The main cast of the Harry Potter franchise will reunite for an HBO Max special to celebrate the saga’s 20th anniversary, but what have the actors done since the Harry Potter movies ended? The fantasy genre has seen a variety of universes with their own mythologies, and one that earned a special place in the hearts of readers and viewers is the Wizarding World. Readers all over the world were introduced to it in 1997 in J.K. Rowling’s debut novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first entry in a series of seven books chronicling the story of “the boy who lived” and Lord Voldemort, the darkest wizard of all.
Voldemort not only had dangerous plans for both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds, but he had a personal vendetta against Harry Potter, as he couldn’t kill the young wizard when he was a baby thanks to his mother’s, Lily Potter, sacrifice. The story was a hit with readers and it didn’t take long for it to catch the attention of Hollywood, and so the Harry Potter novels were adapted into eight movies – with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows divided into two movies – from 2001 to 2011. Even though the Harry Potter saga had to leave some characters and scenes on the cutting room floor to better fit the format, the movies were quite loyal to the books and became a worldwide phenomenon, expanding the novels’ fanbase and, of course, boosting the careers of its young cast.
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The Harry Potter saga turned Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint into some of the biggest teen stars, and even the saga’s most experienced actors benefitted from the success of the movies as they became known to a new generation of viewers. Now, two decades have passed since Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was released and ten years since the saga closed with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, but what has the main cast of Harry Potter done since the movies came to an end?
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe played the lead of the saga, Harry Potter, through all eight movies. Between Harry Potter movies, Radcliffe played Maps in the Australian drama December Boys and John Kipling in the TV movie My Boy Jack, but since he left Hogwarts, he has appeared in a variety of movies and TV shows from different genres. His most notable post-Harry Potter roles are Allen Ginsberg in Kill Your Darlings, Ignatius Perrish in Horns, Igor in Victor Frankenstein, Manny in Swiss Army Man, Walter Mabry in Now You See Me 2, and Miles Lee Harris in Guns Akimbo, and on TV, he played a young Dr. Vladimir Bomgard in A Young Doctor’s Notebook, Sam Houser in The Gamechangers, and different characters in Miracle Workers. Daniel Radcliffe’s most notable upcoming project is the adventure movie The Lost City of D.
Emma Watson
Emma Watson played Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her generation and Harry’s best friend, in all Harry Potter movies. During her time at Hogwarts, Watson lent her voice to Princess Pea in The Tale of Despereaux and played Pauline Fossil in the TV movie Ballet Shoes. Once she graduated from Hogwarts, she played Lucy in My Week with Marilyn, Sam Button in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Nicki Moore in The Bling Ring, herself in This is the End, Belle in Disney’s live-action version of Beauty and the Beast, and Meg March in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women. On TV, her only appearance has been in one episode of The Vicar of Dibley.
Rupert Grint
Rupert Grint played Ron Weasley, Harry and Hermione’s best friend, in all movies in the Harry Potter saga. In-between Harry Potter movies, Grint played Alan A. Allen in the comedy Thunderpants, Ben Marshall in Driving Lessons, Malachy McKinney in Cherrybomb, and Tony in Wild Target – however, since leaving Hogwarts, he has taken it easy and appeared in lesser known projects in both film and TV. Grint played Karl in The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman, Cheetah Chrome in CBGB, Jonny in Moonwalkers, and voiced Josh in Postman Pat: The Movie, and on TV, he played Daniel Glass in Sick Note, Charlie Cavendish in Snatch, Inspector Crome in The ABC Murders,and Julian Pearce in Servant.
Related: Harry Potter: Ron Was A Secret Death Eater Theory Explained
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes played Harry’s nemesis, Lord Voldemort, from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire until the end of the saga. Fiennes was already a well-established actor, with some of his most notable roles being Amon Göth in Schindler’s List and Count László de Almássy in The English Patient, and his career hasn’t stopped since the Harry Potter saga ended. Fiennes played M in Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time To Die, Monsieur Gustave H. in The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Duke of Oxford in The King’s Man, and on TV, he played Bishop of London in Rev. and Alec Beasley in Turks & Caicos and Salting the Battlefield. Among his upcoming projects is the dark comedy thriller The Menu.
Tom Felton
Tom Felton played Draco Malfoy, Harry’s enemy during his time at Hogwarts, in all Harry Potter movies. Since the Harry Potter saga came to an end, Felton has taken part in a variety of projects, such as Rise of the Planet of the Apes (where he played Dodge Landon), The Apparition (Patrick), In Secret (Camille Raquin), Ophelia (Laertes), and A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting(The Grand Guignol/The Boogey Man). On TV, he played Viscount Trencavel in Labyrinth, Erich Blunt in Murder in the First, Julian Albert/Alchemy in The Flash, and Logan Maine in Origin.
Matthew Lewis
Matthew Lewis played Neville Longbottom, Gryffindor student and close friend of the Golden Trio who even though was quite clumsy, was also very brave. Lewis played Neville in all Harry Potter movies, and his post-Wizarding World career has been mostly focused on TV. Lewis’ most notable filmprojects are Me Before You (where he played Patrick), Terminal (Lenny), and Baby Done (Tim), while on TV, he played Jamie Bradley in The Syndicate, Corporal Gordon “Towerblock” House in Bluestone 42, D S Samuel Drummond in Ripper Street, Tom Dreyton in Girlfriends, and Hugh Hulton in All Creatures Great and Small.
Evanna Lynch
Evanna Lynch joined the Harry Potter cast in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, where she played Luna Lovegood until the end of the saga. Although Lynch is still active in the entertainment world, especially in theatre, her acting career in film and TV slowed down after the Battle of Hogwarts. Lynch appeared in the movies GBF, Danny and the Human Zoo, My Name is Emily, and had a cameo appearance in Madness in the Method, and on TV she appeared in Sinbad, Apex, Silent Witness, and voiced Gentry in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Related: What Happened To Luna Lovegood After Harry Potter Ended
Bonnie Wright
Bonnie Wright played Ginny Weasley, Ron’s little sister who went on to become Harry’s wife, in all movies in the Harry Potter saga. Following her time at Hogwarts, Wright played Rose in The Sea, Phoebe in Before I Sleep, Diane in Who Killed Nelson Nutmeg, and voiced Vanessa in the TV show The Replacements and Hannah in King of the Hill.
Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith played Minerva McGonagall, professor of Transfiguration at Hogwarts and mentor to the Golden Trio, in all Harry Potter movies (except Deathly Hallows – Part 1,as the character doesn’t appear). Maggie Smith was already a legend before the Harry Potter saga began, and her career hasn’t stopped sincethe sagacame to an end, playing Muriel Donnelly in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and Mathilde Girard in My Old Lady – however, her most notable role since the Harry Pottermovies ended is that of Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey and its two movies, Downton Abbey and Downton Abbey: A New Era.
Michael Gambon
Michael Gambon played Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban until the end of the saga, taking over the role after Richard Harris passed away. Michael Gambon was already an established actor before he took on the role of the one wizardVoldemort was afraid of, and after the Harry Potter saga ended, his career continued with movies like Quartet (where he played Cedric Livingstone), Paddington and Paddington 2 (voicing Uncle Pastuzo), Hail, Caesar! (as the narrator), Kingsman: The Golden Circle (Sir Giles), King of Thieves (Billy “The Fish” Lincoln), and Judy (Bernard Delfont). On TV, he appeared in Luck, Restless, The Casual Vacancy, Fearless, Little Women, and Fortitude.
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