Why Harvis From Last Night In Soho Looks So Familiar
"Last Night in Soho" is gearing up to be one of the fall's most exciting releases. Directed by Edgar Wright, known for off-beat hits like "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World," "Baby Driver," and "Shaun of the Dead," the film's premise promises an engaging psychological thriller. Modern-day woman Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) moves to London with big-city dreams and an affinity for the swinging-'60s. She soon finds her dreams marked by visions of Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy), a 1960s club singer whose glamorous life morphs into something much darker. Eloise finds herself sucked into the horror and is determined to uncover the truth of Sandie's life.
McKenzie and Taylor-Joy have become two of the hottest names in Hollywood, thanks to their roles in "Jojo Rabbit" and "The Queen's Gambit," respectively. Their talents shine through in "Last Night in Soho," but they aren't the only well-known actors to appear in the film. Matt Smith, known for his starring roles in "Doctor Who" and "The Crown," plays lover-turned-antagonist Jack.
Many audiences might find the role of Harvis, the club's cloakroom attendant, quite familiar too. Harvis is played by James Phelps, an actor with a very familiar face. But where have we seen him before?
James Phelps got his big break in the Harry Potter franchise
James Phelps is primarily known for his role in one of the biggest franchises of all time — Harry Potter. James played troublemaking, ginger-haired Fred Weasley for ten years in all eight "Harry Potter" films. He starred alongside his real-life twin, Oliver Phelps, who played George. The two were a united pair and some of the most beloved "Harry Potter" characters, up until the fateful battle of Hogwarts in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," where Fred was sadly one of the many who was killed in the fight against Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).
In an interview with the official Harry Potter website Wizarding World, James shared that he and his brother felt a connection with the Weasley twins even before they were cast in the iconic roles. When asked which character they most relate to, James said, "I've got to say Fred. Even before getting the role I had a great connection with him, being a twin was a start!"
Though James may best be known for starring alongside Oliver as the Weasleys, the two have portrayed twins in other projects — one of which is "Last Night in Soho." It turns out that the Edgar Wright film is another opportunity for fans to see James and Oliver act together, too. While James plays club cloakroom attendant Harvis, Oliver plays his twin brother Jarvis, who also works at the club.
This casting isn't entirely random. As Wright shared in an interview with Den of Geek, all of his films feature identical twins. "I'm very OCD, and I love symmetry, so twins for me are just the ultimate. There's no bad shot with identical twins," he explained.
James appeared with his brother in popular British dramedy
Though both James and Oliver Phelps have not appeared in many things outside the "Harry Potter" series, their careers do reach outside the world of Hogwarts. The brothers had a role in the British dramedy "Kingdom," which follows a small-town lawyer dealing with his personal and professional life. The series stars Stephen Fry, one of the few famed British actors not to appear in the "Harry Potter" films, though he did voice the UK audiobooks for the series.
In 2009, James and Oliver appeared in Season 3, Episode 5 of "Kingdom" as — you guessed it — twins named Finlay and Callum who get in trouble with the law. As some commenters have pointed out on a YouTube clip from the show, their characters are essentially Muggle versions of Fred and George.
The pair only appeared in one episode of the short-lived show, which aired for three seasons on British broadcast network ITV. However, their charm and wit certainly impacted their fans, and working alongside yet another talented performer like Fry was undoubtedly an exciting accomplishment for the young actors.
James starred without his brother in a charming indie adventure
While James Phelps has primarily appeared in projects with his brother, he's also shown that he is a talented actor on his own, too. In 2019, he starred in the American independent film "Cadia: The World Within." The story follows three teenagers who find themselves in a mystical world after the death of their mother and have to work to find their way back home. Phelps appears as Tanion, one of the residents of this mysterious realm, and he has an associate producer credit on the film. "Cadia" also stars seasoned actor Corbin Bernsen, known for his role as Henry Spencer on the hit USA series "Psych."
"Cadia" was the feature-length directorial debut of Cedric Gegel, who calls it the perfect watch for families "looking [to] celebrate a renewal of love and hope" (via Twitter). While "Cadia" had a small release, it is currently available to watch on Amazon Prime and Vudu.