In a world filled with magic spells, where problems can be solved with a flick of the wrist, the old adage still applies, a delighted J.K. Rowling told reporters: Be careful what you wish for!
That held particularly true for the stars of the “Harry Potter” movie series, she said, who all wanted to know what was going to happen to their characters as the last “Potter” book approached…until, that is, she started to tell them. (WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.)
“I think they were always petrified of asking me,” she said, smiling broadly. “I went down to the set and Dan [Radcliffe] and I had a real chat and it was great. And I said to him ‘Dumbledore’s giving me a bit of trouble.’ And he said, ‘But Dumbledore’s dead!’ And then immediately ‘Don’t tell me! Don’t tell me!’”
But that didn’t stop Radcliffe from “pretending that he knew the ending of book seven,” Rowling laughed, saying his loose lips got him his just desserts. “He went down the corridor to the other kids, because they were still being schooled at the time, and he said, ‘She’s told me, I know what happens,’” Rowling related. “Of course, then he was besieged and started to panic.”
“He got a little taste of what it’s like to be me,” the author cackled. “Serves him right!”
Surely, though, some bits of information were necessary to play it right– and none more so, apparently, than what was to develop between a certain pair of would be lovers.
“I told all of them little bits, [but] I told Emma Watson the most,” Rowling said of the actress who plays Hermione Granger, who in the seventh novel finally gets her romantic moment with Ron Weasley. “She nearly fell off the chair laughing when I told her who she had to kiss.”
“But if it’s faithful to the story she has to kiss both of them,” Rowling added, indicating Harry as well as Ron. “Which I think is kind of funny.”
If you were on of the actors in the “Harry Potter” movies, would you have wanted to know what was going to happen? Or would you be too afraid to ask? Sound off below.
October 17th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
As a huge fan of Harry Potter books I would want to find out how the Potter saga ends by reading the book, but if I was an actor I would want to know how the book ends as soon as possible since it would effect my career.
October 17th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
i would ask. who wouldn’t want to know? it would be such a special feeling to know before the millions of curious readers. i mean, of course you wouldn’t want all the details, but i think it would make it easier to know how to play the character and certain things to focus upon.
peace from michigan!
October 17th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
I would want to know.. but not just the ending.. she’d have to tell me the entire story first..
haha just so that I know what goes on.. then like every other fan Id read the book a 1000 more times
October 17th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
If I were one of the trio I would want to know, but I wouldn’t have asked. On one hand you’d want to know so to have peace of mind about your character, but on the second, the anticipation and rush of finding out while reading would be gone. In no way before the last book came out would I want to know the fate, but a few hints and small facts would have been awesome!
October 17th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
I would want to know, but I wouldn’t try and find out… I would want to read the story and find out that way. As an actor… well, the character wouldn’t find out what was going to happen to them 3 years in advance, so why should the actor playing them? I think some things - like the underlying feelings, or whether someone is genuinely good or bad - would be useful to the actor, but whether or not they’re going to die at the end of the series shouldn’t have an effect on the way they play the character!
October 17th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
I would like to know how you told Alan Rickman about Snape’s fate (and his reaction), to be honest.
October 17th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
I would NEVER want to know in advance. I refuse to associate with the internet, news, or other fans when the book first gets into the back of the bookstores. I don’t want to take a chance of mixing it up with other books and accidentally letting slip information. I also love the sheer surprise of it. When I first got the 7th book, I refused to open it until I was at home, in bed. Tempting as it was, I did not look ahead. I read it all the way through as a faithful fan who “…stuck with Harry to the end” I am wanting to become a professional country singer, and everyone thinks I might have a chance, and if I ever do make it, I don’t want special info before everyone else. I will still go to midnight premiers with everyone else, find out about books at the same time as everyone else, and just be normal.
October 17th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
If I were one of them, I would so want to know. I would hate to think that my life was hanging in the balance. Of course, as I absolutely love to read, I would probably have read the books, and would have been biting my tongue not to tell others!
October 17th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
I wouldnt want to know. Even if I WAS an actress. Not at all. Ok, I WOULD, but I wouldnt. Make sense? D;
Ok, I WOULD, because I’d be all “OMG, who’s gonna die? Who?” All thourgh the book, I was afraid Hermione or Ginny were gonna die [my two fav characters]. Eberytime there was danger, I held my breath.
I WOULDNT, because that spoils the surprise. It’s like Christmas. If you find out what your presents are now or open them now, that ruins it. You’ve gotta WAIT. Because, the Christmas spirit makes it a better experience and everybody’s happy and at peace with one another. Who wants to ruin that?
October 17th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
I could never have asked, there’s no way I would have wanted to know, I love reading those books for the first time and this was the last time ever that I was able to do that! I made such an effort to not be spoiled before I read it I’m glad I managed it. Plus, theorising on future storylines is half the fun!
