Liam Trim with the latest edition of ‘Page and Screen’…

With the all conquering Harry Potter franchise drawing to a close after a decade of record breaking box office figures and immeasurable sales of merchandise and DVDs, reams are being written attempting to sum up the reasons for the worldwide phenomenon. Recipes for success are being compiled and suggested as Warner Brothers and other studios look for the “next Potter” to lure audiences consistently to cinemas on a huge scale. Children’s authors are being assessed and targeted as execs wonder where to find the next J.K. Rowling. Meanwhile the super rich writer has launched a new website to continue the Potter brand, “Pottermore”, and has revealed that she has waited, perhaps wisely, until after the last film to publish several projects she’s been working on for some time since finishing The Deathly Hallows.

Some say that Rowling’s immense imagination and wonderful writing accounts for the success of the films. The sheer detail of the books helped create a wizarding universe that went beyond the plots. However up and down the country it’s easy to find English teachers, experts and ordinary readers that will think little of Rowling’s talent. Of course she clearly has an ability to create worlds and engaging plots but she is also reliant on influences and is far from a genius writer. Whilst I was sucked in by the books after reading them, unlike my school friends I only embraced The Philosopher’s Stone after seeing the film version, which convinced me Harry Potter wasn’t as childish as it sounded.

Perhaps the fact that Warner Brothers conceded artistic control to British based Heyman Productions ensured the appealing flavour of the series? There are no doubt many different reasons for the spellbinding effect Hogwarts has had on box offices internationally, but as someone who has grown up in the eye of a decade long magical storm, the Harry Potter films transcend the usual critical criteria. As rankings of the films appear all over the web, I have found myself reflecting on the franchise as a whole.

If I had to pick out one key reason for its success it would be the way the films have matured with their audience. Those behind the films deserve some credit for this but if anything they haven’t lived up to the darker depths of the books, until the final film if you believe the early reports from critics. It was Rowling’s masterstroke to pen seven stories that evolved in tone as well as plot. However watching the films has delivered the genuinely unique experience of seeing three child actors grow into young and talented adults, which mirrors the maturing mood of the stories.

Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson tend to hog the headlines. He has become a leading man and she has gone from prissy bookworm to stunning, sexy and intelligent model, capable of juggling a demanding degree from a top university with filming and an increasingly diverse career. Recently though, as Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 premiered in Trafalgar Square, the newspapers reserved special mention for the huge cheer that greeted Rupert Grint.

Grint has always been more than the long suffering ginger one. In the early films, when Radcliffe was excruciatingly awful at times in the lead role, Grint provided much needed comic relief and more, with a skill beyond his years. Respected film veteran John Hurt dubbed him a “born actor” and allegedly directors beyond Potter, such as Martin Scorsese, have predicted a bright future for him. In this early screen test, Grint is the clearly the most expressive of the famous trio, inhabiting his role even when he doesn’t have lines to read, unlike the blank faced Radcliffe and two dimensional Watson:

But then a combination of the stresses of the lifestyle change and scripts that let his character down reduced Grint to a predictable and subdued comic presence during the films in the middle of the series. Radcliffe and Watson both grew in confidence to take on more integral and convincing roles in the drama. The final film ought to have plenty of opportunities for Grint to go out with a bang big enough to showcase his true talent though, with the will-they-won’t-they romantic chemistry between Ron and Hermione finally coming to a head and several dramatic moments to sink his acting chops into. Grint has certainly demonstrated his promise elsewhere with performances in Driving Lessons alongside Julie Walters and wild teen drama Cherrybomb.

We’ve been through a lot with Harry, Hermione and Ron and got to know not only them, but a little of the actors that portray them, on the way to their final showdown with Lord Voldemort. Harry Potter will always be a great deal more than just a shadow hanging over the careers of Radcliffe, Watson and Grint. They will all try to shake it off and it will be remarkable if any of them completely succeed. I for one though have a feeling that out of all of them it is Rupert Grint we are still yet to see the best of. He was a lovable Ron but as someone else we haven’t heard of yet he is going to blow us away.

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Emma Watson grins broadly as she greets Rupert Grint, tottering towards the bar in her Rafael Lopez frock and vertiginous black heels. As they hug, he keeps a steady, protective arm on her.

Meanwhile, Julie Walters is standing by the bar, hugging a towering Robbie Coltrane, while Jason Isaacs and Matt Lewis are enthusiastically posing for pictures.

Looking around, this will probably be the last time the top-drawer cast of Harry Potter – which boasts a raft of Scottish actors including north-east natives Sean Biggerstaff, from Elgin (Oliver Wood), Peter Mullan, from Peterhead (Yaxley) and Shirley Henderson, from Forres (Moaning Myrtle) – are in the same room together, now that the 10-year saga is coming to an end. Daniel Radcliffe is notably absent, due to his Broadway theatre commitments in New York.

Besides the wrap party and the premiere, tonight’s cocktails at the new St Pancras Renaissance London Hotel mark a farewell to the series that has turned many of the cast, with the exception of veterans such as Julie, Robbie, Ralph Fiennes and Michael Gambon, into household names. They’re all fiercely proud of the films.

“I’m glad you didn’t call it a franchise,” said Jason, 48. The Liverpudlian, who portrays villain Lucius Malfoy, continued: “It always upsets me when I hear that because it sounds like someone selling burgers.

“This is one story that’s taken 10 years to tell so beautifully, and with such care, and there isn’t one drop of cynicism in anyone’s participation.”

Robbie – as Rubeus Hagrid – added in his deep voice: “It really ticks me off when people talk about Harry Potter as a franchise. This is about seven years in a boy’s life.”

The last instalment, directed by David Yates, sees the epic battle between Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) head towards its earth-shattering conclusion.

All the actors are unsurprisingly sad that the series has reached the end. “We’ve become emotionally tied into it,” says 61-year-old Robbie.

“It’s the first time in my entire career I’ve played a thoroughly good man – a bit of acting was required there,” he quipped, with a hearty laugh.

“Something strangely wonderful has come to an end – am I being terribly sentimental?”

The seven films, based on J. K. Rowling’s best-selling books, have become the highest-grossing film series of all time and a multi-billion pound business, giving Bond a run for his money.

