The Harry Potter series caused a stir among moviegoers from 2001 to 2011, with their characters coming to life and making $7.7 billion worldwide across the eight movies.
Seeing those same actors over the decade-long period was special; Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint in particular started performing when they were just children!
Many familiar faces lent their talents to keep our beloved story alive. But have you ever paused to consider how different the real-life cast’s ages were compared to their fictional ones? It’s definitely an eye-opener that the famous trio are now all in their 30s come 2023!
We’ll begin our article on the age of Harry Potter characters in every movie by comparing the birthdays of our favorite cast members with the birthdays of the characters they played. As you can see, their ages differ quite a bit, so let’s get a quick overview of their birthdays.
| Real Name | Date Of Birth | Character Name | Date Of Birth |
| Daniel Radcliffe | 23rd July 1989 | Harry Potter | 31st July 1980 |
| Rupert Grint | 24th August 1988 | Ron Weasley | 1st March 1980 |
| Emma Watson | 15th April 1990 | Hermione Granger | 19th September 1979 |
| Bonnie Wright | 17th February 1991 | Ginny Weasley | 11th August 1981 |
| Matthew Lewis | 27th June 1989 | Neville Longbottom | 30th July 1980 |
| Tom Felton | 22nd September 1987 | Draco Malfoy | 5th June 1980 |
| James & Oliver Phelps | 25th February 1986 | Fred & George Weasley | 1st April 1978 |
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
In the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling wrote the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
First published in Britain in 1997, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone appeared in the United States the following year. With its imaginative storyline about a boy wizard, the book was a hit with both children and adults for years.
The making of the first Harry Potter movie, helmed by Chris Columbus, took place between September 2000 and July 2001.
| Real Name | 54 Years | Character Name | Age |
| Daniel Radcliffe | 11-12 years old | Harry Potter | 11-12 years old |
| Rupert Grint | 12-13 years old | Ron Weasley | 11-12 years old |
| Emma Watson | 10-11 years old | Hermione Granger | 12-13 years old |
| Tom Felton | 13-14 years old | Draco Malfoy | 11-12 years old |
| Matthew Lewis | 11-12 years old | Neville Longbottom | 11-12 years old |
| Bonnie Wright | 9-10 years old | Ginny Weasley | 10-11 years old |
Daniel Radcliffe was cast as Harry Potter at 11-12 years old, having been born on July 23, 1989; Rupert Grint, born August 24th 1988, was 12-13 years old when he was chosen to star as Ron Weasley. At only 10-11, Emma Watson was the youngest of the Golden Trio as Hermione Granger, who ironically made her 12-13 years old.
Bonnie Wright had just turned 9-10 when she featured alongside Ron’s family in a single scene – Ginny would have been 10-11 at that time. Matthew Lewis’s portrayal of Neville Longbottom occurred when he was 11-12 (same age as his character), while Tom Felton played Draco Malfoy at 13-14 years old – introduced in the series at 11-12.
This iconic cast began a decade long journey with their roles in the Philosopher’s Stone which has become a timeless classic.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
After the success of Philosopher’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets was once again produced by Chris Columbus. Having a budget of 125 million dollars and grossing 878 million dollars worldwide, this movie shows us a deeper insight into Voldemort’s past and mysterious occurrences in Hogwarts.
Even though the production for this second instalment happened rapidly after the first, all of the actors have ages fitting to their characters.
| Real Name | Age | Character Name | Age |
| Daniel Radcliffe | 12-13 years old | Harry Potter | 12-13 years old |
| Rupert Grint | 13-14 years old | Ron Weasley | 12-13 years old |
| Emma Watson | 11-12 years old | Hermione Granger | 13-14 years old |
| Tom Felton | 14-15 years old | Draco Malfoy | 12-13 years old |
| Matthew Lewis | 12-13 years old | Neville Longbottom | 12-13 years old |
| Bonnie Wright | 10-11 years old | Ginny Weasley | 11-12 years old |
Daniel Radcliffe was 12 years old during almost all of The Chamber of Secrets shooting, just like his on-screen character Harry Potter whose birthday is typically the very beginning of each movie in the series.
Rupert Grint was older than his character Ron Weasley by 1 year while filming. Lastly, Emma Watson was younger than her portrayer Hermione Granger still at age 11 or 12 while Hermione’s character was 13 due to her September birthday.
