#30. Natalia Tena: Nymphadora Tonks
During the HP Saga, Natalia was seen wearing this spectacular color in her hair, and from time to time she used to change her nose to amuse others. A couple of years later, the directors of Game of Thrones decided that in order to interpret Osha she had to be brunette. And brunette she was!
Not only is Tena a talented British actress, but she is also the lead singer and accordionist of the self-named “Gypstep” London band Molotov Jukebox. All the band members are full of joy and fun, so you should really give them a try! Some Youtube users say that their video ‘I need it’ is a direct consequence of drinking 100 Butterbeers on a Friday night. Yep, old habits die hard!
#29. Stanislav Yanevski: Viktor Krum
‘Stan’ is known for playing the Bulgarian student of Dumstrang Institute, Viktor Krum. In fact, did you know that his role in Harry Potter was his acting debut? After that, he made some appearances in other films such as Hostel Part II directed by Eli Roth. He will also star in The Cloaking, which is at its post-production stage.
The Bulgarian actor is pursuing a career as an athlete and as an entrepreneur selling protein complexes. Apparently, he is doing well, or at least one can infer that from his big muscles full of tattoos.
#28. Shirley Henderson: Moaning Myrtle
Shirley Henderson, the actress who interpreted Moaning Myrtle, the ghost girl in bunches who lived in the second-floor girls’ lavatory, was in fact 37 years old when she made her first appearance in the second film of the franchise.
Before, during and after Harry Potter, the Scottish actress took part in different films. Among the most important ones, we can mention the roles of Jude in Bridget Jones’s Diary (and sequels) and Gail in Trainspotting and its sequel. Her most recent job? Being the voice of Babu Frik in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. For more Star Wars appearances, don’t miss #9.
#27. Matthew Lewis: Neville Longbottom
The forgetful Neville seems to have forgotten about his former shyness. Now he keeps himself constantly trained and in shape, and he doesn’t mind showing off! Where you just as shocked as I was when you saw this picture for the first time? Currently, he is married to a beautiful blonde, Angela Jones.
One of his most recent roles was Patrick in Me Before You, where the English actor interprets an egocentric personal trainer who is obsessed about his body and the sports, who is dating Emilia Clarke‘s character.
#26. Clémence Poésy: Fleur Delacour
The actress portraying the French Veela-witch was Clémence Poésy. Before playing her role in the HP series, she worked mainly for French productions, but ever since she landed a role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, she branched out and began working for many English productions as well.
For example, some of her most remarkable roles were Eva Coupeau in Gossip Girl, Isabelle Azaire in Birdsong, and Françoise Gilot in Genius: Picasso. It was in this latter TV series that she displayed her stunning brunette locks. Maybe she isn’t a Veela anymore, but the brunette Clémence is as beautiful as ever!
#25. Harry Melling: Dudley Dursley
Harry Melling’s career as an actor started in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone at the age of 10. After the saga ended, he continued acting in television and films alike. Some of his most memorable roles include William Barclay in The Lost City of Z and Sergeant Smythe in Trautmann.
However, his breakthrough roles were that of Edgar in King Lear and Swiss Cheese in Mother Courage and Her Children. In real life, many people would not recognize him at all since he is not a bully and has lost a lot of weight. His loss of weight almost compromised the continuance of his role as Dudley, but a fatsuit was his salvation.
#24. Jim Broadbent: Professor Slughorn
Hogwarts’ Potions teacher, Horace Slughorn, was maybe the only Slytherin member that was not considered an evil man or portrayed as such. On the contrary, he was kind and caring. But he did represent Slytherin’s qualities very well, to be honest.
Jim Broadbent was recently seen in Game of Thrones as Archimaestre Ebrose, who seems to share many of Slytherin’s qualities as well, such as being cunning, resourceful, and a strong leader. After HP, Jim portrayed Denis Thatcher, the husband of the fearsome Iron Lady, and even voiced Mr. Gruber in Paddington 2.
#23. Scarlett Byrne: Pansy Parkinson
Scarlett made her first appearance in the HP saga in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The character was previously personified by two other actresses: Genevieve Gaunt (with that last-name, no wonder she was selected for Slytherin, right?) and Lauren Shotton. However, the character became more important when Byrne started portraying it.
After playing ‘Pansy’, Scarlett represented some other important roles such as Lexy in Falling Skies and Nora Hildegard in The Vampire Diaries. In August 2015, the actress announced her engagement with Cooper Hefner, Hugh Hefner‘s son. In February 2017 she posed completely nude for Playboy Magazine.
