Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton and the cast and crew talk about their favourite props and saying goodbye to an icon
Yesterday was part one of probably one of the biggest press junkets to come to London since, well, since the last Harry Potter film. The London press conference for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows took place yesterday with almost the whole huge cast, minus one noticeable appearance from the film’s star, Harry Potter, Danielle Radcliffe, who was on a plane on his way back from New York for today’s premiere in London.
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It was a moving and poignant press conference as the cast reflected on the sadness of leaving behind the films that have been part of their lives for ten years.
Here the cast and crew talk about thier favourite props, favourite lines and what it means to them to say good bye to an icon…
To the director: You were responsible for the last four Harry Potter films, How does it feel for you to have brought one of the most successful franchises in cinema history to a close?
David Yates: It’s a great privilege to be working with probably the world’s best cast and the world’s best story and i feel very very lucky and like Daniel I’m really going to miss the people involved. We’ve had a tremendous family behind this series of films and its something we’ve all shared and we’ve all been to the moon and back together and I think thats very special and that will endure for many years I hope, and it’s been a wonderful experience.
Emma and Rupert, what’s it going to be like not returning to the set of Harry Potter on a yearly basis.
Rupert Grint: I don’t think I’ve really come to terms with that yet. Since we finished filming a year ago I haven’t really known what to do with myself, I’ve felt a little bit lost really. It’s been a constant part of my life and for it to suddenly come down to this one last film is really quite sad. I’m really genuinely going to miss it and miss everyone.
Emma Watson: Yeah it’s funny, you get used to having gaps between each of the films, usually five or six months and after this last film ended, I started to get this itch like i was ready to back, and then I realised I wasn’t. That was the moment when I had to comes to terms with it because it’s so difficult to process. Dan, Rupert and I have all been working on other projects and we’ve all been working really hard on what next and we’ve learnt so much and i think we;re all excited to put it into practice.
Given that this is the most the most successful franchise of all time are you perhaps a little bit disaapointed that the Harry Potter film’s haven’t recieved any recognition in the Oscar or Bafta time?
David Yates: I think we’ve all made peace with that in a way, and we’ve enjoyed being part of these films and the fact that there is a global community and really loyal fans, if you go down to Trafalga Square right now you’ll see a mini Glastonbury of people from all over the world who’ve been camping out in the rain all night and thats more of a compensation than lots of trophies, so we’re cool about that.
Emma Watson: These books and films are so loved and it’s the fans that are the most discerning critics and we’ve pretty much had no complaints. Everyone seems to love the films and I don’t think there’s any better reward than having satisfied the fans.
Which film in the series would you say provided you with the biggest turning point for your character in trms of the transition from child to adult or in terms of learning a big lesson?
Rupert Grint: I think for me it was these last two film. Ron has always been a complicated guy but particularly in part one we’ve seena much more insecure and paranoid jealousy and i found him the most interesting in these films, whereas before he was just a loyal scaredy cat and with these last wto films I’ve had more to get my teeth into.
Emma Watson: These last two films also were the first time i found myself doing something that i’d never done before in my own life, for example I have no idea what it’s like to be tortured, and I have no idea playing a character who is tenty years older and what it might be like to say goodbye to my children at a railway station. I found myself really stretched physically in these last two films which was a big learning curve too.
Hagrid is clearly one of the most iconic character in the Harry Potter films, what are you going to miss most about playing Hagrid and being part of these films?
Robbie Coltrane: Well the journey of a man between the ages of fisty and sixty is very different to ten and twenty, the great thing about playing Hagrid is that he is a thouroughly good guy and I think it’s the first time in my career that i’ve played a thoroughly good guy. He was one of the characters that all the young people trusted, and I really enjoyed it.
Emma could you compare the kiss you had with Ron to the kiss you had with Harry and would you have liked to have kissed Tom Felton?
Emma Watson: This is really difficult but Dan isn’t here which makes it easier. Well, kissing Harry in the film was a figment of Ron’s imagination and the worst possible thing he coulkd imagine and so it had to be pretty passionate. I was half naked and covered in silver paint. Kissing Rupert also awkward, we’d just been soaked by an enormous bucket if water which was also wierd and awkward. Both were complete gentleman, but it’s hard to put our personal history to one side considering we grew up together. I’m sure they won’t mind me saying that once you’ve kissed four or five times, kissing gets quite boring. As for Tom, his beautiful girlfriend is right there so no i don’t think so. My 12 year old self maybe but my 21 year old self-no.