Tom Felton, who plays Draco Malfoy, was two years older than his character when the Chamber of Secrets was filmed; he was 14 or 15 at the time. Similarly, Neville Longbottom’s age was 12 or 13, just like Daniel Radcliffe; Matthew Lewis was also that same age when production began.
Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley, was one year younger than her character’s 11 or 12-year-old expected age; she was 10 or 11. A controversial casting choice is Shirley Henderson as Moaning Myrtle; despite being a ghost of a 14-year-old girl, she is 37 during the Chamber of Secrets and 40 in the Goblet of Fire.
In the United Kingdom and in the United States, Warner Bros. Pictures released the film on 15 November 2002. Critics praised its darker plot, sets and a story appropriate for a young audience, and it became a critical and commercial success, grossing $879 million worldwide and becoming 2002’s second highest-grossing film worldwide.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
A fantasy film based on the 1999 novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is directed by Alfonso Cuarón and written by Steve Kloves.
In the Harry Potter film series, it is the third installment and the sequel to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), which is produced by David Heyman and Chris Columbus.
| Real Name | Age | Character Name | Age |
| Daniel Radcliffe | 13-14 years old | Harry Potter | 13-14 years old |
| Rupert Grint | 14-15 years old | Ron Weasley | 13-14 years old |
| Emma Watson | 12-13 years old | Hermione Granger | 14-15 years old |
| Tom Felton | 15-16 years old | Draco Malfoy | 13-14 years old |
| Matthew Lewis | 13-14 years old | Neville Longbottom | 13-14 years old |
| Bonnie Wright | 11-12 years old | Ginny Weasley | 12-13 years old |
The Prisoner of Azkaban was set in 1993, with characters aged according to the timeline of the Harry Potter universe. Daniel Radcliffe was at the same age as his character, Harry Potter, at 13-14 years old.
Rupert Grint was 15 while filming, being more than a year older than Ron Weasley’s 13-14 years. Emma Watson, who portrayed Hermione Granger, was two years younger than her character at 12-13 years old during filming.
Tom Felton was 16 when shooting his scenes, making him significantly older than his character Draco (13-14). Matthew Lewis and Bonnie Wright were the same age as Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley, respectively, while production was ongoing.
For this movie, Michael Gambon stepped in to take on the role of Dumbledore replacing Richard Harris who sadly passed away prior to its completion. It also marks the first time we see Gary Oldman as Sirius Black.
The movie was released in the United Kingdom on 31 May 2004, and in North America on 4 June 2004. The first Harry Potter film released in IMAX theaters was Prisoner of Azkaban. It earned $797.5 million worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing film of 2004. Critics praised Cuarón’s direction and the performances of the lead actors.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Based on the 2000 novel by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a fantasy film directed by Mike Newell from a screenplay by Steve Kloves. As the fourth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, it is the sequel to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). In this part Harry is chosen to compete in the Triwizard Tournament by the Goblet of Fire during his fourth year at Hogwarts.
| Real Name | Age | Character Name | Age |
| Daniel Radcliffe | 15-16 years old | Harry Potter | 14-15 years old |
| Rupert Grint | 16-17 years old | Ron Weasley | 14-15 years old |
| Emma Watson | 14-15 years old | Hermione Granger | 15-16 years old |
| Tom Felton | 18-19 years old | Draco Malfoy | 14-15 years old |
| Matthew Lewis | 15-16 years old | Neville Longbottom | 14-15 years old |
| Robert Pattinson | 18-19 years old | Cedric Diggory | 17-18 years old |
Daniel Radcliffe was 16 years old when filming the fourth installment, being two years older than Harry Potter at 14-15. Rupert Grint, who portrays Ron Weasley, had already attained legal wizard status at 17.
Emma Watson was slightly behind Hermione Granger in age, being 14/15 compared to her 15 years old character. Tom Felton was already an adult at 18-19 when playing Draco Malfoy who is only meant to be 14-15.
Matthew Lewis and Bonnie Wright were only a year apart from their respective characters as they were both 15-16 and 13-14 respectively. This also marked Ralph Fiennes’ first appearance as Voldemort, which he would later reprise for the rest of the series.
Principal photography for the film began in 2004, culminating in its worldwide premiere on 18 November 2005. Just five days after it was released, it had earned over US$102 million at the North American box office and was third highest in first-weekend earnings of all Harry Potter films; trailing behind only Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2.
