Photos: ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II’ Premiere
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) and more of the Harry Potter movie cast and creative team attended the New York City premiere on July 11th, marking the final North American premiere of the decade-old movie franchise. Prior to the screening, Alan Rickman, Matthew Lewis, director David Yates and more shared their memories of working on the movies — and what mementos they have from the set.
By Erica Futterman
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Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom)
Have you taken any souvenirs from the set?
It's not fabulous at all. It's my false teeth. Tom Felton's got a ring with a snake on it, Jason Isaacs' got a wand, I've got false teeth. It's not awesome at all, it's disgusting. But my mum wanted them, so I got them. -
Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy)
Tom Felton attends the New York premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II at Lincoln Center on July 11, 2011.
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Alan Rickman (Severus Snape)
What are your fondest memories of filming the Harry Potter movies?
It's always about things not to do with the films, I think. It's to do with off set. Or being in a bar late at night with Richard Harris [who played Professor Dumbledore in the first two films], bless him, before he died, and hearing stuff about his life and then realizing that, if I don't go to bed, I'll have an hour's sleep before call in the morning.Do you have any souvenirs from the set?
Everybody's fascinated by that. I have. I am now not going to tell you what they are.Give a hint.
Certainly not. Because I'll be releasing that information gradually. -
Emma Watson (Hermione Granger)
Emma Watson attends the New York premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II at Lincoln Center on July 11, 2011.
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Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley)
Rupert Grint greets fans at the New York premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II at Lincoln Center on July 11, 2011.
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Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter)
Daniel Radcliffe walks the red carpet at the New York premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II at Lincoln Center on July 11, 2011.
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Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson
Emma Watson embraces Daniel Radcliffe at the New York premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II at Lincoln Center on July 11, 2011.
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David Yates (Director)
What memories do you have of directing the last four movies?
One of my favorite scenes was Daniel, Rupert and Emma in Order of the Phoenix, about 15 years old, really sweet and charming at that age, and Ron asks Harry, "What was your first kiss like?" and Harry thinks for a moment, and he says, "Wet." And both Emma and Rupert just fell over laughing, and then Dan started laughing and I just kept the camera rolling. That scene captures what they were like at that age: really charming, really open, really honest. I have so many memories; it's been a wonderful experience, a great privilege making these films. A great bunch of people and I'll remember it for the rest of my life.Do you have any souvenirs from the set?
I have a magic wand, which is actually on my desk. It was made especially for me. The prop department, who make all our marvelous wands, turned up one day with this wand in some really attractive packaging, and said, "David, this is for you and all your hard work." And so, I have that now and I can use it when I make films in the future. If I'm not happy with a scene, I just [wave it]. -
David Heyman (Producer)
What are some of your favorite moments from filming Harry Potter?
There are so many moments. For me, I suppose the first day of shooting, which was actually the last scene of the first film – Hogwarts Express either arriving, or leaving. I'd worked really hard to make it happen, and then here we were.And then the last day, which was, you know, very emotional. It was a green screen shot from [Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I] when Dan, Rupert and Emma dived into the fires for the first film. Kind of a boring shot, not too hard emotionally. And then we showed the trailer and then we showed a film, made up of what's called golden boards. Every day, we had someone hold the clapper board, "Day one" of whatever it was up to 264, and the first assistant director strung all those together. We watched that and ended with – somebody had gone through and filmed everybody working on the film sort of waving good-bye and ending with David Yates getting into a car. Not a dry eye in the house.
Do you have any souvenirs from the set?
I've got some wands, I've got time-turners, I've got every one of the Horcruxes. -
Steve Kloves (Screenwriter)
Do you have any souvenirs from the set?
I don't have any.You're lying to me.
No, what I have is, I have gifts from Jo Rowling. I have a cup, which is engraved, and it thanks me for how I wrote Hermoine. It's very special to me.What are your favorite scenes from the movies?