Have these films turned out better than you could have imagined considering you’ve kept nearly all the cast together?
David Heyman: When it began i had no idea that ten years on we’d be sat here having this conversation. At the time i had no idea it would become what it’s become, the films that they’ve become, an amazing journey and this wonderful family we’ve created. In so many ways it’s been better than I could have imagined.
What is your favourit line that you had to say from the films?
Nick Moran: ‘Hello Beautiful’
Warwick Davis: ‘For me it was the first line i uttered in the first film, ‘Wingardium Leviosa’ and its the one everyone wants me to do.
Tom Felton: I thoroughly enjoyed Draco’s line when he’s being carried away after being attacked by Buckbeak, ‘My Father will hear about this’.
Emma Watson: My favourite line is; ‘ I’m going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed, or worse, expelled.’ I remember getting so much joy from saying that as a twelve year old.
Rupert Grint: I always got a thrill from saying bloody a lot because it was a rude word.
Julie Walters: My favourite has got to be ‘Not my daughter you bitch’.
Matt Lewis: It was the line that for ten years summed up Neville and it was in number two, and it was when he was hanging from the chandelier and he says ‘Why is it always me?’.
Jason Isaacs, Robbie and Michael, I was wondering how this series of films has impacted on your well established careers?
Jason Isaacs: I’m so glad you called it a series of films. It always upsets me when its referred to as a franchise, because that’s when a shop sells burgers and another shops says, I want to start selling burgers as well. This is one story essentially that has taken 10 years to tell so beautifully, it seems to me that there isn’t a drop of cynicism anywhere in this film. In answer to your question, I don’t know, I don’t have a parallel career, I don;t know what else I would have been doing. I just know that I have loved doing it, every second, I don’t normally care what happens after I do my job, the acting, but oddly here I love everything to do with Harry Potter.
Robbie Coltrane: On a personal level its been wonderful. If you look at the list of people that have been involved with these films, its been an extraordinary collection of people that have all been stuck in the same place for years so I think we are all just desperately proud.
Michael Gambon: I’m just so happy to have been offered a part in something that lasted 10 years, and they also give you time off to make other films, which is remarkable.
Evanna, Luna is such a well loved stand up character, what is your fan now that the Harry Potter films are over?
Evanna Lynch: I feel so lucky to have played Luna because she was always my favourite character. Shes such a great role model, she’s perfect but shes not trying to be, she is her self. I don;t know, I am destroat now this is over, I have been obsessed with this film since I was 8. I hear they’re opening a Harry Potter experience ride, so I’m free as a tour guide.
Ralph Fiennes, Did you get much hate male playing the bad guy?
Ralph Fiennes: I had a letter the other day from a man that was shocked at the narcissism of Voldemort and was disturbed. Mostly I don’t get recognised because, perhaps I have retained my own nose and hair.
Warwick, how was it flipping between the two roles?
Warwick Davis: Fortunately we never had to do it on the same day, that might have been tricky because both roles require an extensive amount of prosthetic make up. It was am immense pleasure, I almost felt greedy taking two parts. Flitwit was one I established over the course of all the films and then to be asked to fulfil the role of footwoot was amazing. To really give him some depth, and always playing a slightly villainas character was great, as an actor you always want to get your teeth into that type of role.
Emma, What was the best memory you would like to take away from this experience?
Emma Watson: Getting to work with Helena Bonhem Cater both when she tortched me and then when she played me essentially. I just really enjoyed working with her. I was very emotional in this last film, I was emotional that it was ending. The film deals with loss and I was also going through my own by saying goodbye to people, goodbye to Harry Potter. I was able to bring a lot of that to the role. Hermione means everything to me, like a sister, she feels so real to me. I will miss being her and getting to come into work every day and be this girl that lives in this magical amazing world.
James and Oliver, you’re the jokers on screen, but when you’re not filming who makes the most laughs?
James Phelps: We do like to have a joke! I think playing these characters from a young age, when you’re learning who you are must have something to do with it. Rupert is quite in on the jokes, pranks and whatever goes on. Whenever we did a practical joke, we could always blame it on us practising for our roles.
Why do you think Harry Potter is so successful and would it be possible for Harry Potter to have a prequel?
David Yates: There are many reasons why these movies are so successful, it has a global fanbase. Its characters are so vivid, there is something for everybody. It offers something bigger and more extraordinary than our normal lives. I think Joe has such an extraordinary imagination, it difficult to put a stop on that but I think there is a time and a place for certain stories and certain experiences and I think it would be a shame to try and continue them, they sit perfectly where they are.