Goblet of Fire went on to have remarkable success at the box office, grossing a total of $896 million worldwide, making it not only the highest grossing film of 2005 but also the sixth-highest-grossing film in the series.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
A 2007 fantasy film based on J. K. Rowling’s 2003 book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is directed by David Yates and written by Michael Goldenberg. As the fifth installment of the Harry Potter film series, it is a sequel to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005).
This part of the story follows Harry’s fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as Lord Voldemort’s return is denied by the Ministry of Magic.
| Real Name | Age | Character Name | Age |
| Daniel Radcliffe | 17-18 years old | Harry Potter | 15-16 years old |
| Rupert Grint | 18-19 years old | Ron Weasley | 15-16 years old |
| Emma Watson | 16-17 years old | Hermione Granger | 16-17 years old |
| Tom Felton | 19-20 years old | Draco Malfoy | 15-16 years old |
| Matthew Lewis | 17-18 years old | Neville Longbottom | 15-16 years old |
| Evanna Lynch | 15-16 years old | Luna Lovegood | 14-15 years old |
When Order of the Phoenix began shooting, Daniel Radcliffe was 17 and he had his 18th birthday during the film’s production. As a result, he is now a few years older than Harry Potter, who is intended to be 15-16 in this movie.
Ron Weasley would also be 15-16, but Rupert Grint had already turned 18-19 during filming for this installment. Hermione Granger is older than the rest of her classmates, having become 16 just prior to the start of the school year. At that time, Emma Watson was also 16-17 while filming her scenes.
Tom Felton was the first actor among the Big Seven to celebrate his 20th birthday, while Matthew Lewis had already turned 17-18 during filming.
Both Evanna Lynch and Bonnie Wright were 15-16 when their sequences were shot, making them a year older than Neville and Ginny respectively. Similarly, Luna Lovegood was portrayed by Lynch whilst she was 14-15 years old.
The fifth installment of the Harry Potter saga, Order of the Phoenix was released in 2D cinemas and IMAX cinema formats for viewing in the United States on 11 July 2007 and a day later in cinemas across the UK by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Generally being well-received by critics, it opened to an impressive worldwide five-day opening earning of $333 million and its total box office takings accumulating to a massive $942 million made it second highest grossing 2007 film.
However, despite this achievement, it has been subject to Hollywood accounting where Warner Bros. controversially cited a loss of $167 million.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Based on the 2005 novel by J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a fantasy film directed by David Yates and adapted from a screenplay by Steve Kloves. The sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, it follows Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007).
| Real Name | Age | Character Name | Age |
| Daniel Radcliffe | 18-19 years old | Harry Potter | 16-17 years old |
| Rupert Grint | 19-20 years old | Ron Weasley | 16-17 years old |
| Emma Watson | 17-18 years old | Hermione Granger | 17-18 years old |
| Tom Felton | 20-21 years old | Draco Malfoy | 16-17 years old |
| Matthew Lewis | 18-19 years old | Neville Longbottom | 16-17 years old |
| Evanna Lynch | 16-17 years old | Luna Lovegood | 15-16 years old |
Daniel Radcliffe was 18 or 19 when he filmed Half-Blood Prince, while his character was 16. Rupert Grint had already turned 19 or 20 while shooting the film, yet his character was meant to be just 16 or 17.
Emma Watson and Hermione Granger both shared the same age of 17 during the movie’s production, while Tom Felton was a full 4 years older at 20 or 21 for Draco Malfoy who is still supposed to be 16 or 17.
Bonnie Wright and Evanna Lynch crossed 17 during the filming as well, with their characters intended to be 15 or 16. Despite the customary movie practice of having older actors portray younger characters, it hardly shows on-screen.
Filming of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince started on 24 September 2007, with an estimated budget of $250 million, making it one of the most expensive movies ever produced.
On 15 July 2009, it was released worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, in 2D and IMAX formats. The movie was a huge success and set records for highest single-day worldwide gross at $104 million and highest worldwide five-day opening at $394 million. It ultimately earned a total global box office of nearly $934 million, making it the second highest-grossing film of that year.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)
From a screenplay by Steve Kloves, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 is a 2010 fantasy film directed by David Yates. Based on J. K. Rowling’s 2007 novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the film is the first of two cinematic parts. The seventh movie in the Harry Potter series is the sequel to Half-Blood Prince (2009).
| Real Name | Age | Character Name | Age |
| Daniel Radcliffe | 20-21 years old | Harry Potter | 17-18 years old |
| Rupert Grint | 21-22 years old | Ron Weasley | 17-18 years old |
| Emma Watson | 19-20 years old | Hermione Granger | 18-19 years old |
| Tom Felton | 22-23 years old | Draco Malfoy | 17-18 years old |
| Matthew Lewis | 20-21 years old | Neville Longbottom | 17-18 years old |
| Evanna Lynch | 18-19 years old | Luna Lovegood | 16-17 years old |
Daniel Radcliffe was in his early twenties when filming The Deathly Hallows, while Harry had matured to adulthood by the film’s beginning at 17 years old.