Working its spellbinding magic on the British film industry, particularly within the special effects arena, the saga has left a lasting legacy, proving it is a force to be reckoned with.

“The most remarkable thing David Heyman and Jo Rowling did was to say at the beginning, ‘This will stay in Britain and will be British’,” recalled director David, flanked by producers David Heyman and David Barron.

“This very complicated special effects work would normally be given to American counterparts, but it stayed in England – and the States now sends its work here.”

He added: “It’s created such an infrastructure that will be sorely missed. It will be very hard to follow Potter’s kinetic power – lightning doesn’t strike twice.”

David believes the success of Potter is down to the relatable themes. “It’s about love, death, loss, friendship and loyalty,” he said.

“We all know characters like Harry, Ron and Hermione, we’ve all had teachers like Dumbledore, Snape and Lupin, and haven’t known too many Voldemorts, I hope.

“When it began, I had no idea that 10 years on we’d be sitting here. I hoped it would be another Railway Children or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It’s better than I could ever have imagined.”

It’s time to ask Emma – aka Hermione Granger – about her alter ego. “She’s been like a sister, and when people ask what I’ll miss the most, I will actually miss just being her,” said the 21-year-old.

“Hermione is such an incredible young woman, so growing up alongside her definitely made me a better person. I feel so privileged to have played her.”

Rupert, 22, who plays Ron Weasley, added: “Ron has been such a constant part of my life. So it’s weird. Especially this week it’s hit me, because those posters say, ‘It all ends now’. It’s really final.”

In the grand finale, Emma gets to lock lips with Rupert after previously kissing Daniel, as Harry, in the first part.

Asked to compare the two, she looks bashfully over at Rupert and blushes before giving an embarrassed laugh and saying: “I should have seen this one coming. It’s really difficult, as I’ve got to be diplomatic. At least Dan isn’t here so that makes it easier.

“Kissing Dan for that scene was very awkward, as I was half-naked and covered in paint. Kissing Rupert was equally awkward and weird, because we had just been soaked by an enormous bucket of water.

“Once you’ve done it four or five times, kissing gets quite boring.”

For Ralph, 48, best known for playing baddies like Nazi war criminal Amon Goth in Schindler’s List, Red Dragon’s serial killer Francis Dolarhyde and god of the underworld Hades in Clash Of The Titans, playing super-villain Lord Voldemort has been an unexpected pleasure.

“It’s been a wonderful part to play, a high-definition villain, and I’ve loved it as much as I’ve loved working with everyone here,” he said.

“Mostly, I don’t get recognised because I have my own nose and a full head of hair.”

The bane of his filming life was the Dark Lord’s heavy robes, as he admitted: “It’s an irritating costume as it was too long and I would trip over it.”

But the outfit also brought humour. “I started wearing tights underneath, and the gusset would drop down between my thighs and make it difficult to walk with any kind of dignity. So I cut them and turned them into garters. When the stunt team were getting too macho, I would lift up the robes and tease them with my inner thighs.”

As fans mourn the ending of Harry’s magical adventures, Emma is already trying to summon up a spell to reunite her with her screen “brothers” Rupert and Daniel.

“I really hope we’ll find a way to work together again. We’re already scheming,” she teased.

But could there be a new generation of Potter-likes in the future? Not so, according to the film-makers.

“Jo has no plans to write another Harry Potter book. I mean, Harry at the age of 23 going to business school?” said producer David Heyman.

Director David added: “There’s a time and place for certain stories and this series sits uniquely in this period of time. It would be a shame to try to recreate or continue them.”

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is now playing at cinemas nationwide.

5,800 – The number of times make-up artists painted Harry Potter’s scar on the head of Daniel and his various stunt doubles.

588 – The number of sets created for the films.

160 – The number of pairs of glasses worn by Daniel during filming.

70 – The number of wands used by Daniel during filming.

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In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Rupert Grint finally gets the girl. That girl is Hermione (Emma Watson) and for fans of the iconic literary series, that moment could not come soon enough. The only problem is that the ultimate moment for Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger comes in what will serve as the last audiences will ever see of the world of Harry Potter.

Rupert Grint was rather candid about the closing chapter that is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 when we caught up with him. Grint is engrossed on what the rest of the world is currently feeling as Deathly Hallows premieres and a part of our pop cultural collective lives… and ends.
For the kid who bought an ice cream truck with his Harry Potter earnings, it was fitting that he drove it on the set for the final day of filming, stocked with frozen treats. Rupert Grint’s portrayal of Ron is nothing less than perfect. He provides a power that is both sweet innocence coupled with an unwavering belief in his roommate, best friend and Dumbledore Army leader Harry Potter.

Rupert Grint kisses and tells

SheKnows: Was the kissing Hermione (Emma Watson) scene as epic as it is for fans?

Rupert Grint: It was a tricky one to do. Obviously I’ve known Emma so long, she’s like my sister. We were mutually both dreading the scene. We just wanted to make it believable. With the romance of it, because it’s been built up for so many years, we wanted people to think that we actually wanted to kiss each other. In reality we didn’t!

SheKnows: Did they make you do it over and over? Or was it just a couple of takes?

Rupert Grint: We did about four takes. I find it hard to recall anything about that day. It’s been erased from my mind!

SheKnows: What was your favorite scene in the entire series?

Rupert Grint: There are so many really, I find it hard to pick out one, but I think the chess scene in the first one was quite good. It was a huge set and things were being blown up. It was just the coolest place to be.

Ron is Rupert?

SheKnows: Having grown up portraying Ron, how like him are you?

Rupert Grint: After 10 years playing the same guy every day, I think you do naturally morph into him. We have become Ronpert which I think will stay with me for a while. I have always felt this close connection to Ron throughout all the films. There will always be a bit of Ron in me for the rest of my life.

SheKnows: How did personal time with J.K. Rowling aid your effort to capture Ron Weasley over eight films?

Rupert Grint: Whenever J.K. Rowling came to the set and we would chat, we rarely ever spoke about the story, we just kind of chatted generally. She filled us in with the epilogue, where the characters go and what they do for a living, she had written kind of the rest of their lives really, so that was quite interesting to hear what we all became. I worked in the ministry doing something and I forgot what Emma’s character was doing.