David Hayman: Just to confirm, Joe has no plans to write another book, she may write connections for the story but not another Harry Potter. I don’t think Harry at the age of 23 in a bookstore would be so successful.
Do you have any plans in the music industry?
Tom Felton: I’ve been lucky enough to be working with these guys and hopefully I can work with them again, I have cemented a passion for film making and I hope to continue to do so.
Alex Zane; I have a question for everyone there visually stunning films no doubt, My question is What is your favourite Prop or costume, Ill start again with you Nick.
Nick Moran: Well I got to be a punk version of Adam ant I mean that was brilliant who doesn’t want to do that!! So it was the leather jacket and having a holster for my wand. That’s pretty cool.
Warwick Davis: I will say what everyone will probably say and that’s defiantly having the wand, it became very special.
Natalie Tena: Maybe my broom it’s like the wand it’s specific to you and mine was really manky and it had bits of purple in it.
David Thewils: It has to be when I say good bye to Harry I do two things I fold a map and I put stuff in my closet, and they went special effects they were shot in camera and the map folded up by a series of invisible threads and it happened in two and three takes and the genius of some one making that prop was amazing.
David Barron (Producer): I didn’t get to dress up or have a wand.
Evanna Lynch: Mine would be the lion hats, Luna had clothes that no one else would wear and this hat was mad and crazy and I just loved it.
Jason Isaacs: I would have said the wand but it seems very un original but I had a lovely wand inside a cane, which had a very big snakehead, which was nice.
Helen McCrory: It was something you never saw but if you went upstairs you I would go into the art department and see all the tiny little models of all the sets and if you look in you could see every little detail and they were just outstanding.
Tom Felton: Obviously the wands were really cool, but I would probably say my suit Draco was never one to be casual dressing; he seemed to be in a black suit 24/7.
David Heyman (Producer) : Like David Barron I never had a prop or costume.
Ralph Fiennes: Well I use to wear tights under my outfit and the gusset of the tights would fall down so I would start walking funny, so my main costume man had to change them in to suspenders so really under my outfit I was wearing suspenders.
Emma Watson: I am going to maybe steal Michael’s answer, I would probably have to say just the thought of having the power of walking around in other peoples memories and understand how they came to be and become the person that they are I think would be incredible.
Rupert Grint: So sorry I need the toilet, I will be back! But my favourite prop was the flying car!
David Yates (Director): I would probably pinch Hermione’s bag as you can put everything in it and its never full I think that would become very useful for wives.
Julie Walters: My costume! As it gave me the most fabulous shape and gave me enormous bossoms.
Robbie Coltrane: I had a pink umbrella which was very interesting to have as I had to use it and pretend it was a big burly metal steal fire blower, and it ended up in the museum in New York which is funny to see a pink umbrella in this frame.
Michael Gambon: I had the usual props a wand but I had a gown which had a pocket stitched in which I could keep my cigarette and lighter in. Just so I can run out and have one.
Matt Lewis: My favourite thing would have to be the hat that decided I was in Gryffindor as I think Neville didn’t think he would ever be in Gryffindor and he was so I was very pleased about that.
Bonnie Wright: For me my character I think it is Tom Riddles Diary It brought my character in to the story.
James Phelps: Oh gosh there is thousands especially from the Wisdory Weasley shop, but for me my favorite prop would be my dyed ginger hair for ten years, as it gives you a completely different new perception on the world and how people view you, In a good way (looking at Rupert).
It made us part of the Weasley gang.
Oliver Phelps: I have to be boring and say my wand because it just is fantastic.
Domnhall Gleason: I would say Mrs. Wesley’s body suit can I borrow that sometime (looks at Julie Walters).
(Crowd laughs)
Alex Zane: Ok lets go back to the floor this is the last question as the hour has gone.
Reporter: This is for David Yates, How was it working With J K Rowling as a Producer on this film, was she a good help to you.
David Yates (Director): J K Rowling is an incredible partner in these films obviously, but she keeps her distance, she signs off the screen play and if she has any issues she communicates them and she tells you what she is happy with and what she is not happy with and she is there at the end of the telephone if you need her and then she will watch the movie when it is finished, It’s the perfect relationship for a group of film makers because she is very enthusiastic about what we do and she supports it. She understands the complexity of adaptations, from book to film. She is there to guide us and she is just great!
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