did not destroy He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named the moment he first used a deadly spell against Potter.
  • The actor who played Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe, has dyspraxia. Because of this, he cannot tie his shoelaces. Perhaps that's why Ginny does it instead of him in the movie.

Despite the fact that nearly two decades have passed since the publication of the debut novel about the young wizard of Privet Drive, this story continues to excite to this day. Particularly ardent fans, inspired by the world of Harry Potter, write their own fan fiction about the adventures of this hero. Who knows, perhaps in the distant future, based on one of these works, a new film about a hero named Harry Potter will be made. Biography of a loved one by millions fairy tale character thus will continue.

General information

Name: Harry James Potter (middle name in honor of his father, James Potter)
Date of birth: July 31, 1980
Parents: James Potter and Lily Evans Potter
Body type: thin
Special features: a lightning-shaped scar on the forehead, round glasses and a scar on the cheek that appeared after the fourth year
Unusual features: wizard, parselmouth
Study at Hogwarts: 1991-1997
House: Gryffindor
Favorite Subject: Defense Against the Dark Arts
Quidditch: Seeker (1991-1996)
Wand: holly and phoenix feather, 11 inches long
Broom: Nimbus 2000 (1991-1993), Lightning (since 1993)
Wife: Ginny Weasley
Children: eldest - James Potter, middle - Albus Severus Potter (named after two last directors Hogwarts School: Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape (in English options books - Snape), youngest - Lily Potter
Best friends: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Sirius Black, Rubeus Hagrid, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood

Biography

Infancy (1980-1981)

Harry James Potter was born on July 31 (the same day as JK Rowling) 1980, to parents Lily and James Potter. James Potter's best friend, Sirius Black, became Harry's godfather. Sirius, James and Lily were part of the Order of the Phoenix, a group of wizards who fought desperately against the Dark Lord Voldemort. They were not outnumbered, but continued to fight despite numerous losses. James and Lily managed to escape death at the hands of Voldemort three times.
Before Harry was born, a prophecy was made that at the end of July a boy would be born who would either be able to defeat the Dark Lord, or the Dark Lord would kill him. Harry Potter, born on July 31, and Neville Longbottom, born on July 30, met the conditions of the prophecy. Lord Voldemort heard part of the prophecy from his supporter Severus Snape and decided to destroy the child. Voldemort chose Harry as his victim. James and Lily learned that Voldemort was planning to kill Harry, and in October 1981, they used the Loyalty Charm to hide from the Dark Lord. Unfortunately, in last moment best friend James Potter Sirius Black convinced the Potters to choose Peter Pettigrew as Secret Keeper instead, who turned out to be a traitor and spy for Voldemort and revealed their location.

On the evening of October 31, 1981, the Dark Lord appeared in Godric's Hollow and attacked them. James tried to protect his family, but died. The Dark Lord was going to spare Lily, but she stood in his way, protecting the child. Then he killed her too. This self-sacrifice of Lily turned out to be a vital circumstance for Harry, as it was an ancient witchcraft that protected the child. When Voldemort cast Avada Kedavra and it hit Harry, Lily's sacrificial defense deflected the spell and caused it to backfire. The reflected spell almost killed Voldemort (knocked his soul out of his body), but left a lightning-shaped scar on Harry's forehead. Thus, Harry stopped Voldemort for several years.
The battle between the Potters and Voldemort left the house in ruins. Good Wizard Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, sent the half-giant Hagrid to Godric's Hollow, who managed to save Harry before the Muggles began to investigate what had happened. At the Potter's house, Hagrid unexpectedly met Sirius Black, who asked that Harry be given to him as the boy's godfather. Hagrid did not agree because he was following Dumbledore's orders. Sirius lent Hagrid his flying motorcycle so that he could take Harry to where the boy would be safe.

Hagrid and Harry were still on the road in the 24 hours following the incident. Dumbledore apparently provided security at Privet Drive. The next evening, Minerva McGonagall met Dumbledore at Privet Drive, and Hagrid soon appeared on a flying motorcycle with Harry. The three left Harry on the doorstep of number 4, the home of Harry's last relatives, Vernon and Petunia Dursley.