Rupert Grint was a few years older than Ron, since he was 21-22 and Ron was 17-18. Emma Watson and Hermione Granger were nearly the same age, with Emma being 19-20 and Hermione 18-19.
Tom Felton had already turned 22-23 by the time he played Draco, who was intended to be 17-18 in the story’s earliest sections. Matthew Lewis portrayed Neville as 20-21 despite Neville actually being 17-18 during this point in the novel; an age difference of three years!
Evanna Lynch and Bonnie Wright both waited until they were 18-19 before playing characters who are 16-17.
Filming for the first part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows began on 19 February 2009, and it was wrapped up on 12 June 2010. Warner Bros.
Pictures released it to 2D cinemas and IMAX screens in the UK and US on 19 November that year. In its worldwide opening weekend, this installment grossed $330 million, ranking it third in the series, highest opening of 2010 and eighth-highest ever.
Ultimately, Part 1 acquired a total of $977 million globally, making it the third-top film of 2010 and third-highest-grossing Harry Potter movie worldwide.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, released in 2011 and directed by David Yates from a script by Steve Kloves, is the second in a two-part adaptation of J. K. Rowling’s 2007 novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
It brings to a close the eight-film franchise based on the book series, as Harry endeavours to destroy Lord Voldemort’s Horcruxes in order to put an end to his reign of terror.
| Real Name | Age | Character Name | Age |
| Daniel Radcliffe | 21 years old | Harry Potter | 17-18 years old |
| Rupert Grint | 22 years old | Ron Weasley | 17-18 years old |
| Emma Watson | 21 years old | Hermione Granger | 18-19 years old |
| Tom Felton | 23 years old | Draco Malfoy | 17-18 years old |
| Matthew Lewis | 22 years old | Neville Longbottom | 17-18 years old |
| Evanna Lynch | 19 years old | Luna Lovegood | 16-17 years old |
Daniel Radcliffe had just turned 21 when the final film was out and celebrated his 22nd birthday just a week later. Rupert Grint was already 22 at its release, with his 23rd birthday following shortly after.
Emma Watson became 21 in April 2011, and Ron and Hermione were both 18 during the movie. Tom Felton had yet to reach his 23rd birthday upon its premiere, while Draco Malfoy was 18.
By the time of its release, Evanna Lynch was still 19, while Bonnie Wright had already turned 20- the same age as their respective characters by the end of the movie. Matthew Lewis was 22 on opening night, and Neville Longbottom 18 years old.
Principal photography for Part 2 began on 19 February 2009, concluding on 12 June 2010 with some reshoots later in the year. The film opened in the UK and USA on 15 July 2011 as a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Receiving high praise from critics, it proved to be a box-office hit, being lauded for its acting, direction by Yates, music score, effects, cinematography, action sequences and finale – the only Harry Potter offering with a 3D version.
Aside from setting opening day and weekend records in various countries, Part 2 also claimed the worldwide opening weekend record, earning $483.2 million.
As well as becoming the third-highest-grossing film of 2011, Part 2 grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide. It is currently the highest-grossing film in the Harry Potter series, as well as in the Wizarding World franchise, and Warner Bros.’s highest-grossing film.
Fun Facts About Harry Potter Series
1- J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter share the same date of birth both were born on July 31st.
2- Due to their fundamental roles during the finale, J.K. Rowling nicknamed them the Big Seven.
3- Harry’s mother Lily was almost played by J.K. Rowling but she turned it down saying she was not cut out to be an actor.
4- There are only fourteen actors who appear in all eight movies
- Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter)
- Emma Watson (Hermione Granger)
- Rupert Grint (Ronald Weasley)
- Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy)
- Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom)
- Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley)
- Oliver Phelps (George Weasley)
- Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid)
- James Phelps (Fred Weasley)
- Alan Rickman (Severus Snape)
- Warwick Davis (Filius Flitwick / Griphook the Goblin)
- Josh Herdman (Gregory Goyle)
- Geraldine Somerville (Lily Potter)
- Devon Murray (Seamus Finnigan)
