How Old The Harry Potter Cast Was Compared To Their Characters

The Harry Potter film series is widely regarded as one of the more successful book-to-movie adaptations, yet how successful was the series in accurately portraying character ages? The Harry Potter film series began in 2001 with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and spawned seven sequels. Ending with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011, the film series was a critical and commercial success and is still held as the high standard regarding young adult books being adapted into film.

Across the eight films, several characters were introduced from the book series at different points. From the central trio of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger in the first film to more important characters like Sirius Black and Voldemort’s true form coming later, the series saw some of the most iconic book characters come to life with fantastic accuracy. However, many have often wondered how accurately the film series portrayed the various characters’ ages, specifically in terms of how well each Harry Potter cast member matched up to their respective character’s age in each of their debut appearances.

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14 Daniel Radcliffe (11) – Harry Potter (11)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

Beginning with the first film in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone‘s differences to the book were minimal. Aside from the film being released as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the U.K. as the original book was titled, most of the changes from book to film were minor. This extended to the age of the titular character in comparison to actor Daniel Radcliffe.

When filming began in 2000, Daniel Radcliffe was 11 years old. His character, Harry Potter, has his 11th birthday in the film’s first act, meaning the accuracy was almost dead on regarding the ages of Radcliffe and the titular wizard.

13 Rupert Grint (12) – Ron Weasley (11)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone also introduced Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, Harry’s best friend at Hogwarts. Grint is slightly older than Radcliffe, with the actor turning 12 a month before filming began in September 2000. Ron is the same age as Harry in the books and films due to being in the same school year, meaning Grint was one year older than Ron’s age of 11 when filming Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

12 Emma Watson (10) – Hermione Granger (11)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

The youngest of the three main actors in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was Emma Watson. Watson was only 10 years old when filming began on the first film, placing her as younger than her costars. Just like Harry and Ron, Watson’s Hermione Granger was 11 in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, meaning the young actress was slightly younger than her counterpart, something that could be repeated with HBO’s Harry Potter remake series.

11 Tom Felton (13) – Draco Malfoy (11)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

Another of Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s fellow pupils in Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone is Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin bully of Harry. Also supposed to be 11 in the film, Malfoy’s actor holds the biggest disparity between character and actor yet. Actor Tom Felton was born in September 1987, meaning he turned 13 during the first month of filming on the series.

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10 Matthew Lewis (11) – Neville Longbottom (11)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

Alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the Gryffindor house was Neville Longbottom, with his debut also coming in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Neville’s age was also 11 as were his peers, with actor Matthew Lewis matching this. Lewis had turned 11 three months before filming began on the first film.

9 Harry Melling (11) – Dudley Dursley (11)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

While not playing a major role in the first film, Harry’s spoiled cousin Dudley Dursley was introduced in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. In both the first book and film, Dudley’s birthday is shown as being around a month before Harry’s. The two are therefore around the same age, with Dudley being 11 throughout the first film. Harry Melling, the actor responsible for playing Dudley, was also 11 when filming for Sorcerer’s Stone began.

8 Bonnie Wright (9) – Ginny Weasley (10)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

Another character whose role grew as the series went on yet debuted in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was Ginny Weasley, Ron’s younger sister. Ginny is a year younger than Ron in the first film as she starts Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, meaning she is 10 years old when Harry first meets her. Bonnie Wright played Ginny throughout the Harry Potter film series and was one of the youngest core cast members at only nine years old at the time of filming beginning.

7 Evanna Lynch (15) – Luna Lovegood (15)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

Luna Lovegood is a character whose first appearance came in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, yet she played an integral role in the final four movies of the series. Lovegood is a Ravenclaw member at Hogwarts and was 15 years old at the time of her debut as Harry meets her during his fifth year at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Evanna Lynch, Lovegood’s actress, was also 15 when filming began for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

6 Gary Oldman (44) – Sirius Black (34)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban

Sirius Black’s role in the third through fifth Harry Potter movies cannot be understated as an important member of Harry’s family. While the films do not specifically divulge Black’s age, the books state he was born in 1959, meaning he was 34 in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Despite the film series being a more modern retelling of the books, it can be assumed the timeline is similar and Black was 34 in his film debut. Gary Oldman portrayed Sirius Black and was 44 when filming began on the third film.

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5 Ralph Fiennes (41) – Voldemort (68)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire

Despite appearances in various forms in earlier films, the series’ main villain Voldemort was properly resurrected in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Voldemort’s age is up for debate, given his various life forms throughout the series. However, the time between Tom Riddle’s birth and Voldemort’s resurgence in Goblet of Fire was 68 years. Ralph Fiennes, who brought Voldemort for life between Goblet of Fire and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2, was 41 when filming began on the former film.

4 Robbie Coltrane (50) – Rubius Hagrid (72)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

Another character who debuted in the first film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, was the lovable Hogwarts groundskeeper Rubius Hagrid. In the first film, Hagrid is 72 years of age. Hagrid was brought to life by the late, great Robbie Coltrane who tragically passed away at the age of 72 in 2022. Coltrane’s birth year of 1950 meant that he was 50 years old when filming began on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

3 Richard Harris (69) – Albus Dumbledore (110)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

The oldest character in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the mysterious Hogwarts headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. At the time of the first film, Dumbledore is a staggering 110 years old. Dumbledore was played by two actors throughout the Harry Potter films, with the late Richard Harris portraying the old wizard in the first two films before being replaced by Michael Gambon from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban onwards. When filming began in September 2000 for Sorcerer’s Stone, Harris was 69 years old with his 70th birthday coming a month later.

2 Alan Rickman (54) – Severus Snape (31)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

Another Harry Potter actor who debuted in Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone yet has since tragically passed away is Alan Rickman. Rickman brought Severus Snape, a fan-favorite character, to life in the films with an excellent performance. Rickman was 54 when filming began on Sorcerer’s Stone, compared to the younger age of 31 of his character.

1 Maggie Smith (65) – Minerva McGonogall (56)

Debuted In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

The final major Harry Potter cast member who made their first appearance in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was Maggie Smith. Smith was 65 when filming began on the first film, nine years older than her character Minerva McGonogall. McGonogall was supposedly 56 during the events of the first film marking another final disparity between the actors of Harry Potter and their respective characters.

Harry Potter

Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students’ time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.

Cast

Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Tom Felton , Alan Rickman , Matthew Lewis , Bonnie Wright , Evanna Lynch , Maggie Smith , Michael Gambon , Richard Harris , Ralph Fiennes , Helena Bonham Carter , Alfred Enoch , Harry Melling , Gary Oldman , Robert Pattinson , Warwick Davis , Oliver Phelps , James Phelps , David Bradley , David Thewlis , Katie Leung , Jason Isaacs , Imelda Staunton , David Tennant , Jamie Campbell Bower , Timothy Spall , Robbie Coltrane , Eddie Redmayne , Jude Law , Katherine Waterston , Ezra Miller , Dan Fogler , Alison Sudol , Johnny Depp , Mads Mikkelsen

Character(s)

Harry Potter , Hermione Granger , Ron Weasley , Dumbledore , Minerva McGonagall , Rubeus Hagrid , Dobby the House Elf , Draco Malfoy , Sirius Black , Ginny Weasley , Voldemort