A decade of mistreatment (1981-1991)

For the next ten years, Harry's life was full of abuse and hardship. His Aunt Petunia, Lily's sister, and his Uncle Vernon loved their son Dudley madly, who was spoiled in every possible way, and Harry was kept in a closet, fed scraps, forced to wear Dudley's old clothes, which were much larger in size, yelled at, insulted and beat. Dudley bullied Harry mercilessly, using his parents' support as well as his own physical strength(Dudley was six times his size and fat, while Harry was skinny with glasses).

Three times during these years, the Dursleys were visited by Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge. She took great pleasure in telling Harry off. She gave Dudley expensive gifts and gave Harry something terrible or completely forgot about him. She often took her beloved bulldog Sinister with her. When Harry was nine, she allowed the dog to chase the boy into a tree, where he had to remain until midnight until Marge called the dog away.
In addition, his uncle and aunt decided to suppress the magical principle in him. They never talked about his true origins. He was told that his parents died in a car accident, which is where the scar on his forehead came from. The first rule in the Dursley house was "don't ask questions." Their goal was to keep Harry subjugated and oppressed in the hope that he would not develop what they considered to be an abnormal tendency towards wizardry. They sent him to the same school as Dudley, who continued to bully him there. Dudley's friends joined in the bullying, and other schoolchildren, afraid of Dudley and his friends, avoided communicating with Harry.

Despite the Dursleys' efforts, Harry managed to show magical abilities. When Aunt Petunia got annoyed with Harry's messy hair one day and cut it off with kitchen scissors, Harry woke up the next morning with his hair growing back. Another time, Dudley and his friends were chasing Harry, who suddenly found himself on the school roof. Harry dyed his teacher's wig Blue colour and shrunk Dudley's ugly sweater beyond recognition so he wouldn't have to wear it. And also, when they went with the whole family to the zoo, he began to talk to the snake and it attacked Dudley from the aquarium. After that, Harry was imprisoned in the closet of the Dursley house.
By the age of ten, Harry had grown into a thin man who the right boy with always disheveled black hair and a narrow face. His eyes, like his mother's, were emerald green. He wore taped-up glasses, broken in constant fights with Dudley. Harry was unusually fast, a skill developed in constant attempts to avoid being beaten by his cousin.

His life changed dramatically in the summer of 1991. Harry Potter began to receive strange letters that frightened his uncle and aunt. They destroyed the letters, not allowing Harry to read them, but the letters continued to arrive all the time. large quantities. In an attempt to avoid the letters, they ended up hiding in a hut on a cliff surrounded by the sea. During the night of a violent storm, Harry looked at his sleeping cousin's watch, counting down the minutes and seconds until his eleventh birthday. Just as Harry's birthday arrived, Hagrid burst into the hut to be surprised to learn that Harry had no idea about his magical heritage. Hagrid told the boy all about his past and on the morning of July 31, 1991, he took Harry to Diagon Alley to buy everything he needed for school. A month later, on September 1st, Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express and arrived at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry "Hogwarts".

Life at Hogwarts

Harry Potter went to Hogwarts at the age of 11 and spent 6 years there, with the exception of summer holidays. There he found new friends such as Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley and others. He also found new enemies - Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Voldemort.

Further fate

After defeating Voldemort, Harry headed the new Auror department at the Ministry of Magic and married Ginny Weasley. Harry and Ginny have three children: James (eldest), Albus Severus (middle) and Lily (youngest).

Fred and George Weasley

Fred and George Weasley were played by twin brothers Oliver and James Phelps. Oliver, who older than brother for 13 minutes, recently got married and is now completely absorbed in family life. James continues to attend auditions and has already starred in the television series Silent Witness.

Argus Filch

David Bradley played Argus Filch in all 8 Harry Potter films. Over these 5 years, the actor played a role in the film “The First Avenger” and the television series “The Strain” and “Game of Thrones”.