#22. Ralph Fiennes: Lord Voldemort
He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, aka Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort, the famous villain of the HP saga, is perhaps one of the greatest stars of the Harry Potter cast. And guess what!? He had a nose in all of his other roles and happens to be quite a heartthrob! For example, Ralph portrayed the flirty concierge in The Grand Budapest Hotel, Monsieur Gustave H.
Fiennes is working hard and is expected to be seen in many films in 2020 and 2021. Soon you’ll be enjoying his British accent voicing Barry, the Bengal tiger, in Dolittle. But this is not all! In February, he’ll be representing the Duke of Oxford in The King’s Man. Lord Voldemort might have disappeared for good, but Fiennes’ magical performances are here to stay!
#21. Brendan Gleeson: Alastor Moody
Even though the actor who played Alastor ‘Mad-eye’ Moody starred in a few other films, it’s nearly impossible to spot him, because in the HP saga he was covered with scars and his face looked as if it was carved from wood. Also, each time he would appear onscreen, we would only focus on that blue magical eye that moved on its own and that allowed him to see what was going on behind his back.
But, here we are to help you out in spotting difficult characters, maybe we have our own magical eye for that purpose! His most recent role was Bill Hodges in Mr. Mercedes. As his fellow colleague, Professor Slughorn (played by Gleeson) also participated in Paddington 2 as Knuckles McGinty.
#20. Tom Felton: Draco Malfoy
Draco Malfoy, the arrogant blonde archenemy of Harry Potter, grew up to become a good and lovable guy who enjoys playing the guitar, skateboarding, golfing, traveling, and being with his dog. He is an animal-lover and fortunately, in real life, he is much more relaxed than he was during the saga. His hair is long and scruffy.
Some of his most important roles after HP were Dodge Landon in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Julian Albert in The Flash, Laertes in Ophelia, and Logan in the TV series Origin. Tom finally landed his first main role in The Forgotten Battle, which is now being filmed. For sure, his talent and magic are still intact!
#19. Robert Pattinson: Cedric Diggory
Pattinson only appeared in one HP movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but he will always live in all our hearts as the only Hufflepuff Champion in the Triwizard Tournament. Cedric’s death was a pivotal moment of the saga, as things turned darker ever since then. But he wasn’t dead after all, he had only become a heart-breaking vampire in the Twilight saga!
Robert has continued to act steadily since the franchise. He was recently seen in the Netflix production The King as the Dauphin and will embody Bruce Wayne in The Batman, which is expected to be premiered at some point in 2021. Pattinson is permanently in the mainstream not only because of his talent as an actor and model but also because he has dated his Twilight co-star Kristen Stewart and singer FKA Twigs.
#18. Hero Fiennes-Tiffin: Young Lord Voldemort
Hero appeared in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince personifying Young Lord Voldemort. But his last name rings a bell, doesn’t it? Of course! Like father, like son… or in this case, like nephew! He is Ralph Fiennes’s nephew, so it wasn’t difficult for Hero to embody the Lord of Darkness in the saga since he had the best teacher at home.
Fiennes has continued acting and he even had a leading role in the 2019 American romantic comedy After, where he portrays Hardin Scott, a guy with a very dark secret. Apart from acting, Hero has made a career in the modeling industry, having appeared in Ferragamo‘s and Dolce & Gabbana‘s campaigns. Hero and Ralph aren’t the only cast members who are related in this ranking! Slide to see more!
#17. Rupert Grint: Ron Weasley
Out of the Golden Trio, Rupert and Daniel were the ones who were busier after HP, but Rupert’s performances weren’t as relevant to the industry as Emma’s and Daniel’s. This wasn’t because his performances weren’t good enough, but because the films in which he acted were not so publicized by the media compared to Emma’s and Daniel’s. Poor underestimated Ron!
However, Rupert had demonstrated that he has the skills of a pro, as he has recently landed two lead roles: Daniel Glass in Sick Note and Charlie Cavendish in Snatch. Apparently, comedy and crime are Rupert’s cup of tea! He voiced Amadeo in the English version of Juan José Campanella‘s movie ‘The Unbeatables‘ (the original title in Argentina being Metegol). So, please, stop underestimating him and enjoy Grint’s talent!
#16. Afshan Azad: Padma Patil
Afshan is a British model of Bangladeshi descent. She portrayed Padma Patil for the first time in Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire and she maintained the role until the end of the franchise. As a matter of fact, in her whole life, she only acted in those five movies of HP and voiced Padma for the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix video game.
In June 2010, Afshan started dating a Hindu boy. Her father Abdul and brother Ashrad weren’t happy about that and assaulted her, inflicting physicial injuries, so she pressed charges against them in a Manchester Magistrates’ Court. Ashrad was imprisoned for six months, while her father was pressed free of charges. Despite these unfortunate events, she got married and is now a talented beauty blogger.