SheKnows: How did you deal with the immense spotlight these films have brought you?

Rupert Grint: The attention is quite strange and never being invisible completely. It took me a while to adjust to it, because I was always quite a shy kid. It’s something you actually take for granted. I remember the first time I was recognized was at a shopping center where I live which was near a school and the first film had just come out. It was really weird but I enjoyed it. It was quite cool actually, as it’s something I’ve never really hid from. It’s just become a part of my life now.

SheKnows: What prompted you to buy an ice cream truck?

Rupert Grint: The ice cream truck was something I’ve always wanted. That’s what I wanted to be was to be an ice cream man. So as soon as I passed my driving test, I got an ice cream van.

SheKnows: Are you a role model for redheads?

Rupert Grint: I’ve always been quite a proud ginger. Having ginger hair is not the coolest thing really. It’s nice that Ron is quite a respected ginger and Prince Harry as well. Yeah, I get a lot of support from the ginger community.

Grint on aging

SheKnows: How does filming Deathly Hallows Part 2 compare to the other seven films?

Rupert Grint: This was the most depressing one actually I have ever done. It was deathly. I think it helps you get into the mood when you’re on the set and hearing Maggie Smith sobbing, it brought the mood down.

SheKnows: How did you like seeing yourself as an older man?

Rupert Grint: The first attempt for my character in particular was quite terrifying. I looked like a monster really — a bit like a Donald Trump — I had no hair and I was obese [laughs]. I think it was a bit too much. Then they found the balance finally. It was a very strange thing to film really, just sitting in the makeup chair and watching them gradually age me. It was quite terrifying.

SheKnows: With the second version that you shot, do you feel like you’ve seen yourself 20 years from now?

Rupert Grint: It would be interesting to compare it in 19 years to see how accurate it is. I hope not [laughs]!

SheKnows: How do you feel about the ending of the Harry Potter movies?

Rupert Grint: It’s been a very weird time really of accepting the end. We finished filming a year ago and I now have this quite empty feeling. It’s taken me quite a while to accept. We had the London premiere two days ago and I got really emotional! I’m not usually that emotional. This experience has really been my childhood. I’m sure I’ll get used to it.

SheKnows: Did one particular scene while filming the final film get you?

Rupert Grint: Where it’s the three of us after the battle and we are walking on the bridge and the castle is destroyed behind us — it felt kind of parallel with our own lives really. It has been quite emotional and seeing the film as well, I did get quite choked up at the end. It’s quite sad because I’m going to really miss it.

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As the decade-long saga comes to a close, and after all manner of magical exploits dazzle Muggle moviegoers, the final image on screen in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2″ is low-key. The trio of young wizards stand silently side-by-side, their expressions revealing exhaustion, relief, triumph and anticipation.

This seems a fitting visual for the actors who have brought J.K. Rowling’s characters of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley to vivid life.

On Friday, the final movie in the eight-film series opens amid much fanfare and some nostalgia.

Daniel Radcliffe, 21, Emma Watson, 21, and Rupert Grint, 22, embarked on the Potter series as children not knowing what magical mystery tour awaited them. They have come out the other end as experienced adult actors with intriguing futures beckoning — though, with the millions each earned for the eight films, they could afford to take a very long sabbatical.

“Emma was 10 and Daniel and Rupert were 11 when I started writing for them,” says “Potter” screenwriter Steve Kloves. “I wrote appropriately for their age group. But by the end, I wrote as challenging material for them as I did for Michael Gambon (who plays Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore) or anybody else. In fact, I think I gave them the most challenging material.”

The series may be named after the bespectacled boy wizard, but his two best buddies have been just as instrumental in keeping record-breaking numbers of fans bewitched by the Potter films, the most financially successful film franchise of all time, having earned $6.4 billion worldwide to date.

“Casting the three was the single most important decision in the history of these movies,” Kloves says. “At the end of the day, the series will live and die on the strength of those three children. It won’t live and die on how cool a dragon looks. I think Jo Rowling would admit the plot is quite secondary to the characters and what they embody and represent.”

Where to from here?

Now that the final film is about to hit theaters, and the globally famous trio of young actors has walked the red carpet in London for the eighth and final time, their adult careers loom. They have morphed from wide-eyed, slightly gawky kids to full-fledged, graceful actors.

When half of your life has been spent making the most popular films in history, where do you go from there?

For Watson, spending a decade on the “Potter” set has been what she’s known best. “I’ve grown up doing this so it doesn’t feel like a job. It feels like part of my identity.”

All three have taken roles while on breaks from shooting Potter, but now the next phase of their lives begins in earnest. “Little did I know when I started that I would be watching the last film while starring in a play on Broadway,” says Radcliffe, who is playing the lead role in the revival of the 1952 musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

“There are so many things I will miss about Harry and playing the part. There are some things I won’t miss, but I will miss playing an action hero. It’s bittersweet, absolutely.”

Grint was struck by sadness on the final day of filming, particularly after Radcliffe made an emotional speech about his production “family.”

“The last day of filming was unexpectedly more emotional than I thought it would be,” he says. “It was a weird feeling when we finished. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I felt kind of lost, really, without it. But it was a relief, too. I was exhausted and looking forward to having a bit of freedom. I was also quite sad because a huge part of my life had ended.”

Her years spent in the company of her two pals, Ron and Harry, left a deep imprint on Watson. “I’m going to miss it so much,” she says. “There’s a big hole to fill. Dan, Rupert and I have this amazing chemistry because we have years and years of history. David (Yates, the director) kept saying, “Use this bond you really have and bring it to the movie.’ And we really did try.”

Yates says Radcliffe relished being the series emissary.

“He is older than his years,” says Yates. “He would readily enjoy the role, especially when we had guests, because he is Harry Potter, basically.”

But Radcliffe also longs to be other characters.

In order to attempt something far removed from the magical world of Hogwarts, he took the role of ambitious young J. Pierrepont Finch in the musical.

During a break in “Potter” filming in 2007, Radcliffe also played the lead role in “Equus” on London’s West End and later on Broadway.