Dudley Dursley

Harry Melling, who played the annoying Dudley Dursley, has seriously lost weight and is now starring in television series.

Voldemort

Ralph Fiennes managed to become famous long before his role as Voldemort, because he starred in such cult films, like Schindler's List and The English Patient. After Potter, the actor also kept busy: he starred in “007: Skyfall” (2012), “Wrath of the Titans” (2012), “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014), “007: Spectrum” (2015) , "Long live Caesar!" (2016).


Minerva McGonagall

The acting career of the famous Maggie Smith has lasted for more than 60 years, she is a two-time Oscar winner and more than 40 other awards! Smith suffered breast cancer, which overtook her during the filming of the fifth part of Harry Potter, but despite the seriousness of the situation, the actress did not interrupt her participation in filming. The 81-year-old actress is not only active in charity work, but also recently starred in the television series Downton Abbey and the film The Lady in the Van.


Rubeus Hagrid

The role of the key keeper and forester at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was played by Scottish comedian Robbie Coltrane. After starring in the Harry Potter films, Robbie only voiced a character in the animated film Braveheart and played a small role in the film Great Expectations.


Severus Snape

Undoubtedly, one of the most memorable Potter characters is Severus Snape. Yes, he was an antagonist, but he managed to charm everyone with his mystical mystery. Unfortunately, actor Alan Rickman, who played Snape, is no longer with us. He was an incredibly charismatic and talented artist. After filming the Harry Potter saga, Rickman played roles in films such as CBGB Club (2013) and An Affair of Versailles (2014). And in 2012, he secretly married Rima Horton.



Neville Longbottom

Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom, has transformed from an ugly duckling into a real swan. True, this transformation has not yet brought the expected success in his acting career. Lewis is currently acting in television series, and in 2012 he played one of the main roles in the film “Wasteland.”



Luna Lovegood

Evanna Lynch as Luna starred in 4 parts of the saga. The actress won this role, beating 15,000 applicants! Lynch is currently a member of the Board of Advisors at non-profit organization"The Harry Potter Alliance" promotes healthy image life and advocates the legalization of same-sex marriage. Moreover, the girl starred in several more films.



Draco Malfoy

The role of Draco Malfoy was not the debut for Tom Felton. At the age of 10, at the suggestion of an actress, a close friend of Tom’s parents, the boy went to a film studio, where he met an agent, and two weeks later he received a role in the film “Thieves.” After filming “Harry Potter,” Felton’s filmography was replenished with many other films. In 2016 alone, 6 more new films featuring this actor will be released.



Ginny Weasley

The role of Ginny Weasley truly glorified young Bonnie Wright. Over the past few years, this actress has blossomed. After the end of the saga, Wright graduated from the London University of the Arts, played in the films “The Philosophers: A Lesson in Survival” (2013) and “Who Killed Nelson Nutmeg?” (2015), and even directed 2 video clips herself.


Ron Weasley

Rupert Grint, who played the role of Ron Weasley, recently turned his attention to theater stage and made his Broadway debut in the production of It's Just a Game, where he was accompanied by Matthew Broderick. And in 2013, he starred with Alan Rickman in the film “CBGB Club.”


Hermione Granger

The arrogant know-it-all Hermione Granger has grown into a beautiful young woman over the years. Emma Watson's acting career, unlike many of her Harry Potter colleagues, has been most successful. She not only played roles in such acclaimed films as “7 Days and Nights with Marilyn,” “Noah,” “Eclipse,” but also became a UN Goodwill Ambassador.



Harry Potter

The world's most famous wizard, Harry Potter, who was once the richest teenager in Great Britain, Daniel Radcliffe continues to act in films. His recent credits include the roles of Walter in Now You See Me and Sam in The turning point" The actor is actively involved in charity work and speaks out against homophobia.


The first Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was released in 1997, and the film adaptation of the first part of the franchise about the adventures of the boy who lived was released in 2001.

