Every Potterhead in India is probably feeling a little old — it’s been 20 years! — this month, but they are also looking forward to New Year’s Day with extra enthusiasm. The much-awaited special, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, will be streaming on Amazon Prime India on January 1. The stellar cast is coming back to Hogwarts to talk about their best moments, and we cannot wait.
To celebrate, My Kolkata did a little time turning to pick moments from the series when the actors' performances added to the magic of the movies. There were many choices, these are only some of our favourite ones.
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter)
We saw Radcliffe grow as an actor through the eight films, but in Order of the Phoenix he truly came into his own, giving us some of his best movie moments. Our pick is the final showdown at the ministry when Harry is possessed by Voldemort. In those few minutes, we see Harry’s many facets: his burdening anger and guilt, his love for his friends, the pain of losing his family, and the enormity of being Voldemort’s enemy. Between conveying Voldemort’s chilling taunts to Dumbledore and Harry’s responses, Radcliffe gives us a complex, powerful yet vulnerable Harry.
Emma Watson (Hermione Granger)
If Hermione Granger were to become a muggle movie star, she would be Emma Watson. One of Watson’s best moments comes in Prisoner of Azkaban when Hermione punches Draco. The slap from the book was rewritten into a mean right hook for when Hermione takes a more muggle route to teach bully Draco a lesson. It is Watson’s guilty smile after that that truly makes the scene. In a rare instance of movie-trumps-book she gives us a glimpse into the not-so-goody-two-shoes side of Hermione Granger.
Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley)
Rupert Grint’s portrayal of Ron's special brand of grumpiness and humour, and his penchant for attracting trouble, became the heart of the films’ humour. The scene that stands out is Ron eating Romilda Vane’s love potion-laced chocolates in Half-Blood Prince. Grint’s dazed, lovesick expression of a drugged Ron and his banter with Radcliffe’s Harry shows us not only the actor’s comic timing but also the formative friendship between Harry and Ron, something the films did little justice to.
Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy)
The many layers of Draco Malfoy unfurl in Half-Blood Prince and Tom Felton expertly essays Draco’s transformation from child bully to struggling young adult. The highlight is the scene where Draco has to complete his task of killing Dumbledore. In the heartbreaking sequence, Felton captures Draco’s conflict between who he is, and who he is supposed to be. Hand shaking as he never completely raises his wand, Felton shows us seemingly-dark Draco’s yearning for the light making us feel sorry for a character we loved to hate until now.
Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood)
Being a fan of the books and the character even before she got the role, it was no surprise that Evanna Lynch got Luna’s quirky personality just right from her first scene in Order of the Phoenix. Her chemistry with Radcliffe gave a new dimension to Harry and Luna’s friendship from that very first meeting. Our favourite moment comes at the end of the movie, when Luna tells Harry about her stolen possessions but expresses no anger against those who’ve taken them. Lynch gives us all that we love about dreamy Luna in one sequence when she delivers the poignant lines about things making their way back to us in unexpected ways, in the most nonchalant way.
Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom)
If there was a Harry Potter character perfect for the “be careful who you call ugly in school” meme, it would be Neville Longbottom. Matthew Lewis grew into his role and looks as much as the character. Our pick of Lewis’s standout scene is his speech at the final battle. When Neville talks about Harry living on, Lewis handles the tone with emotion giving movie-only fans hope that all is not lost, but doesn’t let it become sappy. In this moment, Lewis completes Neville’s transformation from portly young misfit to war hero.
James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley)
These real life-twins aced the roles of Hogwarts’ lovable troublemakers and truly brought to life the strong and fun relationship of the Weasley twins from the books. Though their story arc was cut short in the films, the standout moment for the Phelps brothers came in Order of the Phoenix after they realised their “future lay outside the world of academic achievement.” Capturing the carefree, mischievous nature of the intelligent twins, James and Oliver Phelps gave us a sequence of pure, unadulterated joy in the later movies as the fireworks erupted in the Great Hall, and a fiery dragon chased Umbridge out of it.
