“It does hurt quite a lot”: Daniel Radcliffe Hated Filming One Essential Part of Harry Potter, Calls It An Unpleasant Experience
J. K. Rowling’s timeless classic, Harry Potter takes us through a whimsical journey filled with countless mesmerizing and thrilling scenes. From heart-pounding Quidditch matches to spine-chilling encounters with dark forces like the Dementors. Each scene is a testament to the imaginative world of J. K. Rowling.
When Chris Columbus first introduced the iconic Quidditch, it ceaselessly fascinated the audience, making it one of the most exhilarating scenes from the Harry Potter franchise. However, while it provides a captivating spectacle for fans, from the actor’s standpoint, it might not be as seamless an experience.
Daniel Radcliffe hated the thrilling Quidditch scene
Quidditch is a prominent and recurring subplot appearing throughout both books and films. The magical sport is played on a flying broomstick, where players compete to score points by throwing a ball called Quaffle through the hoop and capturing the Golden Snitch will award a significant score to the team. It consists of four team divisions. Seeker, Chaser, Beater, and Keeper, and Harry Potter himself seeker from house Gryffindor.
Quidditch was first introduced in The Sorcerer’s Stone, where the production team used intense visual effects to bring the exciting sport to the screen. But relative to today’s VFX, the sequence might look quaint, but back in 2001, it was a big deal.
It turns out that Daniel Radcliffe, who appeared to enjoy Quidditch from the sidelines and behind the scenes, was furious when filming the particular sequence. In 2009, with Indie London, the actor expressed that he would be happy to leave Quidditch in the past because it was so painful.
“Quidditch is certainly right up there with the least fun things I’ve done on ‘Harry Potter. It is not a pleasant experience; it does hurt quite a lot, and it is not something I would be rushing back to do! […] I had to do it for all of the movies, pretty much, so that’s been my favorite thing about the seventh one. No Quidditch!”
It is indeed true from the actor’s point of view, considering the less magical and more tedious aspects of filming, which involved prolonged hours spent with a broomstick in front of the blue screen, did not look as thrilling anymore as on the screen.
Quidditch played a major role in the Harry Potter series. The actor, who was annoyed with Quidditch, sadly had to perform multiple scenes on the broomstick against the bluescreen. In the first film, Sorcerer’s Stone, which showcased a major part of Quidditch, Harry Potter wins the match against Slytherin House.
However, the actor found some relief in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1, released in 2010.
Matthew Lewis reflects on his awkward Neville Longbottom’s transformation
Tom Felton, who played Darco Malfoy, similarly expresses his concurrence in leaving behind the Quidditch scene, saying, “I’m so glad I haven’t done it since the second film.” The Harry Potter cast also narrates other unpleasant experiences they have on the set.
In a 2001 interview with Entertainment Weekly, actor Matthew Lewis, known for his roles as Neville Longbottom, spoke about his unsavory times during the filming. Neville, who started as an awkward, nerdy kid, has to wear extra padding under his clothing to maintain his rotund appearance as the franchise progresses.
”I wore a fat suit in [films] 3, 4, 5, and 6. And I had false teeth at 3 and 4. I didn’t mind it—until I was 14 or 15 and there were girls on set. I was a bit like, ‘Why me?”
He also adds that he had to wear a mouth appliance to give him a crooked-looking tooth. As this physical transformation was essential for the character, it finally had a larger impact on his real life.
The events of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone will be retold in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series, which is expected to air on HBO MAX by 2025.
Source: Indie London and Entertainment Weekly