We invite you to see how the leading actors in the film “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” have changed and how they managed to use their fame.

Tom Felton, Draco Malfoy

In the Harry Potter film series, Tom Felton played the role of the little villain, Draco Malfoy. In the first parts of the franchise, his character looks a little “cardboard,” but the role is saved by the strong negative charm of Tom Felton.

According to his own words, at the premieres of the Harry Potter films and at meetings with fans, Felton kept catching hateful glances from teenagers who identified him with the character, Draco Malfoy.

The first big role also influenced further job offers - Felton still receives scripts where he is assigned the role of a villain.


After finishing filming Harry Potter, Tom Felton is more involved in music than film. He released two albums, Time well spent and All I need.

Rupert Grint, Ron Weasley

Twelve-year-old Rupert Grint learned about an open casting for roles in the film "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" from television news. To attract the attention of producers, he recorded a tape with a rap track about how he wanted to get the role, and sent it to the casting. It worked: Grint played Ron Weasley in eight episodes of the Harry Potter franchise.


Rupert Grint's film career was not successful. Grint played several small roles - in the film “CBGB Club” about the underground New York scene, in the Snatch series based on the Guy Ritchie film “Snatch” and some others. In addition, he starred in a video for (the same red-haired) British artist Ed Sheeran.


Matthew Lewis, Neville Longbottom

Film actor Matthew Lewis perhaps surprised the most. Lewis played in the Harry Potter saga the big-eared, leisurely and slightly clueless Neville Longbottom (Longbottom), who nevertheless made an important contribution to the victory over Voldemort.

After filming of The Deathly Hallows ended, Matthew Lewis disappeared from magazine pages and newspaper headlines for several years; he acted in films (mostly independent ones) and was a household name in Britain, but not beyond its borders.


The world remembered the shy, overweight Longbottom after Matthew Lewis's photo shoot in Attitude magazine. No one could recognize a plump teenager in the brutal, half-naked and bearded man. JK Rowling then exchanged several comments with Lewis on Twitter. Rowling wrote that she was ready to support the actor in all his endeavors, “if he gets dressed first.” Lewis promised.


Emma Watson, Hermione Granger

The red-haired performer of the role of excellent student Hermione, Emma Watson was the youngest in cast"Harry Potter": she was only nine years old. Before that, unlike most of her colleagues on the set, she had no professional acting experience.


After filming “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” ended, Emma Watson studied at the prestigious Brown University in the USA for several years, but returned to the set again. She managed to work with Darren Aronofsky in Noah and Sofia Coppola in Elite Society. The film adaptation of Beauty and the Beast starring Watson became one of the highest-grossing films of 2017.


Emma Watson has never limited herself to working as an actress and model. In 2014, she was selected as a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Campaign for Women's Rights. Among other things, Emma Watson said that she “was already a feminist at the age of eight.”

Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter

The leading actor got into the Harry Potter film as a 12-year-old boy. His popularity (and the envy of his peers) was so great that after the release of the first part of the film, Daniel Radcliffe began to be bullied at school, and he had to switch to home schooling.


In 2010, Daniel Radcliffe said that at some point he could not cope with fame and began to drink. According to him, by the age of 20 he was already a heavy alcoholic, but still managed to overcome his addiction.


Since 2012, Radcliffe has primarily acted in independent films. One of the most notable films with his participation is “The Swiss Army Knife Man” (with Paul Dano), a strange tragicomic story about a corpse that possesses different beneficial properties(for example, he knows how to point the direction with his penis, like a compass).

In addition, the thriller Absolute Power was released in 2016, in which Radcliffe played the role of an undercover FBI agent in a neo-Nazi group.

Bonnie Wright, Ginny Weasley

British Bonnie Wright was encouraged to try out for the role of Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister, by her brother, who thought the girl looked like the heroine. Because of her naturally red hair and acting talent, the producers approved the actress for the role.


After the end of the main part of the Harry Potter film series, Bonnie Wright continued acting career. She starred in several small films that were not successful abroad, but in her homeland, in the UK, Bonnie Wright is well known.


