Rupert Grint Claims He Became Ron Toward The End Of Harry Potter
When the three main characters in the "Harry Potter" films were cast, there was no way to predict just how big the franchise would get, nor how the lives of the three kids would change forever. There was also no way to predict how they would react emotionally to the very characters they portrayed on-screen, over the 11 years of shooting the films. For Rupert Grint, his own relationship with his character, Ron Weasley, had its ups and downs, which included an interesting symbiotic connection.
Grint was just 11 years old when he got cast as the redheaded Ron Weasley, first popularized by J. K. Rowling's novels. Just like the other main figures, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), each actor developed their own fanbase and spotlight. Before they knew it, the kids” fictional representation became as well known as the actors themselves. With this intense connection, it's interesting to wonder what both actor and character would've been like without the other.
Grint, on The Armchair Expert podcast, hosted by Dax Shepard, has admitted that at times, his character of Ron, along with the whole franchise itself, made him feel somewhat trapped. "There was definitely a time where it felt quite suffocating, because it was heavy going, because it was every day for, I think ten years, in the end," he said. "Sometimes it definitely felt like, 'I want to do something else. See what else is out there." But, as fans know, Grint stuck with it all the way to the end. Now, he can look back and reflect on what being Ron ultimately meant to him. And the connection between himself and the character was something only he could truly understand.
Grint still answers to Ron
When Rupert Grint took on the role of Ron Weasley in the "Harry Potter" films, he found himself living through the character's eyes, feeling what the redheaded wizard would feel. Unlike a typical kid growing up, he got a taste of what it was like to be a master at Wizard's chess, steal his dad's flying car, and throw up slugs. As Grint explained to Bustle, the back-and-forth between fantasy and reality began to blend, and he claims he essentially became Ron towards the end of filming.
Grint filmed his last scene at the age of 22, some 11 years after he started his "Harry Potter" journey. However, as the character grew, he grew alongside him. As time went on, the line where the actor ended and the character began, was hard to identify. "In the movies, we merged into one. By the end of it, I was playing myself, he said. "The lines were blurred." Grint went on to explain that he had no negative feelings towards Ron, and he still lives with him today. "I answer to it, if someone calls me Ron. It's my second name," he admitted.
Hanging onto that double identity may come in handy later on in his career, as Grint admitted that he wouldn't be completely opposed to revisiting the character in front of the camera. However, this is only if his classmates come with him. "I can't really think of a reason not to, really. I love that character. I love that world. It's a huge part of my life," he told The Guardian. "I would [come back]. If the others did, I think, yeah" Of course, he's referring to Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe, who would have to be good with reprising their characters as well.