How Old The Harry Potter Cast Was Compared To Their Characters

The Harry Potter movies followed Harry, Ron, and Hermione through seven years at Hogwarts, with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson growing up alongside their characters. All three actors were close to their characters’ ages when filming began in 2000. The same wasn’t true for everyone. Alan Rickman was more than 20 years older than Severus Snape was supposed to be, while Gary Oldman was roughly a decade older than Sirius Black. Some of the biggest age differences in the franchise belonged to the adults rather than the Hogwarts students.

Now, HBO is bringing Harry Potter back to television with an entirely new cast, including Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Alastair Stout as Ron, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione. The series also introduces new versions of Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid, and several other characters whose ages didn’t always match those of their original movie actors. The new HBO series offers another chance to see how closely the actors’ ages match their characters, and whether the casting choices differ from those made for the original movies.

Character ages are based on the original Harry Potter book timeline, while actor ages are from the start of filming for their first appearance in the movie series. Some characters’ ages are approximate because their exact birthdates are not listed.

21

Daniel Radcliffe (11) – Harry Potter (11)

Daniel Radcliffe was almost exactly the same age as Harry Potter when filming began on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in September 2000. Radcliffe was 11, having celebrated his birthday in July, while Harry turns 11 early in the movie. It’s the moment Harry’s life changes, as Hagrid reveals that he’s a wizard and tells him about Hogwarts for the first time.

Unlike some of the adult actors who joined the franchise, Radcliffe didn’t have a significant age gap to overcome. He continued playing Harry across all eight movies, growing older alongside the character as Harry progressed through his seven years at Hogwarts.

20

Rupert Grint (12) – Ron Weasley (11)

Rupert Grint was 12 when filming began on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, having celebrated his birthday in August 2000. His character, Ron Weasley, was 11 when he met Harry aboard the Hogwarts Express, making Grint just a year older than the boy he was playing. Despite that small difference, Ron and Harry were both first-year students beginning their magical journey together.

Ron becomes Harry’s closest friend almost immediately, sharing everything from their first classes to the dangerous obstacles protecting the Philosopher’s Stone. Grint continued playing Ron throughout the eight-film series, with the character growing more confident and taking on greater responsibilities alongside Harry and Hermione.

19

Emma Watson (10) – Hermione Granger (11)

Emma Watson was the youngest member of the original Harry Potter trio when filming began in September 2000. At just 10 years old, she was younger than both Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, as well as her character, Hermione Granger, who was 11 when she arrived at Hogwarts. Hermione was the oldest of the three characters, having been born before both Harry and Ron.

Watson may have been the youngest of the three actors, but Hermione often seemed like the most mature of their characters. She wasn’t afraid to correct Harry and Ron when they got something wrong, and by the end of Sorcerer’s Stone, her knowledge of magic had helped them get past several obstacles protecting the Stone.

18

Tom Felton (13) – Draco Malfoy (11)

Tom Felton was 13 when filming began on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, having celebrated his birthday just a week earlier. His character, Draco Malfoy, was only 11, making Felton two years older than the Slytherin student he portrayed. He was also older than Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, despite Draco being in the same Hogwarts year as Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Draco acts like he’s better than Harry and the other first-year students, especially when he makes fun of Neville and tries to get Harry on his side. But for someone who enjoys picking on his classmates, Draco is quick to back down when things don’t go his way. Despite Felton being older than many of his costars, Draco often comes across as one of the least mature students in their year.

17

Matthew Lewis (11) – Neville Longbottom (11)

Matthew Lewis was 11 when filming began on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in September 2000, having celebrated his birthday three months earlier. Neville Longbottom was also 11 during his first year at Hogwarts, making Lewis another young actor whose age matched his character’s almost exactly. Neville initially seems much less confident than Harry and Ron, especially when Draco Malfoy picks on him.