Evanna Lynch, Luna Lovegood

25-year-old Irishwoman Evanna Lynch played in four films in the Harry Potter series, starting with the film “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.” Both the producers and JK Rowling herself felt that Evanna was perfect for the role of the eccentric and “strange” Luna.


Lynch herself said that JK Rowling played an important role in her life - long before filming Harry Potter. At the age of 11, Evanna wrote a letter to her favorite writer in which she told that she was suffering from an eating disorder. In response, Rowling wrote that she believed in Evanna with all her heart. A few years later, the young actress was lucky enough to be cast for the role of Luna.


However, the natural individuality, which was superimposed by fame, played a bad joke on the performer of the role of Luna Lovegood. The unstable teenage psyche could not withstand the pressure, and Evanna Lynch again faced a common problem among young actresses - anorexia.

Natalia Tena, Nymphadora Tonks

Natalia Tena is a half-Spanish woman originally from London, who, thanks to her mixture of cold British and hot southern blood, was perfect for the role of Nymphadora Tonks.


Interestingly, her other notable role is the wildling Osha from Game of Thrones. In the HBO series, her heroine travels with the younger Starks, the masters of the direwolves. And in the Harry Potter saga, her patronus changes from a buffalo to a wolf.


In her homeland, Natalia Tena is best known as the leader of the rock band Molotov Jukebox, in which she sings and plays the accordion.


Robert Pattinson, Cedric Diggory

A supporting role in the film “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” was Robert Pattinson’s first notable appearance on the silver screen. However, as is known, a big star and he became the hero of high school girls’ dreams after playing the vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga (with Kristen Stewart).


In order not to remain hostage to one image, the actor tries to choose roles that are as far as possible from the role of the hero-lover.


Thus, he played Lawrence of Arabia in the biographical film “Queen of the Desert” (starring Nicole Kidman) and completely transformed into a stern journalist in the action adventure film “The Lost City of Z” (paired with Charlie Hunnam).

Shirley Henderson, Moaning Myrtle

By the start of filming the second part of Harry Potter, Scottish woman Shirley Henderson was almost forty years old. However, the filmmakers readily cast her in the role of the thirteen-year-old Hogwarts ghost schoolgirl Moaning Myrtle, since the actress’s doll-like appearance and acting abilities were perfect for this job.


Shirley Henderson has an impressive list of film and television credits. In 1996, she starred with Danny Boyle in the cult drama Trainspotting (with Ewan McGregor), and in 2006 with Sofia Coppola in the biopic about Queen Marie Antoinette (with Kirsten Dunst in the title role).


In 2013, Shirley Henderson participated in the film adaptation of the novel “Mud” by Irvine Welsh.

Robbie Coltrane, Rubeus Hagrid

Robbie Coltrane's real name is MacMillan. He took the pseudonym in honor of the legendary jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. This name seemed more suitable for him to perform as a stand-up comedian. The actor spent several years in semi-basement pubs until he found himself in humorous TV shows and films.


In the late 90s, Robbie Coltrane's career began to fade, and the role of the giant Hagrid in the first part of Harry Potter became a real salvation for him. The actor was remembered by those who loved him in the past for his role in the detective series “The Cracker Method,” and the multi-million army of Harry Potter fans recognized him.


Maggie Smith, Minerva McGonagall

One of the most titled and sought-after British actresses, Maggie Smith appeared on the list of Potter actors when she was well over sixty. By that time, the actress, who had been acting in theater and film since 1952, had already switched to the role of older ladies, but her charm seemed to only increase.


Interestingly, the meeting at film set“Harry Potter” was not the first for Maggie Smith and Daniel Radcliffe - they already worked together in the British mini-series “David Copperfield”.


After filming the final installment of Harry Potter, Maggie Smith played the role of Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess, for six seasons. It was to her character that the writers gave the most striking and paradoxical lines.