I think the favorite scene I created was the dance [in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I]. I think the memory that's so strong for me is that, when I started, Emma was 10, and Dan and Rupert were 11 and the way in which I now write for them, or did write for them until a year ago, compared to when I started is remarkable. They're as good as anybody. And I don't just say that.I gave them the most challenging material the last two or three movies, and they lived up to it and more. I'm going to miss writing for them, because I kind of watched them grow up through words. I didn't have to measure them on the wall — I could measure them by the dialogue they could handle.
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Chris Columbus (Director of the First Two Harry Potter Movies)
What are some of your memories of working on these movies?
In terms of a cinematic kind of achievement, I was very reluctant to take ownership, to be honest with you. It took 10 years for me to finally see — I mean, it's almost like being beaten over the head from a visual standpoint, watching these movies every year, realizing I cast all these people, I built all these sets, I created a great playground for a lot of directors to come after me and have fun. But on that first movie, there was so much pressure, so much tension in terms of casting and building the set – what was Quidditch going to look like? – that now there's an enormous sense of satisfaction. They've come this far and they've created a franchise and a series of movies that are unlike anything we've seen.Also, it all goes back to the books. I think your guy, Peter Travers, said, "Chris Columbus approached it with a hat-in-hand," and I'll never forget that. But actually that's not true; I approached it as a fan. And when you approach something as a fan, you give it a lot of love. I think the last 10 years have set a lot of things straight about those first movies, so I feel great.
Which sets were you most fond of?
The great hall, certainly the chamber of secrets, the Gryffindor common room, Harry's bedroom, Dumbledore's office . . . Dumbledore's office to me, is just amazingly magical, and it's still there.Do you have any souvenirs from the set?
I have a lot. I had an amazing assistant who produced this movie, but she was very instrumental in getting me one of everything. I've got all of Harry's brooms, I've got the sorting hat, I've got the sword of Godric Gryffindor . . . My office in San Francisco is like the Harry Potter museum. -
Whoopi Goldberg
What's your favorite Harry Potter movie?
For me, the first movie is the quintessential one. You got to meet this kid who, if you're a parent, was like your kid. You know, you look at Harry Potter and think, "That's my child." And he rose to the occasion. He had more in him than he thought he had, and he just kept rising. And I think that's really good because a lot of kids sort of see themselves in Harry. And I like that, you know. It's kind of fantastic. -
Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker
Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker with their son James attend the New York premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II at Lincoln Center on July 11, 2011.
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Greyson Chance
Who's your favorite Harry Potter character?
I love evil characters in movies. So Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix — every scene that she's in, I'm like, "Oh my god, it's Bellatrix!" and I freak out. I love her.Has Harry Potter inspired your music?
I'm a very big strings guy. And the upcoming record's out August 2nd, Hold On 'Til the Night, so just hearing the Harry Potter music now [playing on the red carpet] brings me back into the studio, where I'm like yelling at the producers, "No, let's get a little bit more strings on it!" -
Seth Green
Seth Green and Clare Grant attend the New York premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II at Lincoln Center on July 11, 2011.
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Joey Fatone
What's your favorite Harry Potter movie?
The first one, because it brings so much to life — it was just so innocent. If you didn't read the book, you didn't know much about it and it's amazing how it has brought it to life. And it's amazing to see how these kids have grown up throughout the years. It's crazy. -
Michael Chiklis
Michael Chiklis and his family attend the New York premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II at Lincoln Center on July 11, 2011.
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Jay Manuel
How has Harry Potter inspired fashion?
Look at me. This is designed by Alexander McQueen. I thought it looked really magical. My eight-year-old nephew who's here with me helped choose it.What's your favorite memory of the movies?
Anything with Maggie Smith, because she is one kick-ass biatch. I love her. I love it when she kicks butt. -
Sandra Lee
Sandra Lee and guests attend the New York premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II at Lincoln Center on July 11, 2011.
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‘Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II’
The cast and creative team of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II attends the New York premiere at Lincoln Center on July 11, 2011.