Neville shows an early glimpse of his courage when he tries to stop Harry, Ron, and Hermione from sneaking out of Gryffindor Tower. Hermione ends up using the Full Body-Bind Curse on him, but Dumbledore later rewards Neville for having the nerve to stand up to his friends. It’s a small moment that becomes more meaningful as Neville grows into one of Hogwarts’ bravest students.

16

Harry Melling (11) – Dudley Dursley (11)

Harry Melling was 11 when he began playing Dudley Dursley in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the same age as the character. Dudley is Harry’s cousin, and the boys were born just over a month apart. Despite being almost the same age, their childhoods couldn’t be more different. Dudley has a bedroom full of toys and parents who give him almost anything he wants, while Harry is forced to sleep in a cupboard beneath the stairs.

Dudley’s spoiled attitude is clear from his birthday, when he throws a fit over getting fewer presents than the year before. Meanwhile, Harry is lucky to receive anything at all from the Dursleys. Watching two boys of the same age receive such different treatment makes it easy to understand why Harry is so eager to leave Privet Drive behind.

15

Bonnie Wright (9) – Ginny Weasley (10)

Bonnie Wright was just nine years old when filming began on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in September 2000, making her a year younger than Ginny Weasley. Ginny was 10 when Harry first met her at King’s Cross Station, where she accompanied her mother, Molly, to see Ron off to Hogwarts. Her appearance in the first movie was brief, but she would become a much more important character in the sequel.

Ginny’s role was much more prevalent in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which follows her first year at Hogwarts. Wright was just 10 when filming began, nearly the same age as Ginny during her first year at Hogwarts. She also had a much bigger role in the sequel, as Ginny fell under the influence of Tom Riddle’s diary and became important to the mystery surrounding the Chamber of Secrets.

14

Evanna Lynch (14) – Luna Lovegood (14-15)

Evanna Lynch was 14 when she was cast as Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Having been born in August 1991, Lynch was still 14 when filming began in February 2006. Luna was also around 14 or 15 during the events of the fifth story, making Lynch another young actor whose age closely matched her character’s. She was chosen from approximately 15,000 girls who auditioned for the role, despite having no previous professional acting experience.

Luna is introduced when Harry meets her on the Hogwarts Express, where she’s reading The Quibbler upside down. Luna’s kindness stands out when she comforts Harry after he learns why he can see Thestrals. She understands what he’s going through because she’s lost someone close to her, too. By the end of the movie, she’s become one of Harry’s friends and joins him in fighting the Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic.

13

Gary Oldman (44) – Sirius Black (33-34)

Gary Oldman was 44 when filming began on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in February 2003, roughly a decade older than Sirius Black. Born in November 1959, Sirius was 33 at the beginning of Harry’s third year at Hogwarts and turned 34 during the school year. Oldman was considerably older than Sirius, although the character’s 12 years in Azkaban had left him looking much older than his actual age.

At first, Harry believes Sirius is a dangerous escaped prisoner who’s coming after him. That changes when he discovers Sirius was his parents’ closest friend and is actually his godfather. Harry has spent years without a family who truly cares about him, so the possibility of living with Sirius means everything to him. Although, it is extremely heartbreaking knowing how little time they’ll eventually have together.

12

Ralph Fiennes (41) – Voldemort (68)

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Ralph Fiennes was 41 when production began on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2004. His character, Lord Voldemort, was 68 when he regained his physical body during the film’s graveyard scene. Born as Tom Riddle in December 1926, Voldemort had survived for years without a proper body after his attempt to kill Harry as a baby backfired. Although other actors portrayed younger versions of the villain, Fiennes became the face of Voldemort for the remainder of the series.

The 27-year age difference was difficult to notice beneath Fiennes’ extensive makeup and prosthetics. Fiennes’ pale skin, snake-like nose, and red eyes made Voldemort almost unrecognizable as the man Tom Riddle once was. When Voldemort finally faces Harry in the graveyard, he deliberately humiliates him before their duel, showing just how cruel and confident he’s become.