Harry Potter both made household names and revitalized careers for its main stars. However, some of the supporting Harry Potter cast members flew more under the radar. Here are 10 actors from the series that you may have forgotten about.
When thinking of Harry Potter, actors such as Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson come to mind, right? Not to mention the large ensemble of talented British and Irish actors who had either major and supporting roles in the series.
On the other hand, while you may remember all the faces, some Harry Potter cast members may be more of a mystery, even if they’re familiar outside of the franchise itself. So, without further ado, here are 10 Harry Potter cast members you probably forgot about.
10. Jamie Campbell-Bower – Gellert Grindelwald
Bower has the distinction of being one of the few Harry Potter cast members to have also played his character in the prequel series, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Bower first appeared as young Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and reprised the role eight years later in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Arguably, Bower is better known for his roles in other franchises, such as Caius in Twilight, Jace Weyland in The Mortal Instruments, and King Arthur in the short-lived series Camelot.
9. Toby Jones – Dobby
Acclaimed actor Toby Jones, son of late fellow actor Freddie Jones, voiced the loyal house elf Dobby in two Harry Potter films – Chamber of Secrets and Deathly Hallows – Part 1. While Jones is by no means an unknown, some may not have been aware that he did voice. After all, almost every other Harry Potter cast member was visible onscreen.
Jones has also appeared in projects including Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Hunger Games, Sherlock and as Arnim Zola in both Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
8. Freddie Stroma – Cormac McLaggen
Freddie Stroma played arrogant Gryffindor student Cormac McLaggen – Ron Weasley’s rival for both Hermione’s affections and the position of Quidditch Keeper, in the final three films. As a young Harry Potter cast member, Stroma was relatively unknown when he first appeared but has become more recognisable in the years since.
In 2012, one year after Harry Potter ended, Stroma appeared as ‘Luke’, a supporting character, in the musical comedy film Pitch Perfect. Some of Stroma’s other roles have included the television series Unreal, where he met his wife, Johanna Braddy.
7. Julie Christie – Madam Rosmerta
One of the more experienced Harry Potter cast members, actress Julie Christie appeared in the third film, Prisoner of Azkaban as Madam Rosmerta, the proprietor of The Three Broomsticks pub in Hogsmeade. This was Christie’s only appearance in the franchise.
As for her other work, Christie won an Academy Award for her work in Darling (1965). Additionally, she has appeared in such films as Doctor Zhivago, McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Heaven Can Wait, among many others.
6. Lee Ingleby – Stan Shunpike
Burnley-born actor Ingleby played Knight Bus conductor Stan Shunpike in Prisoner of Azkaban, his sole contribution to the franchise. Although Shunpike in the books is described as not being much older than Harry, Ingleby was 28 in 2004 when the film was released.
More recently, Ingleby has appeared in several successful television series including Inspector George Gently, The A Word, The Five and Criminal: UK. He also took over as the voice of Bob the Builder from original actor Neil Morrissey.
5. Scarlett Byrne – Pansy Parkinson
Scarlett Byrne played Slytherin student Pansy Parkinson in the final three Harry Potter films, being the fifth actor to take on the role throughout the franchise. Pansy, as you may recall, was a classmate and associate of Draco Malfoy, in whom she had an unrequited romantic interest.
Between 2014-2015, Byrne was a series regular as “Lexi” in the TNT post-apocalyptic drama series Falling Skies, which starred Noah Wyle. She also appeared as ‘Nora Hildegard’ in 12 episodes of The Vampire Diaries. In 2019, Byrne married businessman Cooper Hefner, the son of Hugh Hefner.
4. Verne Troyer – Griphook
Having already cultivated a large fanbase through his role as ‘Mini-Me’ in the Austin Powers films, Troyer physically portrayed the goblin Griphook in Philosopher’s (or Sorcerer’s) Stone, although fellow actor Warwick Davis provided the voice.
Troyer appeared in other films including The Love Guru, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Troyer died in 2018, at 49 years of age.
3. Robbie Jarvis – Young James Potter
Robbie Jarvis appeared as a teenage version of Harry Potter’s father, James, through Pensieve flashbacks depicted in Order of The Phoenix. Jarvis’ scenes were crucial to the franchise, as they showed Harry that his father was more complex than the ‘perfect’ person others had implied he was.
Jarvis dated one of his fellow Harry Potter cast members, Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), in real life. Although they have since broken up, Jarvis and Lynch co-host a podcast titled The Chickpeeps.
2. Guy Henry – Pius Thicknesse
Guy Henry played the Imperiused Minister for Magic, Pius Thicknesse, in Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2. Thicknesse is Voldemort’s puppet, under his control and appointed as Minister after the assassination of his predecessor, Rufus Scrimgeour.
Henry is perhaps better known for his role as Dr. Henrik Hanssen in the long-running BBC medical drama Holby City. He also appeared as Grand Moff Tarkin in Rogue One.
1. Alfred Enoch – Dean Thomas
Enoch may seem like an odd inclusion on this list, considering he appeared in all but one of the films. However, compared to some of the more prominent Harry Potter cast members, Enoch had very little screen time or lines as Dean Thomas. Some fans of Enoch’s later work may still be unaware that he had played Dean Thomas.
In 2014, Enoch began starring as ‘Wes’ in the ABC legal drama How To Get Away With Murder, opposite Viola Davis. He has also starred in Sherlock, Trust Me and Troy: Fall of a City.
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