Harry Potterstars James and Oliver Phelps, who played Fred and George Weasley, respectively, share a prank they pulled on Rupert Grint during filming. Based on the books by author J.K. Rowling, the first film in the Warner Bros. franchise was released in 2001, introducing a host of characters who would return to play a role in all seven sequels. Though not as prominently featured asHarry Pottercastmembers like Daniel Radcliffe, Grint, and Emma Watson, the Phelps brothers do feature in all eight movies, serving as Ron’s mischievous, prank-pulling brothers.
During a recent appearance onDelish’s “Suck It Up” segment, the Phelps brothers recall a time on set with Grint when they pulled a prank on their younger costar, and it’s something Fred and George Weasley would have done. The brothers hilariously explain that they tricked the Ron Weasley actor into thinking that he could control the televsion set in his trailer with his own body movements. Check out James' recollection of the prank below:
James: Every trailer has the same model of TV. Every remote also works for every TV. We were in Rupert Grint’s trailer and we made him believe that he could control the TV with his body actions. So if he stood up and got close to the TV, the volume would go up and you could see him [thinking] “I think it’s me. I think it’s me.”
Oliver: And then you run very, very quickly.
What The Phelps Brothers' Story Means For The Harry Potter Franchise
The Cast Was A Major Reason For The Movies' Success
In addition to being a fun anecdote from filming a massively successful and beloved franchise, the Phelps brothers' story reinforces just how perfectly cast theHarry Pottermovies were. Praise for the franchise includes its effects and its stunning set design and the ways in which the films condensed Rowling’s story into a movie format, butit’s the performances and the characters that have helped the movies stand the test of time.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
80%
82%
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
90%
86%
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
88%
74%
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
78%
81%
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
83%
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
77%
85%
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
96%
89%
$1.342B
The core trio of Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint anchor all eight movies, and supportingactors like Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, and the Phelps brothers help to flesh out the world, as well as provide heightened moments of emotion, levity, and surprise. As seen in the chart above, all eight movies were well-received in addition to being massive financial successes, and they likely could not have done this without such a strong cast. This creates a big challenge for the upcomingHarry PotterTV show, which will have to recapture this magic but with all new actors.
Our Take On The Phelps Brothers' BTS Prank Story
Fred & George Weasley Were Franchise Highlights
The Weasley twins may not be main characters in theHarry Potteruniverse, but they are an important sense of comic relief. Their mischievous attitudes and pranks are an important part of Harry’s journey, asthey help to show how a learning atmosphere with trouble-making students translates to a magical school like Hogwarts.
I Love Fred & George - But HBO’s Harry Potter Remake Must Fix The Movies' Biggest Weasley-Twin Mistakes
Fred and George are beloved characters in the Harry Potter movies, but I’m still hoping to see some differences in the Weasley twins for HBO’s remake.
The characters became fan-favorite aspects of the franchise, and this ultimately makes Fred’s death at theend ofHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2all the more tragic and affecting. Though it seems unlikely the Phelps brothers will return as Fred and George Weasley in a futureHarry Pottermovie, they were clearly perfectly cast.
Source:Delish
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students' time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.
