Rupert Grint reveals making ‘Harry Potter’ sometimes felt ‘suffocating’
It looks like it's not all magic in the wizarding world of Harry Potter.
Rupert Grint, who catapulted to fame with his role as Ron Weasely in the Harry Potter series, opened up recently about why it felt “suffocating” at times to film the blockbuster movies, which ran from 2001 to 2011.
On Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, Grint talked about his role as Ron in the movie.
“There was a time when it felt quite suffocating because it was heavy going, because it was every day for 10 years in the end,” he shared.
However, Grint added that filming the movie was a “great experience” for him, especially that he felt a family atmosphere on set, with the same crew that he grew up with.
“But sometimes it definitely felt like, ‘I want to do something else. See what else is out there'.”
Grint started playing the character Ron Weasley when he was 12 years old. At the time, only four Harry Potter books were out and only two movies were reportedly planned. But eventually, Grint, now 32, would spend 10 years playing the character and film the movies back to back.
“It just never ended. Every year, we came back. And it was kind of like Groundhog Day because it was the same sets. It was the same people. But it was great. I loved it,” he said.
He said he’s not a fan of re-watching his work and noted “it feels too soon” to re-watch all the films, though he admitted he recently watched The Sorcerer’s Stone for a second time.
“It still feels too soon really. I can't detach myself fully. I can't face it," said Grint. “I’ve got a very different perspective of it now that a long time has passed. I can appreciate what a feat it was.”
The actor added, “It wasn't like it was a bad experience. It made me so conscious of my face of, like, what I'm doing... I like being in the moment and creating it and then just leaving it."
Grint also revealed one of this biggest regrets—his shoulder-length hair in the franchise’s fourth installment, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
“I think everyone had a phase with this really long hair. They liked it—it was kind of wizardy,” he laughed.
Grint, who currently stars in the psychological horror TV series Servant, has shied away from the spotlight and prefers to keep a private life. He recounted how fame could be overwhelming and how he gradually lost his anonymity.
“It was definitely hard to get your head around, because I'm quite a shy, private person and suddenly to be put in that world it was overwhelming for sure. And also the responsibility as well, because as you say, for fans of the books, and they hold these characters in such high regard."
When asked if there was a time when he let his guard down, and then stopped and was concerned that fans might find out, he said, “It was such a buzzkill whenever you’re out. You have to kind of think about.”
He added, “You can never quite relax because I guess you are kind of this role model figure. It’s hugely important to these fans. It didn’t quite stop me from having fun but it was always kind of a shadow.”
Grint and his girlfriend of nine years Georgia Groome welcomed their daughter, Wednesday, in May 2020.
In November 2020, Grint hopped on the social media bandwagon, much to his fans' delight, and posted on Instagram a sweet photo of him and his daughter to introduce her to the world. “Hey Instagram… only 10 years late but here I am. Grint on the Gram! Here to introduce you all to Wednesday G. Grint. Stay safe, Rupert.”