But “How to Succeed” called upon entirely different skills from riding a broomstick or acting with giant puppet creatures.

“I took a lot of dance lessons,” he says. “It’s not something I had a natural ability for. I just had to take a lot of time and learn it. The musical is a huge amount of fun. It’s not like Equus where it was a physical and mental effort.”

But Radcliffe has always been one for a challenge, according to those who have watched him grow up on set. Still, he recently owned up to drinking rather heavily in his late teens, during the filming of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” in 2007 and 2008.

“I became reliant on (alcohol) to enjoy stuff,” he said in the latest issue of British GQ. “There were a few years there when I was just so enamored with the idea of living some sort of famous person’s lifestyle that really isn’t suited to me.”

He says he hasn’t had a drink since August 2010. Indeed, at the November premiere of the last film, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1″ in London, he told USA TODAY that he signed autographs for fans gathering for days in Leicester Square, then skipped the premiere after-party.

“I came straight home,” he said the day after the London premiere. “I had a bowl of Sugar Puffs. I treated myself. I actually had some Ben & Jerry’s as well. I did not wake up with even a remotely sore head.”

Chris Columbus, who cast the trio and directed the first two “Potter” films (“The Sorcerer’s Stone” and “The Chamber of Secrets”), says he saw his job as “making those kids feel like they were in a really welcoming, warm, comfortable environment. They didn’t have a lot of experience, and they needed that to be able to perform.”

Columbus adds: “If we could have looked ahead 10 years and known it would be as successful as it has been, I think we all would have been a little more relaxed.”

But in those early films, Columbus says, he spent a lot of time standing beside the camera, encouraging the kids to focus on their lines.

“On that first film, at any one point any one of those kids would be distracted, so we had three, sometimes four, cameras running all the time,” he says. “The first film was shot a bit like a documentary because the kids were in such awe of being on a set that they’d say a line and then look at each other and smile or look up at the lights and start to laugh.”

Mature films beckon

Those days are long gone. All three are seasoned pros, and their upcoming projects don’t have a whiff of magic about them:

Radcliffe has “Woman in Black,” a horror thriller coming out in January.

Watson made a film called “My Week With Marilyn,” out in November. A young style icon, she recently took a leave from Brown University to create her own fashion line for People Tree and her eco-friendly Pure Threads. She also has modeled in Lancome ads.

Grint just finished shooting the World War II drama “Comrade,” which comes out next year. It’s based on the true story of a pair of British RAF pilots who shoot down a plane with Nazi fighters and then crash on a mountainside in Norway.

Grint can’t imagine what next year might be like, with no Potter to return to. “I think it’ll really hit me next year after the DVD has come out and it’s all kind of faded away and become quiet.”
Watson also felt mixed emotions at the end of the Potter era.

“I felt very privileged to have played Hermione,” Watson says. “She’s someone young girls can look up to because she’s true to herself. She’s smart and an incredibly courageous and loyal friend who keeps a cool head in extremely difficult situations.”

The three on-screen pals have remained in touch since filming their final scene, just as their characters do after leaving Hogwarts. But will they still be friends 20 years down the road, as their characters are?

“Oh, yeah,” says Grint. “We’ll always be in touch because we’ve all shared this unique experience together. That will always keep us friends.”

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LOS ANGELES — If the young cast of the “Harry Potter” films received report cards for their school days at Hogwarts, they’d all probably earn the notation, “plays well with others.”

Cast as impressionable children in Hollywood’s biggest fantasy franchise, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and their many young co-stars have maneuvered through 11 years of fame — and the temptations it brings — without any whispers of Lindsay Lohan-style meltdowns that can derail child actors.

They’ve grown up smart, humble, polite and professional, eager to balance modest private lives with productive acting careers rather than leap into the party-till-dawn celebrity lifestyle.

The actors and the headmasters of the Warner Bros. franchise say it wasn’t magic that kept the kids on their best behavior. It was the luck of the draw when the youngsters were first cast, good parenting, mindful shepherding that resembled the rigors and care of the finest boarding schools, and a sheltered workplace outside of London, far from Hollywood’s madding crowds.

“It’s very different doing it in England,” said Radcliffe, who was 11 when cast in the title role as the boy wizard for 2001′s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and turns 22 the week after the mid-July debut of the final film, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.”

“In America, you’re treated as an actor first and a kid second. Here, you’re very much treated as a kid first and an actor second. In fact, you’re not really treated as an actor. You’re treated as a kid on a film set, which is how it should be, because that’s all you are at that point. No one’s an actor at 12.”

And with the performers so young, their parents were instrumental in steering the children through busy working lives and the madness of instant celebrity.

“We couldn’t have done it without the family support that’s kept all three of them and the supporting cast all lovely, lovely people,” said David Barron, a producer on most of the “Harry Potter” films. “They’ve got very strong families who kept them really strongly grounded.”

With tens of millions of “Harry Potter” fans to please and billions of dollars at stake, Warner Bros. went to great lengths to protect and nurture the stars through eight films and a decade of hard work.

Sets to create author J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and other Potter locations were built at Leavesden Studios northwest of London, giving the filmmakers a controlled environment where they could work and essentially help raise their young charges.

“It’s been a bit of a bubble, and it’s been very self-contained, and I think we just have good people around us,” said Watson, who was 10 when cast as Hermione Granger and now is 21. “We’ve just been lucky that we haven’t been exploited in any way.”

Radcliffe, Watson, Grint and such co-stars as Tom Felton, Bonnie Wright, Evanna Lynch and Matthew Lewis had tutors on set, along with armies of studio publicists to help coach them through the media circus of almost-annual premieres and press junkets to promote each film.

The filmmakers say Leavesden became a kind of Hogwarts boarding school for the cast.

“It was a place that was just us, nobody else,” said David Heyman, a producer on all of the “Harry Potter” films. “That has enabled us to sort of cocoon ourselves in an environment, in a way, that I think is a supportive and a safe one.”

The actors developed strong work ethics, and the filmmakers saw traits in their stars that mirrored those of the characters.

Like Harry, Radcliffe assumed a solicitous leadership role, sort of a goodwill ambassador on set. Like Hermione, Watson was studious, hurling herself into her education. Like Ron Weasley, Grint had a playful humor and the support of a large family.

