Rupert Grint has made a name for himself by playing Ron Weasley, the best friend of the most famous teenage wizard in the wildly popular “Harry Potter” movies. ComingSoon.net talked to Grint about what his character will do in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
ComingSoon.net: This is the fifth film. How do you keep it fresh and are you still having fun doing it?
Rupert Grint: Definitely, yeah. I quite missed it when we weren’t doing it cause there are really good friends doing this. There’s a really good atmosphere on the set and that’s really why. There’s been a lot of changes on this one, new director, new writer, and that helped a lot to keep it fresh. It’s been a really good one, this one.
CS: How has David Yates’ directing felt different from previous directors?
Grint: Compared to Mike Newell, who did the fourth one, he’s completely different. Mike Newell is really loud and not afraid to swear at you, but he was really cool. David Yates is much more laid back, more quiet, he’s just really good.
CS: You had a scene here where Emma’s character smashes you up against the wall. How did you shoot that? Were you on a rig or something?
Grint: Yeah (laughs), that was really good to do, funny enough. Whenever we get to do stunts, it’s really good. They harnessed me up and basically, what they do, is they get a fat bloke to climb a ladder with a rope attached to a pulley and that sends you back. I didn’t realize that’s how they did it. That was really good?
CS: Have you done a lot of stunts?
Grint: Yeah, there’s quite a few stunts in that scene but there’s more to come really. We’ve got the Thestral stuff. They’re to do a plaster cast of my legs to make this special seat thing for riding the Thestrals.
CS: Do you like to do your own stunts?
Grint: Depends on what it is really. If it’s really dodgy, I’ll probably just leave it to the professionals. Whenever we get to do a little thing, it’s really great fun.
CS: How many times did they slam you up against the wall?
Grint: Quite a few takes. Once you’ve done it once, you kind of get used to it.
CS: Did you get black and blue?
Grint: It does give you a bit of a wedgie when you go back, but apart from that it was fine.
CS: You’re into videogaming we hear.
Grint: I do, yeah.
CS: We hear that you guys got modeled for the game. What’s that going to be like for you?
Grint: Really cool. It’s really weird, sort of seeing yourself on the game. I play him a lot.
CS: You guys did the voice work for that one too?
Grint: No, we didn’t, which is a bit of a shame really, but it should be good.
CS: We hear that your dressing room is the one everyone hangs out in.
Grint: It’s really cool. I’ve got table tennis, darts, pool, and a really massive TV.
CS: What are your thoughts about Quidditch and Ron’s part being cut out of it?
Grint: It’s a bit of a shame. I was looking forward to doing the Quidditch, but that will come up later. There’s some really other good stuff in this one, I mean you can’t get it all in.
CS: What is your favorite scene so far or what are you looking forward to doing next?
Grint: I am looking forward to doing the Thestral stuff. All of the Room of Requirement stuff is really cool.
CS: In the Hall of Prophecy, in the Ministry of Magic, it’s a fully digital set, so you’re acting in a big green warehouse? Are you apprehensive about that because there is actually not going to be anything there?
Grint: It’s going to be quite a new thing really. We’ve worked on blue screen before
so we all kind of got used to that part of it. It’s going to be quite cool. Today we’ve been doing some fighting lessons so that was quite interesting.
CS: Last time we spoke, you were really into metal. What kind of music do you listen to now?
Grint: Same stuff really. I saw the Foo Fighters a couple of months ago at Wembley arena. I like The Strokes.
CS: Have you done any scenes at Grimmauld Place?
Grint: Yeah, they were really good scenes to do. All the Weasleys were together, so it was good.
CS: Have you had any scenes with Evanna?
Grint: Yeah, quite a lot. She’s really cool. There’s quite a lot of new characters in this one, actually.
CS: This is her first job so how has she been with everyone on the set?
Grint: Good really, yeah. She’s perfect for it.
CS: Did it take her a while to get into the swing of things?
Grint: Sure, it must have been really scary because everyone knows each other. She’s fit in really well.
CS: We talked to the twins a little and they both have ambitions behind the camera. Have you thought about that?
Grint: I haven’t really thought about that really. I want to finish the “Harry Potter” films definitely and I don’t know really. I did a film after the fourth one called “Driving Lessons,” just a new low budget thing with no special effects and that was quite interesting. I would like to do some other stuff like that so we’ll wait and see.
CS: Do you have any other non-“Harry Potter” projects that are coming up in the future?
Grint: There’s quite a big gap now. Usually you just kind of have to try and fit it in between the films, but [after] this one we’ve got quite a big break because Dan has got a theater run. I don’t know, we’ll sort of see what comes up.
CS: Have you read the sixth book?
Grint: Yeah, I have, yeah.
CS: What do you think about Ron’s relationship with Lavender?
Grint: Pretty intense! It’s going to be a pretty fun, pretty interesting thing to do.
CS: When J.K. Rowling came to the set, did you get to meet her?
Grint: Yeah, we did. She’s come out a couple times now. She’s really nice, really down to earth. There’s always a bit of excitement when she’s down.
CS: Has she ever told you things to help you understand your character?
Grint: No, not really. Just good to sort of see her. She’s really nice and good to talk to.
CS: Has she commented on your portrayal of the character?
Grint: No, not really, but I think she’s pleased though.
CS: In this film, we see you and Harry Potter make the transition into adulthood. Now that you’re older is that something you can relate to a little bit better with your character?
Grint: Yeah, definitely. It sort of makes it easier, I guess. In the last one, that played a big part as we were growing up and had all of the awkward moments in teenage life I suppose. There’s a lot more of that now.