October 17th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
I would not want to know. Personally I would like to know the end of the series just like anyone else. But I wouldn’t want to no because it would affect the way I played my charachter. Harry in the books dosen’t know until the very end what is going to happen to him. It would be better not to know because the your emotions would not be muddled with pre-knowledge. So for the character’s sake It would be best not to find out.
October 17th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
I can’t stand knowing the ending before I finish a book :
October 17th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
I can’t stand knowing the ending of a book before I read it :
October 17th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
If I was one of the Harry Potter actors, I would want to know little hints of the book like J.K gave. I wouldn’t want it to be ruiened, but it would give me clues
October 17th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
I hate spoilers. I doubt that being part of the movies would ever change that. I went sooo out of my way to keep spoilers out before I read DH. I didn’t go on the internet for 2 weeks prior to the release of Deathly Hallows for fear of someone having sent me an email that said something along the lines of “DOBBY DIES” in the subject line or such.
What I WOULD love is little teasers like “Dumbledore’s been giving me trouble”. That was brilliant. That just builds up the hype, which is addictive around release time. I’m so sad there aren’t any books left!
*will forever be a die-hard Harry Potter supernerd*
October 17th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
hi jkr
i got question about kisses in last book,i did read the last book but i only saw hermione kissing with ron near the end?but where is kiss with harry?can u tell me whot page in book or any else if u know thanks so much im big fun best wishes
October 17th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
to micheal:
I wondered the same thing, so i started thinking…When? And then i remembered the part when Ron is holding Godrics sword, attempting to destroy the locket, and holograms or images of hermione kissing harry appeared.
Yep, that’s it.
Oh and i would love to know Alan Rickman’s reactions too!
October 17th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
i dont know if id like to know.but if i was emma i think i would jump to my feet and give j. k. rowling a big hug. then jump, and squeal, with delight.seriously!
October 17th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
I’ve read the seventh book, & as I read the near end of the article, it cracked me up. I mean, I could certainly see Emma kissing Dan, but not so much her kissin’ Rupert. It’s sorta funny when you think bout it.
October 17th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
If I was one of the actors I would want to know but then wouldn’t want to know. What I mean is it drove me insane not knowing how the series was going to end. As soon as I was finished with HBP I wanted to know what happened in the end, who was going to die and live. At the same time though I would be extremely diappointed knowing how it ended because then getting the book wouldn’t of been as exciting. Half the excitement to me was staying up all night, reading my book, being over emtional because its 4 am and you’ve been up all night and you just read a death and you dided realize how much you like that character until it had died…only to be reduced to tears again because your all time favorite died. Yeah like I said I would want to know but wouldn’t.
October 17th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
i would not want to know! i m 2 big a fan and for the week coming up to the book, i did not go online b/c of spoilers. it was worth the wait. i’d be curious of course, but i would wait.
October 17th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
ye i find it its in part when ron is destroying horaxus,image of hermione is kissing harry,i also think they need to add this in movie to,harry and hermione,and ron and hermione kiss we all wana see it lucky emma-hermione and smart move off jkr lol owned
October 17th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
I would have wanted to know a little. I mean living as a charater for so many years, you kind of deserve it.
October 17th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
I don’t know if I would want to know… but I do want to know when it was that Hermione kissed Harry… I must have missed it, which is rare.
October 17th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
was emma laughing when she found out she has to kiss rupert or dan?
October 17th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
I want to know what Alan Rickman knew and when. I am sure it helped the actors out quite a bit to know where their characters were headed. But as a fan, I would not have wanted to know too many details.
October 17th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
If I was playing a part, I would have to know. I would have to know if I had to play a death scene, and such. I’m a huge fan of the series, and as a reader, I stayed far away from anything that would give me the ending (not like it would stop me). But you got to think of it from the point of view of an actor/actress. Curiousty, you know.
October 17th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
I did read where she said that she told Alan Rickman everything as soon as she knew, because for him to play Severus appropriately he HAD to know everything.
October 17th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
If I were playing any of the main characters, I think I WOULDN’T want to know. There just seems to be something more natural about the actor not knowing his/her fate any more than the character does; particularly with Harry and Snape, the two who I thought were most likely to die besides Voldemort who’s his death was practically a given!
October 17th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
Tonks, they kiss when Ron stabs the locket. It’s not really Hermione and Harry kissing, just Ron’s imagination, of course as a movie they will probably show the real thing. In relation to the question I think that I would be tempted to know, but I think be the die hard fan that I am, I wouldn’t.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:34 am
i think it is a funny story…. as for me i would want to know enough to where i could act the character as best possible and make what happens believeable to movie fans… kinda like j.k. told emma, so she could do little things in scenes that were good hints, etc…. but I would not have wanted to know everything, I am too big a fan for that, no I would have read it in my own time, then called Jo and congratulate her, then start asking questions!