“You felt people are just kind of waiting for us to fall into that stereotype of, I suppose, child actors,” said Grint, who started on “Potter” at age 11 and turns 23 a month after the final film opens. “But I’ve always been quite busy. Never really had much time to go too crazy. I come from a big family, as well, and that always helps you to know who you are.”

Director David Yates, who made the final four “Harry Potter” films, said he wondered a few years back whether some of his stars might turn into a handful as they reached the rebellious late-teen years.

“Because, they have every right to kind of get angry or frustrated,” Yates said. “They carry a lot of responsibility. They’re under tremendous pressure. They have enormous temptations. The world is at their feet. They get paid enormous amounts of money. But they haven’t gone over the edge, and I think it’s the people around them. I think there’s something ingrained with them. It’s their family.”

Many child actors have trouble landing more adult roles once they outgrow their cute and cuddly phase and can get sidetracked into drugs or alcohol, such as Lohan and others before her, including Danny Bonaduce, Corey Feldman and Macauley Culkin.

So far, the key “Potter” stars have remained focused. Radcliffe has done Broadway with “Equus” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” and stars in the upcoming big-screen thriller “The Woman in Black.” Watson is studying at Brown University and has a role in the upcoming Marilyn Monroe drama “My Week With Marilyn.” Grint did a couple of independent movies in between “Potter” films and stars in the upcoming war saga “Comrade.”

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THE LAST SPELL: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2” closes out a decade of Hogwarts in Hollywood. Hero Complex is counting down to the July 15 release of the final film in the magical franchise with exclusive interviews and photos. Today: Hero Complex contributor Amy Kaufman chats with Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley.

AK: It’s been almost a year since you wrapped the film, right?

RG: It’s almost exactly a year. Yeah, it’s a bit weird. It’s taken me a while to realize it. This film is coming out and the DVD and everything, and when it gradually fades away, then it will kind of hit home that it’s all over.

AK: So what have you been doing for the last year?

RG: Immediately after we finished, I took a few weeks off. It was really a quite exhausting process, because we filmed both films simultaneously. Then I said, “What do I do now?” Then I started another film a couple of months ago, and just finished it. Yeah, so it’s been quite a weird mixture of emotions.

AK: Is the final film a lot darker than previous installments?

RG: It is. It’s quite confusing, because we shot both parts at the same time. One day we’d be doing a scene from “Part 1,” and the next day we’d be doing “Part 2.” It was kind of a straight-out battle. It’s kind of like a war film, because you become these desperate soldiers, and characters are dying, and the castle is collapsing into piles of rubble. My character falls in love, and that’s confirmed in this one. I think it will shock some people with how brutal everything is, with dead students scattered about. It’s quite dark.

AK: You’ve been playing this character for so long. Do you still do anything to prepare?

RG: I’ve been playing the character for so long, 10 years now, that it really does kind of come much more naturally when you have to get back into it. It’s not a lot of time in between. Over the years, we’ve kind of become similar characters really, me and him. It was just a natural thing where it merged. I always felt quite a strong connection to him when I was reading the books. He used to say “wicked” all the time, and that’s my word.

AK: You worked closely with Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. Was it difficult for Emma to juggle her college work from Brown University and her duties on set?

RG: I imagine it was quite hard. She wasn’t here a lot, really. We had to shoot around her, really, because she had commitments for her university. She had a lot of doubles. They made a mask of Emma’s face, a prosthetic for wide shots. She was there for big days and really important scenes and stuff. But I don’t know how she did it, really. It’d be so weird to be in that school environment and then be on set. I couldn’t do it.

AK: If J.K. Rowling wrote another book, where would it go?

RG: I don’t know. It’d be weird, definitely. I can’t see where it would go, really, with the characters. We ended in “Part 2″ when we were 36.

AK: What was it like seeing yourself in your late 30s?

RG: It was really quite terrifying, sitting in the makeup chair and gradually watching your face kind of deteriorate. Initially, we had to reshoot the end. I had a massive fat suit. We had to learn how to move like an older person. We had kids as well. I had this weird Donald Trump kind of hairstyle.

AK: Has saying goodbye to this franchise been as difficult as everyone’s saying it is?

RG: I wasn’t sure how I’d feel, really. I knew it was going to be quite potentially emotional because I was cleaning out my room, which I’d been in for like 10 years. It was my second home, really, and I boxed up toys I’d bought. I wasn’t used to seeing the cast that upset when they said “cut.” It was quite a surreal moment.

AK: Do you think you’ll remain lifelong friends with Emma and Daniel?

RG: I think we’ll stay in touch. We’ve shared this quite unique experience together, and yeah, it’s quite an intense thing when you’re filming, ’cause you’re with each other every day all year.

AK: Have you felt pressure about choosing your post-”Potter” roles?

RG: Not so much really. This last movie just came up, and I was quite game to do something different. It’s just a new challenge. It all kind of made sense. … It’s called “Comrade,” and it’s about a true story set in World War II about two English pilots and three German pilots. They both shoot each other down in the middle of Norway, and they find each other in this old cabin thing, and it’s how our relationship with each other changes. We go into survival mode and put the war aside and we become friends, so it’s quite cool. … It was very different — extremely different. We filmed it in Norway on top of a mountain in crazy weather. It was minus-25 with snow everywhere. It was quite extreme. It was a very different filming experience. … It was a true story. These were real people. World War II always felt like quite an interesting part of history.

AK: It sounds heavy, a departure from your more comedic work.

RG: I’m pretty much kind of up for anything really — anything that’s kind of a bit of an interesting character always appeals to me.

– Amy Kaufman

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Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and the rest of the Harry Potter cast graced the red carpet of the BAFTA Awards on Sunday to talk with fans, share a moment and pick up an award. The cast was coming to the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden for the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in 2011 Award which goes to The Harry Potter Films tonight.

“It’s something we have been doing a lot, says Rupert Grint referencing that the end of the series is near and the cast has been saying their final goodbyes to fans. “We finished filming last year,”

The Harry Potter Series definitely had its share of success spanning over a decade and basically engulfing the young actors teenage years. As the film has grown up with the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry so have the actors. Being engrossed in the characters they signed on for years ago, the cast has come to embrace the fans far more than anyone could expect.

