Harry Potter actor Peter Mullan candidly reflects on his time in the popular fantasy franchise. The first movie adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s popular novel series hit the screen in 2001, following Daniel Radcliffe’s Harry as he begins his wizard training at Hogwarts. Following the film’s success, Harry’s journey continued across seven sequels, tracking his conflict against the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). Mullan appeared in both Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movies as Corban Yaxley, a servant of the Dark Lord.
During a recent masterclass session at Series Mania in France (via Deadline), Mullan reflected on his time as part of the Harry Potter cast, revealing that he doesn’t have much affection for the franchise. While the actor doesn’t go into too much detail about the experience, he does recall being confused about how to hold and use a wand, since he wasn’t given any coaching on it. Read Mullan’s comments below:
“I did it so my kids could be on set. I didn’t give a sh-t about Harry Potter. They just give you the wand. This piece of sh-t. I was holding it as if I was in the gang and holding a knife.”
Peter Mullan Isn’t The Only Harry Potter Actor To Share Harsh Thoughts About The Franchise
What Other Actors Have Said About The Movies
While the eight Harry Potter movies clearly mean a great deal to many viewers and readers around the world, it’s evident that this is not necessarily the case for all the actors that participated in them. Professor Sprout actor Mariam Margolyes recently also spoke about the franchise, saying that it’s “for children” and that adult fans “should be over that by now.” It’s worth noting, however, that both Mullan and Margolyes played relatively small supporting roles in the grand scheme of things.
In diary entries that were published posthumously under the title Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman, Alan Rickman’s thoughts (via Vanity Fair) on the franchise have also become clear. Rickman, who played Snape, recalls not always being sure that he wanted to return to the franchise as the movies continued, and he even called John Williams’ iconic Harry Potter score “hideous” at one point. The actor, in various entries, expressed mild frustration at his younger costars, who struggled to remember their lines, in addition to taking issue with both Snape and Dumbledore’s death scenes.
Most of the other main actors in the Harry Potter franchise, however, have been less negative. Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have, at one point or another, expressed gratitude for their time in the franchise, with the trio even tearfully reuniting on the 2022 Harry Potter 20th Anniversary special. Although most of the actors have positive things to say about Harry Potter and its impact, it’s clear that, for some, it was just a job.
Harry Potter
$81
Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students’ time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.
- Created by
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J.K. Rowling
- First Film
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
- First TV Show
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Harry Potter
- Cast
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Daniel Radcliffe
, Emma Watson
, Rupert Grint
, Tom Felton
, Alan Rickman
, Matthew Lewis
, Bonnie Wright
, Evanna Lynch
, Maggie Smith
, Michael Gambon
, Richard Harris
, Ralph Fiennes
, Helena Bonham Carter
, Alfred Enoch
, Harry Melling
, Gary Oldman
, Robert Pattinson
, Warwick Davis
, Oliver Phelps
, James Phelps
, David Bradley
, David Thewlis
, Katie Leung
, Jason Isaacs
, Imelda Staunton
, David Tennant
, Jamie Campbell Bower
, Timothy Spall
, Robbie Coltrane
, Eddie Redmayne
, Jude Law
, Katherine Waterston
, Ezra Miller
, Dan Fogler
, Alison Sudol
, Johnny Depp
, Mads Mikkelsen - TV Show(s)
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Harry Potter
- Character(s)
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Harry Potter
, Hermione Granger
, Ron Weasley
, Dumbledore
, Minerva McGonagall
, Rubeus Hagrid
, Dobby the House Elf
, Draco Malfoy
, Sirius Black
, Ginny Weasley
, Voldemort
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