October 18th, 2007 at 3:41 am
Wow. All those guys are soo lucky!!! i would kill to meet JKR, imagine Emma falling off herseat.. But i didn’t get the bit where she says that Emma’s got to kiss both of them… have i forgotten bit of the book?
October 18th, 2007 at 4:11 am
I would want to know enough to develop the character right. But after the fact, Im glad I didnt know too much about the book, the previous ones i had been hanging on every whisper for (from OotP) Im glad I was a little removed from all the gossip. It would have set it up too much and I might have been dissapointed with the final outcome. But thankfully I was completely falling for Harry walking to his own death to save the ones he cares for & completely blown away by Snape.
But after that discussion between JK & Dan, I probably would have started bragging too.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:10 am
yes!
October 18th, 2007 at 5:38 am
You all seem to be missing the point. The actors know at least a book ahead what they are heading for, the same as we fans do. However, when playing a complicated part like Snape it would be essential to know which side he is really on and why. I wouldn’t have thought it was necessary for Dan to know the ending through the first three or four films - he was never anything but the good guy. I didn’t think he would die. Rupert and Emma’s characters would always want to support and protect Harry, so no need for them to know the ultimate end for their characters.
What a great ending it was though in book seven. Although, I would have liked Voldemort to have suffered a bit more after all his evil deeds.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:59 am
i dont think i want to know… maybe just some necessary parts to play my characters right, such as the character’s background to know where she’s coming from. but otherwise, i REALLY dont want to know :))
October 18th, 2007 at 6:08 am
i think i wouldn’t want to know. cos if i knew my character’s fate, it would take the fun out of potraying that character… but if knowing the ending or not makes a huge difference in the way i should act out the scenes.. then yes! i would surely like to know.
October 18th, 2007 at 6:34 am
i think it’s great rowling goes to the set to c how her movies r made. tht is fr books into movies..n tht she’s alwiz kept in close contact w. the main cast…rowling and emma r v close i know,even if dan is Hpotter. maybe cuz their both women!n after all rowling modelled hermione after her person..i can’t wait to c Emma kiss her co stars..esp Dan. as she alwiz said they’re like her bro..so not w. dan.as i thought they had something goin on!they must put tht scene in film.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:49 am
I know Emma was rooting for Ron and Hermione (Opposites attract etc whatever.
Still Her Co-stars are “like a brother to her” and JK ultimately set her up to kiss both! I know JK wanted to make “she’s like a sister” clear with the very “tortured Ron” scene and throw everything on the table but she ended up putting Emma into an uncomfortable position.
For her role it’s great though, you tend to lean towards Harry/Hermione up to book 5 and the movies indicate it too. I think it was neccesary to throw more Hermione/Ron in and “Playful bickering” etc.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:53 am
For adult characters - that really embrace their characters some really need to know everything.
Direction etc to really become their character so they can get every meticulous detail down and even things not mentioned in text like a a response(via expression) from things characters say etc.
I’d say characters like Snape would need a lot of info - before DH it was hard to grasp his character.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Well what can i say jo is an amazing writer and i guess she was right in telling them about what was to come but i really wish she had keep them guessing.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:18 am
i would only want to know things that would be vital to acting the part but i would like to find out with the rest of the world what the secrets are.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:21 am
I think I would be like Dan… I don’t know… I would ask something about the end of the book and then I would say immediately “Don’t tell me! Don’t tell me!”. heheh! Would be funny!
October 18th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
i would probably ask to know what would happen, but then immediatly after regret it, cus thats sorta the whole point of reading a book, isn’t it, the end? It wouldn’t stop me buying the book though
October 18th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
I would probably want to ask, but be scared to. Then i would finally break and ask like a month before it came out, then regret it when she told me. I love that Emma is going to have to kiss both Dan and Rupert though.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
I luv this websit it has so much info!!I really liked this article bout J.Krowling it was some goos in fo but ive already read the book it was very good so GREAT JOB J.K!!Very good job ive read it 5xs
October 18th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
I’m sure I’m being really stupid here, but… at what point does Hermione kiss Harry? I don’t remember that!
October 18th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Didnt she kiss harry in Ron’s hallucination at the lake??? and lol, i cant wait for this movie, it’s going to be the best movie EVER!!!!!!
October 18th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
Don’t you remember? Harry’s and Hermione’s lips meet when Ron is being tormented by the locket. In any case, it should be fun to watch on the big screen.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Oh, Emma, don’t act like you didn’t see that one coming…! And Dan’s panic over saying he knew the ending is hysterical. I don’t think I would’ve asked her anything–I’d have been too scared of the answers, especially when it came to who would live and die!