“It’s really took me by surprise that how much this film me to me. How not doing it every day will affect my life,” said Rupert Grint.

According to red carpet fans, the cast stayed on the red carpet over two hours signing autographs, taking pictures and pleasing their fans. Who could ask for more? Definitely not Harry Potter’s fans!

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Rupert Grint has made a name for himself by playing Ron Weasley, the best friend of the most famous teenage wizard in the wildly popular “Harry Potter” movies. ComingSoon.net talked to Grint about what his character will do in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

ComingSoon.net: This is the fifth film. How do you keep it fresh and are you still having fun doing it?
Rupert Grint: Definitely, yeah. I quite missed it when we weren’t doing it cause there are really good friends doing this. There’s a really good atmosphere on the set and that’s really why. There’s been a lot of changes on this one, new director, new writer, and that helped a lot to keep it fresh. It’s been a really good one, this one.

CS: How has David Yates’ directing felt different from previous directors?
Grint: Compared to Mike Newell, who did the fourth one, he’s completely different. Mike Newell is really loud and not afraid to swear at you, but he was really cool. David Yates is much more laid back, more quiet, he’s just really good.

CS: You had a scene here where Emma’s character smashes you up against the wall. How did you shoot that? Were you on a rig or something?
Grint: Yeah (laughs), that was really good to do, funny enough. Whenever we get to do stunts, it’s really good. They harnessed me up and basically, what they do, is they get a fat bloke to climb a ladder with a rope attached to a pulley and that sends you back. I didn’t realize that’s how they did it. That was really good?

CS: Have you done a lot of stunts?
Grint: Yeah, there’s quite a few stunts in that scene but there’s more to come really. We’ve got the Thestral stuff. They’re to do a plaster cast of my legs to make this special seat thing for riding the Thestrals.

CS: Do you like to do your own stunts?
Grint: Depends on what it is really. If it’s really dodgy, I’ll probably just leave it to the professionals. Whenever we get to do a little thing, it’s really great fun.

CS: How many times did they slam you up against the wall?
Grint: Quite a few takes. Once you’ve done it once, you kind of get used to it.

CS: Did you get black and blue?
Grint: It does give you a bit of a wedgie when you go back, but apart from that it was fine.

CS: You’re into videogaming we hear.
Grint: I do, yeah.

CS: We hear that you guys got modeled for the game. What’s that going to be like for you?
Grint: Really cool. It’s really weird, sort of seeing yourself on the game. I play him a lot.

CS: You guys did the voice work for that one too?
Grint: No, we didn’t, which is a bit of a shame really, but it should be good.

CS: We hear that your dressing room is the one everyone hangs out in.
Grint: It’s really cool. I’ve got table tennis, darts, pool, and a really massive TV.

CS: What are your thoughts about Quidditch and Ron’s part being cut out of it?
Grint: It’s a bit of a shame. I was looking forward to doing the Quidditch, but that will come up later. There’s some really other good stuff in this one, I mean you can’t get it all in.

CS: What is your favorite scene so far or what are you looking forward to doing next?
Grint: I am looking forward to doing the Thestral stuff. All of the Room of Requirement stuff is really cool.

CS: In the Hall of Prophecy, in the Ministry of Magic, it’s a fully digital set, so you’re acting in a big green warehouse? Are you apprehensive about that because there is actually not going to be anything there?
Grint: It’s going to be quite a new thing really. We’ve worked on blue screen before… so we all kind of got used to that part of it. It’s going to be quite cool. Today we’ve been doing some fighting lessons so that was quite interesting.

CS: Last time we spoke, you were really into metal. What kind of music do you listen to now?
Grint: Same stuff really. I saw the Foo Fighters a couple of months ago at Wembley arena. I like The Strokes.

CS: Have you done any scenes at Grimmauld Place?
Grint: Yeah, they were really good scenes to do. All the Weasleys were together, so it was good.

CS: Have you had any scenes with Evanna?
Grint: Yeah, quite a lot. She’s really cool. There’s quite a lot of new characters in this one, actually.

CS: This is her first job so how has she been with everyone on the set?
Grint: Good really, yeah. She’s perfect for it.

CS: Did it take her a while to get into the swing of things?
Grint: Sure, it must have been really scary because everyone knows each other. She’s fit in really well.

CS: We talked to the twins a little and they both have ambitions behind the camera. Have you thought about that?
Grint: I haven’t really thought about that really. I want to finish the “Harry Potter” films definitely and I don’t know really. I did a film after the fourth one called “Driving Lessons,” just a new low budget thing with no special effects and that was quite interesting. I would like to do some other stuff like that so we’ll wait and see.

CS: Do you have any other non-”Harry Potter” projects that are coming up in the future?
Grint: There’s quite a big gap now. Usually you just kind of have to try and fit it in between the films, but [after] this one we’ve got quite a big break because Dan has got a theater run. I don’t know, we’ll sort of see what comes up.

CS: Have you read the sixth book?
Grint: Yeah, I have, yeah.

CS: What do you think about Ron’s relationship with Lavender?
Grint: Pretty intense! It’s going to be a pretty fun, pretty interesting thing to do.

CS: When J.K. Rowling came to the set, did you get to meet her?
Grint: Yeah, we did. She’s come out a couple times now. She’s really nice, really down to earth. There’s always a bit of excitement when she’s down.

CS: Has she ever told you things to help you understand your character?
Grint: No, not really. Just good to sort of see her. She’s really nice and good to talk to.

CS: Has she commented on your portrayal of the character?
Grint: No, not really, but I think she’s pleased though.

CS: In this film, we see you and Harry Potter make the transition into adulthood. Now that you’re older is that something you can relate to a little bit better with your character?
Grint: Yeah, definitely. It sort of makes it easier, I guess. In the last one, that played a big part as we were growing up and had all of the awkward moments in teenage life I suppose. There’s a lot more of that now.

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LONDON—Rupert Grint is earning millions playing Ron Weasley in the “Harry Potter” movie series but guess what he loves to drive around in?

An ice cream van.

