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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think that Daniel Radcliff is not and never has been Harry Potter?

131 replies

AtYourCervix · 17/07/2011 19:07

He is just so wrong for the part. What were those casting people thinking?

His head is the wrong shape

his hair is wrong

he can't act

most glaringly wrong is his blue eyes.

HARRY POTTER HAS GREEN EYES FFS!

AIBU?

OP posts:
Fooffy · 18/07/2011 10:24

"he's too fat for Harry "

Really? Is that what we're calling fat these days?
Saw him with his shirt off in the last film and, nope, not fat.

OldMacEIEIO Grin Indeed, that was the clincher.

BellaBearisWideAwake · 18/07/2011 10:25

Oh it's disappeared. Pity, very funny

Fooffy · 18/07/2011 10:30

Bellabear it's there I've just read it. Grin

onadifferentplanettoday · 18/07/2011 10:30

Many years ago ds1 auditioned for a part in a tv drama which eventually went to DR .I have always said had ds got that part he might now be Harry Potter!!

MugglesandLuna · 18/07/2011 10:37

I think DR makes a great Harry. I am very glad they didnt go with the boy from The Sixth Sense - who has gone off the rails a bit now anyway. DR is quite awkward because of his dyspraxia but I think it gives HP an edge.

My favourite role choices are Robbie Coltrane as Hargrid and David Bradley as Filch.

MugglesandLuna · 18/07/2011 10:38

Hagrid dont know where the extra R came from!

megapixels · 18/07/2011 10:43

I have a different Harry in my head when I read the books and Daniel Radcliffe hasn't changed that image. In my mind Harry has a thin sort of face and a bit sticky uppy hair like JKR describes. He's also much taller than DR.

But I enjoy the films with DR as Film Harry too. I think he was a cute and endearing 11 year old Harry, but I don't think he aged in the same way Book Harry did.

I read that JKR was very happy with the casting of the trio, especially Emma Watson as Herminone. I think she was fine as 11 year old Hermione but grew up and became too pretty to be her! Ron is spot on I think, he is as I imagine, right down to the facial expressions.

treas · 18/07/2011 10:45

Imelda Staunton was perfect as Dolores Umbridge, infact she was who I pictured for the films when I read the books. Always wondered whether J.K. Rowling ever visualised the actors / actresses when writing the characters for the later books.

EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions · 18/07/2011 10:46

Right - so Snape is too old in the films, although I totally heart Alan Rickman so I can dig it. But how will they do the scene with Snape's memories in the final film, where he's the same age as Lily? Because he's clearly 20 years older than she would be. Has anyone seen it who can shed some light? I'm afraid they will fuck that bit all up.

HarlotOTara · 18/07/2011 10:49

Agree DR is totally wrong and can't act, EW can't act either, and I really do not understand the fuss about her looks. Haven't seen the last two films yet but am loathe to because DR and EW are so wrong it annoys me. RG is ok. I met a boy a few years ago who would have made a great HP visually, he even had green eyes.

BellaBearisWideAwake · 18/07/2011 10:50

Oh right, must be a problem with viewing it on my phone. Anyway who would have thought he'd grow up so gorgeous?

ProcrastinatorGeneral · 18/07/2011 11:00

The 'someone' who insisted the cast was Brirish was Rowling. It was one of the major stipulations she had when negotiating with Warner Brothers. For which I am grateful. Yes, some of the actors might not be what we envisaged, but they at least sounded right which is far more important. An American cast would have utterly ruined it all.

sapphirestar · 18/07/2011 11:00

I was into the books before the first film came out, and was disappointed with Harry and Hermione when I saw it. Ron I liked from the beginning, and truth be known, I do think they have grown into their characters now.
I think Alan Rickman is perfect as snape, as is Dumbledore. They are exactly what I had in my head. Hagrid and Luna also very good. Julie Walters was good casting too. Seamus annoys me, as does Ginny and Filch.
Could not agree more about Harry's eyes though. J K Rowling makes such a big thing of them in the books, he looks like his dad in most ways but his eyes are GREEN because he has his mother's eyes!!

MugglesandLuna · 18/07/2011 11:03

Didnt JKR also insist that all the filming was done in the UK too?

ProcrastinatorGeneral · 18/07/2011 11:06

She did. It was to be as British a production as it could be.

Fooffy · 18/07/2011 11:16

Ericnorthmansmistress weirdly it works I think. In fact when they get to the story of the history between Lily and Snape you are so taken up with the sadness of it all you would barely register the discrepancy in ages. Also Alan Rickman playing younger Snape has make up (akin to Polyfilla) covering his crags and creases. It just seems to work.

missmiss · 18/07/2011 11:16

Where's this Neville photo? The link is sending me in circles!

BellaBearisWideAwake · 18/07/2011 11:19

I don't know sorry, it's not working on my phone.

BellaBearisWideAwake · 18/07/2011 11:20

But it worked on my laptop! It was a blog post called neville longbottom WILF

BellaBearisWideAwake · 18/07/2011 11:26

That is indeed the photo, but the blog post was really funny

maighdlin · 18/07/2011 11:39

i like DR as harry. i don't think he'll win any oscars but i like him. not fussed on EW she is beautiful no denying it but she isn't the best for hermione. otoh i love RG i don't think he gets the credit he deserves, he makes me pmsl sometimes when he pulls faces. love tom felton as well i could see him go on to do lots of things.

the worst in the whole films is the girl who plays ginny. my god she is dire. she is so awkward you don't even want to watch her you almost feel embarrassed.

BellaBearisWideAwake · 18/07/2011 11:53

It's working on my laptop: www.bestweekever.tv/2011-07-13/neville-longbottom-wilf-wizard-id-like-to-fk/

Tinuviel · 18/07/2011 12:11

I like DR in the part but I wish they had picked someone else because my DS1 looks very like him and when the first film came out we couldn't leave the house without someone saying, "I don't know if anyone's told you this but doesn't he look like Harry Potter!" He was only 4 - it really got to him after a while - reduced him to tears. As DR has got older, his face has slimmed down and so has DS1's, so he still looks like him. He always chooses angular frames for his glasses to look a bit less like him.

I just wish we had DR's money!!

wordfactory · 18/07/2011 12:17

In any adaption of a book it is impossible to cast correctly for everyone because we all see the characters differently.

I think the fact that JKR was happy with the casting tells us that at least these actors are in the right ball park.