Rupert Grint: “I’ll never step out of Ron Weasley’s shadow”
Actor Rupert Grint says he has accepted that his identity will always be closely tied to Ron Weasley, the role that made him a global star. Grint said the connection to Harry Potter still brings him pride — even 14 years after the final film’s release.
“I don’t think I’ll ever quite step out of his shadow, but I’m fine with that,” the 37-year-old said. “I love meeting people who grew up with these films. It means a lot,” News.Az reports, citing BBC.
With a new Harry Potter TV series in production, Grint revealed he has written a personal letter to Alastair Stout, the young actor taking on the role of Ron Weasley.
“I wrote him a letter before filming started — passing the baton, as it were,” he said. “I hope he has as much fun as I did.”
His comments come shortly after Daniel Radcliffe confirmed he had also sent a letter to Dominic McLaughlin, who will play Harry.
Grint reflected on his early years on set, remembering the “crazy” experience of joining the franchise as an 11-year-old fan of the books.
“It changed my whole life very quickly,” he said. “For me, it was like stepping into the books themselves.”
Grint joined fellow young stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in eight films between 2001 and 2011, becoming one of the most recognisable faces of the franchise.
Since the films ended, Grint has taken on roles in projects such as Into the White, Apple TV’s Servant, theatre productions, and several Ed Sheeran music videos. He hinted that he has “a couple of things” planned for next year but cannot reveal details yet.
Despite branching out, he acknowledges that breaking out of the Ron Weasley image has been challenging — especially compared to Radcliffe and Watson’s careers. Still, Grint insists the association doesn’t bother him.
“It gives me a lot of pride. It was such a huge thing for so many people.”
Grint said seeing the new cast announced earlier this year took him “straight back” to his own casting moment.
He even sees a “bit of family resemblance” between himself and Alastair Stout.
As for his own children, he wouldn’t rule out them joining the magical world one day — though he says the films are still “a little too scary” for his five-year-old daughter Wednesday, who has watched a few clips and “loves it.”
When asked whether he wished to address the ongoing debate surrounding author JK Rowling and her views on gender, Grint declined to comment. Several Potter actors previously distanced themselves from the writer in 2020, though reactions within the cast have varied.
While Tom Felton recently returned to wizardry on Broadway, Grint says he might consider revisiting the world of Harry Potter one day.
“Maybe in the future. Never say never,” he said. For now, however, he is enjoying new projects outside the franchise — even if Ron Weasley’s shadow continues to follow him.
And if he could sort himself into a Hogwarts house?
“I think I’m probably more Hufflepuff than Gryffindor,” he laughed. “But Gryffindor is a close second.”
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