Explaining that he’s always had “an interest in the ice cream industry,” Rupert said in a press con at the Claridge’s Hotel that driving a van with a kitchen and freezer at the back is “really cool.”

The shyest of the three principals in the hit film franchise, Rupert surprised us with long replies. In our previous interviews, he would mumble only one or two-sentence answers that led to occasional awkward pauses.

Goofy appeal

Still, the red-haired actor remains basically shy. This bashfulness—and the fact that he’s not as serious and driven as his co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson—is what’s most endearing about Rupert. He’s also very unpretentious so his answers, though short, are sincere and charming. His revelation that he tools around in an ice cream van adds to his goofy appeal. The girls love him.

Before we run our Q and A with Rupert, let us share some quotes from Emma, whom we also interviewed. Among the three “Harry Potter” leads, Emma is the one who has changed the most, physically. While Daniel and Rupert still look boyish, Emma definitely looks like a young woman now. Her face is leaner—she looks so different, even though we saw her only less than a year ago on a set visit at the Leavesden Studios as they were filming “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”

This afternoon, Emma was in a mood to talk as well. “I think every time you guys see me, I probably look different,” she said. She was on target on that one. “I’m still growing up,” she added.

When the reporters heard a toddler’s voice in the room, Emma explained, “My little sister Nina is at the back.”

Who’s going to die?
The big talk these days is on which two characters will die in the final book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” which will be released on July 21, just over a week after “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” hits the theaters on July 11.

The topic was also on Emma’s mind. “Today, a couple of journalists told me that there’s this guy who claims to have been able to hack into J.K. Rowling’s computer,” she shared. Putting her hands on her chest, she continued, “He’s saying that Hermione is going to die. I was like, ‘Oh God, that’s awful.’ I actually found myself feeling sad. I have not really contemplated on her dying. I always had the sense that she’d make it.”

Of course, no one, except J.K. Rowling and her book printer, really know who survive in the seventh novel.

Emma does not bring up the books when she sees the author: “Whenever I see Jo (J.K.’s nickname, short for Joanne), I always try not to speak to her about the novels. I know that sounds strange but I see her as a separate person, a friend. Because I know what it feels like for people to always speak to you about ‘Harry Potter.’ Sometimes you want to be considered as a person who has a life outside of ‘Harry Potter.’ I would feel too embarrassed to ask her to sign anything for me. I don’t have anything written from her.”

Very similar

The actress is emotionally attached to her character not only because she has been playing her all these years. “Hermione and I are very similar in quite a lot of ways,” she explained. “We’re both very stubborn, determined, loyal, bossy, academic and a bit of a feminist.”

Unlike Rupert, Emma went to see Daniel and Richard Griffiths (who plays Harry’s Muggle uncle) in their play, “Equus,” which drew lots of media attention because Daniel stripped naked onstage. “Dan was brilliant,” she gushed. “I thought Richard Griffiths was also brilliant.”

Asked if she was ever infatuated with Daniel, Emma quickly answered, “I’ve never really had a crush on Dan. There are defiant elements of his personality which are very desirable. I can talk to him for hours. He’s very witty, quick, intelligent, eccentric and different.”

Catching up

Confessing to trying to catch up with Daniel’s knowledge of cinema and actors, the 17-year-old who plans to attend college revealed, “I remember Dan’s face when he learned that I didn’t know who Gary Oldman (Sirius Black) was. He looked at me like I had three heads. But I’m getting there.”

“I will take some time off after I finish the seventh movie,” she replied when queried about her plans. “I’d really like to travel.” The actress, who has French heritage, added, “I’d like to spend some time in France and pick up my French again. I’d love to do a film in France. That would be really cool.”

So far, this millionairess has not splurged on anything big. “Clothes are pretty much my biggest expenditure,” she stated. “I bought myself an Apple laptop which has my music, work and stuff. It’s my pride and joy. I guess a car will be my next thing. But my dad, who loves cars, will be bitterly disappointed that I’ll probably get a small, un-intimidating, safe car. I don’t want anything fancy.”

“No ice cream van,” she clarified with a laugh. “I’ve got Rupert for that.”

* * *

The following are excerpts of our press con with Rupert:

I read the other day that you bought an ice cream van. Why?
I’ve always had an interest in the ice cream industry (laughter). And the ice cream van is really cool. I’ve just passed my driving test as well. The van has a freezer at the back.

Do you need a special license to drive the van?
No because it’s really small. The van has a big kitchen at the back with sinks. I’ve been driving it for about five months now. I just drive it around. It has a little bell. It plays a little tune as well.

It must be a chick magnet.
Oh yeah, definitely (laughter).

Do you still have the pickup?
I still have the 1950 Chevy pickup. I was really into classic American cars. But I can’t get insured on that. It’s too fast. So I’m just driving the ice cream van at the moment.

What do you do in your spare time?
I’ve got the ice cream van that’s keeping me busy. I play a lot of golf as well.

Do you actually make ice cream?
Oh yeah, definitely.

Do you sell it?
Not yet. There are things I have to sort out.

What’s your favorite ice cream?
I’m quite simple. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the 99 [an ice cream cone made with soft ice cream], which is quite popular here. It’s just a whippy, really. It’s like a soft vanilla ice cream with a flake.

What music do you play in the van?
I’ve got some classics. It’s really hard to find them. All I’ve got is an MP3 player that I plug in. The van has a loudspeaker. I’ve been trying to search the Internet to find some traditional ice cream [truck] tunes. I just can’t find them.

Are you worried that your character might be one of the two that will die in the final book?
It would be quite cool to have a death scene, especially if it involves a really cool battle scene. It’s going to be really sad though when it all ends. We’ve got the last two films. It’s going to be weird because these movies have been a big part of my life. I’m going to miss it. I’m really grateful because these movies allowed me to do things I’d probably never get to do otherwise. I got out of school which is quite a bonus. I’ve gone to places which I would have never gone to had these films not come my way.

Do you guys get advance copies of the “Harry Potter” books?
No. On the day the book comes out, that’s when we get it.

Do you get a chance to talk to J.K. Rowling?
Yes, she comes to the set. We talk. But she’s quite good at not giving anything away. Dan and I asked her a few questions. We actually asked her if Harry dies but she didn’t give anything away at all.