Julie Walters and Mark Williams (Molly and Arthur Weasley)
Walters and Williams shine in every scene they appear in, embodying the idiosyncrasies of any typical couple with their hilarious chemistry. Molly and Arthur fill in the parental warmth that Harry misses in his life, and our pick for the best movie moment for this duo is when we first meet them at the Burrow in Chamber of Secrets. Walters as the epitome of doting but protective mother and Williams as the fun-loving father but deferring husband establishes the Weasley parents’ dynamic for all the movies to come.
Gary Oldman (Sirius Black)
It is testament to Oldman’s performance that Sirius’s death in the movies hit us just as hard despite his character not being developed enough in the films. While we will always hear Sirius’s famous “light and dark inside of us” speech in Oldman’s voice in our head, our top moment is from a little later in Order of the Phoenix. Before the gut-wrenching shot of Sirius falling through the veil, his final laugh still on his face, we see the protective, sophisticated, slightly dangerous Sirius of the books. Admit it, you did a little dance when Sirius punches Lucius Malfoy with a “Get away from my godson."
Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange)
Helena Bonham Carter’s turn as the deranged and devoted Death Eater gave us the same chills as Voldemort (sometimes more), but our favourite moment is when she isn’t Bellatrix. Carter plays Watson’s Hermione who’s polyjuiced as Bellatrix when the trio rob Gringotts. She masterfully embodies the signature traits of both characters (and Emma Watson), and also shows off her comic timing.
Imelda Staunton (Dolores Umbridge)
It says a lot about Staunton’s performance that Potterheads hate Umbridge more than Voldemort. Her candy pink ensemble aside, the little psychotic laugh and ultra-sweet voice and the signature (read: rude) “hem hem” made our hackles rise. She steals the scene every time, but our Staunton moment is her detention scene with Harry in Order of the Phoenix. The glint of sadistic delight in her eyes reveals the evil behind her smile when she tells Harry he “deserve(s) to be punished.
Alan Rickman (Severus Snape)
Severus Snape was written for the late Alan Rickman, and no viewer can refute that. Not having Rickman at the reunion will be difficult, but his best moments as Potions master offer some solace. It’s nearly impossible, but if we had to pick one scene where Rickman embodies Snape’s calm yet menacing personality with only a few words, it would the Defence Against the Dark Arts class in Prisoner of Azkaban when that baritone rung out, “Turn to page 394.”
Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall)
Harry’s first impression of McGonagall is that she isn’t someone to cross. Maggie Smith’s first appearance as the deputy headmistress cements the idea. With a genius like Smith, we are spoilt for choice but our favourite moment is from Deathly Hallows - Part 2. We know the professor is brave, and we know she can be sassy and funny, but in one sequence Smith captures both sides of McGonagall’s personalities with ease. Smith’s fierce countenance when she speaks Voldemort’s name gives us hope for Hogwarts, and her childlike excitement when she giggles out “I’ve always wanted to do that” after using the Piertotum Locomotor spell brings much-needed heart to the dark battle.
Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore)
Michael Gambon brought a new perspective to the character when he stepped into Richard Harris’ shoes as Dumbledore. We particularly loved the sassy side of Gambon’s Dumbledore, and the best example of this is from Order of the Phoenix when the ministry attempts to arrest him. Gambon illustrates the perfect Dumbledore-mix of powerful and cheeky as the headmaster calmly dismisses the Minister, winks at Harry, and makes a dramatic escape with Fawkes. As Kingsley says, “Dumbldore’s got style!”
Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort)
While every movie has a more serious tone than the last, the Harry Potter films get progressively darker — literally and figuratively — from the moment Voldemort gets his physical form back in Goblet of Fire. In his very first appearance as the Dark Lord, Fiennes inspires fear and disgust, not only with his overall look, but with the careless command of killing the spare. What really gave us goosebumps was the terrifying, raspy whispers and menacing smile when he touched Harry’s scar.
Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid)
Robbie Coltrane nailed Hagrid’s friendly demeanour while maintaining his intimidating appearance, and delivered some of the movies’ funniest moments. His scenes with Radcliffe are heartwarming but our favourites are Coltrane’s scenes with Frances de la Tour who plays Madame Maxine. Coltrane’s comic timing and acting makes the bumbling, smitten Hagrid, who pins a sunflower to his furry blazer, extremely relatable.