Gary Oldman, Sirius Black

Gary Oldman's trickster charisma made him the perfect choice to play Sirius Black in the third installment of the Harry Potter series. For Oldman, it was rather atypical to participate in a super-grossing franchise: before Potter, he starred in “complex” films like the film adaptation of Tom Stoppard’s play “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” together with Tim Roth, although he did not neglect mass culture.


The main thing for Gary Oldman is good script and not a cardboard character. One of these roles was Sirius Black, the godfather of Harry Potter. Another shining example- the role of Zorg in “The 5th Element” with Bruce Willis.


Until 2011, Gary Oldman was considered one of the best actors modern times that were never even nominated for an Oscar. In 2012, he received a nomination for his leading role in the thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, but did not receive the award.

Helena Bonham Carter, Bellatrix Lestrange

For the eccentric fifty-year-old native of London, the role of Bellatrix Lestrange in the Potter series became one of many crazy characters in her “wardrobe”. Helena Bonham Carter had to try on the strangest roles - from Marla Singer in “Fight Club” (along with Brad Pitt and Edward Norton) to the Red Queen in “Alice in Wonderland”.


In the Harry Potter saga, Helena Bonham Carter played the role of one of the Death Eaters, an insane and cruel follower of Voldemort. Isn’t it too different from the usual range of her roles?


After filming Harry Potter, Helena Bonham Carter played several notable roles in films and does not refuse new offers.

Alan Rickman, Severus Snape

Alan Rickman did not have to participate in auditions to become the performer of the role of Severus Snape: the producers of the film saw only him in this image. Fans of the Harry Potter books initially doubted whether it would be better to find someone younger (Snape was a little over 35 at the time the events in the saga began). 16 years after the release of the first part of the series, it is difficult to imagine that Snape could be played by someone else.


Alan Rickman died in January 2016 in London, he was 69 years old. Until recently he acted in films. In the five years since filming the last part of the Potter series, he has starred in nine films and directed one (2014's A Romance of Versailles, starring Kate Winslet).


Already being terminally ill (Alan Rickman burned out from pancreatic cancer in six months), the actor participated in voicing a character in the film “Alice Through the Looking Glass.” Rickman was in this film as the voice of the former caterpillar who hatched into the Absolem butterfly.

Richard Harris, Dumbledore

The first actor to play Dumbledore, Richard Harris, died after starring in the first two films in the series - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Michael Gambon, DumbledoreSir Michael Gambon is a sought-after and respected British actor

Michael Gambon began acting on stage and appearing in episodic roles in films in the mid-sixties. In his youth he acted at the British National Theater and occasionally appeared on the silver screen. Filming in the Harry Potter saga “restarted” his career, and from the mid-2000s Gambon began to receive a lot of job offers.

Imelda Staunton, Dolores Umbridge

British film and theater actress Imelda Staunton was not popular outside her country until her role as Dolores Umbridge, although she had been acting in theater and film since the early 90s.


She is known mainly as a comic actress, although in 2004 she was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for her role in the drama Vera Drake. For the same role, Imelda Staunton received an Oscar nomination.


According to Ralph Fiennes, on the set of “The Goblet of Fire” the director gave him very simple task: ten minutes on camera to look like evil incarnate. Fiennes had no idea that the Harry Potter franchise would become so popular; he simply agreed to the offer and enjoyed the work.


For many actors who different years appeared in the Harry Potter film series, the role in Potter became lucky ticket: For some, filming marked the beginning of a stellar acting career, for others it became an opportunity to remind producers and viewers of themselves.

The editors of the site invite you to evaluate how the actors of “Night Watch” have changed over 15 years – and how filming in the film influenced their destinies.
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The UN, a prison, a director's chair and protruding lips - what the actors who played young wizards in the Harry Potter films went to.

Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter

The role of the Boy Who Lived brought Daniel Radcliffe more than $100 million and the opportunity to be guided solely by his own instincts when choosing projects. The actor literally grew up on the set of a major Hollywood franchise, and therefore, after its completion, he turned to the most diverse projects - from Broadway musicals and dubious horror films to a series based on Bulgakov's stories and the role of a very soulful corpse. Occasionally, Radcliffe appears in projects aimed at a mass audience, such as the sequel to Now You See Me. Daniel likes to say that he is interested in directing, and he is not averse to dying right on the set in front of the camera. Now the 27-year-old actor can be seen on the stage of London's The Old Vic theater in the production of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" based on the play by Tom Stoppard.

Emma Watson - Hermione Granger

Rupert Grint - Ron Weasley

Tom Felton - Draco Malfoy

A platinum blond with a prickly gaze in Harry Potter, in real life Felton is an open guy with a good-natured smile. However, he is still offered rather villainous roles: in “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” he played the cruel security guard Dodge Landon, in the series “Murder in the First Degree” - a suspect in the murder of Silicon Valley prodigy Eric Blunt. In the third season of The Flash, he finally got his controversial character, Julian Albert.

Matthew Lewis - Neville Longbottom

The actor who played the role of the clumsy but brave fat man Neville Longbottom became the hero of the news, radically changing his role: after filming in “Harry Potter” ended, Lewis turned into a muscular macho. However, the changes did not bring huge dividends in terms of career. Having played a soldier in the successful London theatrical production“Our Boys”, the actor continued with small roles on television, joining the cast of “Ripper Street”, and appeared in the melodrama “Me Before You” in the role of Patrick, boyfriend main character, Louise. He will soon be seen in the movie "The Ultimate" with Margot Robbie.

Sean Biggerstaff - Oliver Wood

Having received the role of Oliver Wood thanks to the peculiar patronage of Alan Rickman, Biggerstaff dropped out of the franchise after the second film (his character was cut out of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban due to timing restrictions), to the disappointment of many. Sean still acts (mostly in his native Scotland) and plays in the theater, and for his role in the film By Mutual Consent in 2007 he received a Scottish Academy of Film and Television Award for Best Actor.

James and Oliver Phelps - Fred and George Weasley

The Weasley twins continued their acting careers, and they often act together. For example, in the film Own Worst Enemy (“Own worst enemy") they got the roles of twin constables. However, their filmography cannot be called remarkable. Films starring the Phelpses rarely left their native UK. The brothers, like many of their Hogwarts colleagues, are actively involved in charity work.

Bonnie Wright - Ginny Weasley

Jamie Waylett - Vincent Crabbe

Malfoy's loyal henchman, Crabbe was clearly a guy with criminal inclinations, and Waylett, alas, turned out to be similar to his character. In 2009, he was caught growing marijuana at his mother's house in London and was sent to a young offenders' institution for six months. In 2011, he was arrested again, but for participation in the London pogroms. He was not sent to jail then, but in March 2012 he was sentenced to two years in prison for theft.

Joshua Herdman - Gregory Goyle

Goyle, another of Malfoy's bodyguards, met a different fate. After Harry Potter, Herdman, the son of actor Martin Herdman, continued to act, albeit rarely. And in 2016 he began his career as a mixed martial arts fighter. In the next couple of years, he can be seen in several films at once, the most notable of which is the new “Robin Hood” with Taron Egerton. However, apparently, Joshua has a very small role there.

Alfred Enock - Dean Thomas

Enoch's most notable project in recent years was the series How to Get Away with Murder, where the actor played the main role of a law student who finds himself at the center of a crime investigation. However, after the role of Dean Thomas, Enock did not sit idle at all. He studied Portuguese and Spanish at Oxford University, performed in theater productions of Shakespeare and more. Finally, it was Enoch who was the bloody guardsman in the episode "The Sign of Three" of the TV series "Sherlock".

Luke Youngblood - Lee Jordan

Katie Leung - Zhou Chang

Ravenclaw student Zhou Chang became Harry Potter's first girlfriend. In life, Katie Leung made her debut on the London stage in the play “Wild Swans” in 2012, entered the acting department of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and now continues to act in films and play in the theater. She can be seen in the film "The Foreigner" with Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan.

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