Do you plan to go to a university?
I’ve never really been big on school. I didn’t do that well on my exams. I did well in art but that was it, really—which is why I packed it in at 16 [years old]. So about going to a university, I don’t know. Maybe in the future.

For the sake of the continuity of this movie series, are you under contract not to, for example, change your hairstyle or have tattoos?
There are things we’re not allowed to do. We’re not supposed to have tattoos. I’m not allowed to have a major haircut in between films. They have control over my hair at the moment. But Warner Bros. has been good to us. They don’t really make you feel like you’re imprisoned.

Daniel had his first kissing scene in this movie. Are you frustrated that you don’t get to kiss a girl?
I’m not too frustrated about it because I did “Driving Lessons” and there was a little kiss in that. It was probably the most embarrassing moment in my life. You’re in this little set and the crew is watching. It’s not the nicest atmosphere. In the next movie, Ron gets a girlfriend so I’ll get my chance then.

Do you have a girlfriend now?
No, I don’t have any at the moment. It’s cool. I get more attention now. But it’s good fun.

How similar or different are you to Ron Weasley?
I’d like to think that I’m a little bit braver than Ron because he can be a bit of a wimp sometimes. Although I am scared of spiders as well. But in this one, Ron has moved away from his wimpy side a little bit. He attacked a few of the Death Eaters. So he’s getting there.

Can you tell us how it was filming “Driving Lessons”?
It was all right. It was different—that’s one of the reasons why I enjoyed doing that movie. It was nice to do something smaller, something without any blue screen so I could react to real things. I really enjoyed it.

Will you start collecting cars?
I’m not sure yet. I’m big into cars. I don’t know if I’m going to start collecting cars. I’ve always been pretty sensible until I had the ice cream van.

Did you see Daniel in “Equus”?
No. I didn’t get the chance to see him. I really wanted to see it. I did try to get tickets. But it was hard to get them. I heard the play was really good. It got good reviews. It was quite a brave thing for him to do. I still can’t get over it, really.

Perhaps you did not watch Daniel in “Equus” because of the nudity?
I won’t use the word scared. But I suppose…

Embarrassed?
I suppose it could have been a little awkward. It’s quite a brave role to take on. I definitely respect him for doing it. I could never, never see myself doing that at the moment.

Will you continue acting and have the ice cream business as a backup?
I will always have that as a backup, yeah. I definitely want to continue acting if I can because I really do enjoy it.

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So you’ve just finished the fifth Harry Potter? That’s right, yeah. Are you going to make all the movies through to number seven?
Yep, I want to do all of the movies if I can because I do really enjoy them.

Have they announced plans to start filming number six?
Yes, we start that one later this year. So we’ve got quite a big gap.

Is this to let Daniel and Emma go to school?
Yeah, I think so. I know that last year we didn’t start quite as late and so I suppose that’s got something to do with it, but I think that it’s quite a long process to get them set up.

And you’re done with school?
Yeah, I finished school when I was 16. I’m 18 now.

I heard that Emma Watson might leave the series before it’s over. Do you know the story there?
I’m not actually sure. I don’t really know the details, but I have heard that. I don’t know. It would be weird without her, and it would be a sort of shame if she doesn’t stick it out. It’s not up to me because they do take up so much of your life. I don’t know what she thinks, but I do hope that she doesn’t leave.

Did she say anything while you’ve been filming like, “I can’t take this anymore!”
No, not really. She hasn’t really talked about it. I know me and Dan [Radcliffe] are going to stick it out. So we’ll just have to see really. I hope she doesn’t leave.

Do you have plans for life after Harry?
Yeah. I mean, I want to finish the Harry Potter films and start doing more low budget stuff because they’re good fun and it’s a good atmosphere and it’s much more simple and relaxed.

Have you always wanted to be an actor?
I’ve always been involved in school plays and that was really my only kind of experience. Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone was my first ever film. But I’ve had a really good time doing them and it’s been a really good experience. I definitely want to do more stuff because it’s good fun and I have a good time doing films.

What’s your favourite Harry Potter movie?
I don’t know. It’s quite hard to separate them because they start to feel like one long film. The first one was good because it was a whole new experience. I mean, they’re always good fun to make and there’s such a good atmosphere on the set; it gets hard to choose. The fourth one was really good fun.

And you’ve met J.K. Rowling?
Yeah, we’ve met a couple of times because she comes down to the set occasionally, which is quite exciting.

Do you ever watch the films after they come out?
Yeah, well, I see them every once in a while. I don’t make a conscious effort to go and see them, but they’re on TV sometimes and it is quite weird looking back at them because you are so young. So, to me, it gets kind of strange. It’s all right though.

Do you feel like you’ve had a normal childhood?
Not really, no, but I think that I’ve had a really good childhood. I haven’t really missed that much except for school, which I’m not that worried about!

Do people come up to you and ask about Harry Potter all the time?
The films are quite big now, and I do get recognised but it’s something that you don’t ever really get used to. It’s quite strange, but people are always really nice and usually like the films.

How has your life changed?
I suppose the biggest thing is getting recognised. But it’s changed for the best really, I’ve gotten to go to places like New York, so I’m pretty grateful for that sort of thing. It’s been pretty good. Look at Orlando Bloom who’s done Rings and then Pirates.

Do you think you’ll ever do another movie series or is this a once-in-a-lifetime thing?
[Laughs] I don’t know. I’ve no idea really. I’m just going to have to wait and see, I guess.

Do you get a lot of letters from kids who want to be actors?
Yeah. I get letters and that’s quite a strange thing as well. A lot of it comes from Japan and you get sent little presents. It’s quite fun.

You have a romance going in the Harry Potter series, right?
That’s in the sixth one, I think. There has always been a thing between Ron and Hermione, which has been played with subtlety. So we’ll have to wait until the seventh one to see if that comes into anything.

Did you ever ask J.K. Rowling for hints about what’s going to happen?
She doesn’t give away anything!

And do you keep souvenirs from each movie?
I don’t actually. From the first film, I’ve got a chess piece that gets blown up. I’ve got a little piece of that. But that’s it really.

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