Rupert Grint recalls the Harry Potter filming experience drawbacks, including feeling overshadowed and becoming one with his character Ron.
Rupert Grint reflects on the biggest drawbacks of filming the Harry Potter franchise. The actor portrayed the humorous and endearing Ron Weasley, one-third of the main trio also consisting of the titular Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson). Starting the role at age 11, Grint went on to star in all eight films for the next ten years. The franchise was consistently met with critical acclaim and overall grossed $7.7 billion at the box office, in addition to spurring both a spin-off series — Fantastic Beasts — and a sequel play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
In conversation with Bustle, Grint reveals the biggest drawbacks of filming the Harry Potter series. Despite being open to reprising Ron Wesley in the past, he shares that he related deeply to Ron by feeling overshadowed and found it difficult in separating himself from his character. Filming the movies and promoting them consumed so much of his life and was stifling, resulting in his decision to take a break from acting once it was over. Grint believes if the franchise hadn’t ended when it did, things could have gotten worse. Check out more of what Grint shared below:
“I was feeling the difficulty of being seen, being overshadowed. In the movies, we merged into one. By the end of it, I was playing myself. The lines were blurred.
Potter was so full on — [filming] all year, then we’d promote the rest of the time. It was quite suffocating. I wanted a break, to reflect on everything… It was an out-of-body experience for a while, but I think we finished at the right time. If we continued, it could’ve gone downhill.”
What Other Harry Potter Stars Have Said About Their Filming Experience
Grint’s reflection mirrors how his Harry Potter co-stars have spoken about filming the franchise, whose experiences have similarly been multifaceted. Radcliffe has been open about his struggles with alcoholism and how he used alcohol to cope with the pressures of fame. Though he never consumed alcohol on set, he admits that there were days of shooting he remembered spending hungover. Watson memorably almost left the series before The Order of The Phoenix, grappling with fame and recalling during the reunion special that there were periods throughout shooting in which she felt intensely lonely. However, all three of them collectively recall their experiences with fondness and nostalgia — thankful that they were able to grow up together and be a part of a story that was larger than life.
What’s Next For Rupert Grint?
Grint has discovered his niche, sharing in the same interview that he is drawn to portraying characters who are somewhat broken and vulnerable. In recent years, he’s starred as Julian Pearce in Servant – M. Night Shyamalan’s AppleTV+ series – marking a suitedness to the supernatural thriller/mystery genre; Servant is currently airing season 4, which will conclude the series. He collaborated with Shyamalan once again for the upcoming Knock at the Cabin, an adaptation of Paul G. Tremblay’s The Cabin at the End of the World. His first film in eight years, the production sees Grint play a member of a modern version of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Aware that former child stars often face a stereotyped future, Grint reveals that he actively tries to fight against this and stay grounded. Since his time on Harry Potter, Grint has kept a low radar but built himself a stable and interesting acting career nonetheless. Grint will appear on Servant as it continues to air weekly until March, and shortly this February in Knock at the Cabin — and soon enough, perhaps in something much lighter and fluffier, he could have it his way and mix things up a bit.
Source: Bustle