#15. Evanna Lynch: Luna Lovegood
The Irish actress debuted on theaters with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and rapidly became one of the people’s favorite characters! Luna’s kindness and weirdness got right into our hearts. Evanna is not that different from Luna (except the weird part), as they are both pure kindness and talent. She participated in Dancing with the Stars, and she and her partner Keo Motsepe placed 3rd!
Evanna keeps acting, but she is most committed to raising awareness on Animal Rights and Welfare. She is a vegan activist and has even created her own cruelty-free and 100% vegan make-up products, Kinder Beauty. Evanna also has a podcast, The ChickPeeps, where she talks about the vegan lifestyle. She is an ambassador for the Lumos Foundation and helps UNICEF, the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA), Free the Children, and a lot more! She is clearly a Gryffindor at heart!
#14. Daniel Radcliffe: Harry Potter
Of course, you know exactly what the Boy Who Lived is up to nowadays! But if you’ve lost track of him, here are the latest updates! Daniel Radcliffe has constantly been on the news because of the many roles he took on ever since Harry Potter. Not that we are getting used to him not wearing glasses, but he just manages to mesmerize us over and over again! His latest movie, Guns Akimbo, will soon hit the theaters, so have your popcorn ready!
He had many important roles such as Arthur Kipps in The Woman in Black, Allen Ginsberg in Kill Your Darlings, Ig Perrish in Horns, Wallace in The F word (What if?), Igor in Victor Frankenstein, Walter Mabry in Now You See Me 2, and Yossi Ghinsberg in Jungle. If there’s something I learned from watching all these movies, it’s that Radcliffe truly is a chameleon!
#13. Fiona Shaw: Petunia Dursley
The envious and spiteful bully muggle-born Aunt Petunia always wanted to “appear ordinary”, and as a matter of fact, she was. She is one of the few non-magical people throughout the HP saga to appear in the movies. Fortunately, Fiona Shaw, the Irish actress who played the role of Mrs. Dursley, is anything but ordinary.
Owed to her talent, Shaw recently landed the lead role of MI6 agent Carolyn Martens on the BBC show Killing Eve. After HP, she also participated in True Blood as Marnie Stonebrook and in one episode of Fleabag. She has demonstrated that muggles are equally capable of doing magic, as it’s safe to say that her acting skills are out of this world!
#12. David Bradley: Argus Filch
The unpleasant and irritating caretaker of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Argus Filch, is represented by the English actor David Bradley. Opposed to his HP character, he is not disgusting at all (you can even see him smiling in a lot of pictures!) and he does not dislike children!
You may have recently seen David in another mega-production playing yet another irascible character, Walder Frey in HBO‘s Game of Thrones. He also played Basil in The World’s End, Gillernormand in the TV mini-series Les Misérables, and Abraham Setrakian in The Strain. Bradley also had small appearances in Doctor Who and in Broadchurch.
#11. Bonnie Wright: Ginny Weasley
The smallest of the Weasley family was the little Ginny, interpreted by Bonnie Wright, who debuted as an actress in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. While her character was quite irrelevant in the first film, she became more relevant to the plot as the story developed. She even conquered the Chosen One’s heart!
After HP, Wright continued acting, but after receiving a degree at the London College of Communication in 2012, she also pursued a career as a director and production manager. The popularity she gained during HP helped her to raise her voice to defend the planet. She is a Greenpeace Ocean Ambassador and co-founder of Waste Watch LA, which inspires people to waste less plastic in order to live more.
#10. David Thewlis: Remus Lupin
In the HP franchise, Thewlis plays the role of the highly-skilled, talented, and intelligent Professor Remus ‘Moony’ Lupin who happens to be a werewolf. In real life, Thewlis is as talented as his character. His acting career dates back to 1985 when he was only 22 years old. But, it was in 1993 when his career as an actor blossomed in Naked.
After HP, he appeared in Fargo as V.M. Varga and in Wonder Woman. He had also made some voice work in Big Mouth as the Shame Wizard. Shame Wizard and Lupin, give or take some obvious differences, both try to encourage self-improvement in others through their actions. So, summon your Patronus and don’t be riddikulus!
#9. Domnhall Gleeson: Bill Weasley
Gleeson, Gleeson… Yes! You got it! I told you that Hero and Ralph weren’t the only cast members who were related! You’d be surprised to know that Domnhall Gleeson is Brendan Gleeson’s son! In the saga, both Bill Weasley and Alastor Moody are considered to be within the “Sacred twenty-eight”. Domnhall is maybe one of those secondary characters that you get to see very often. Especially now!
After HP, he also participated in Black Mirror, Ex Machina, The Revenant, and Mother! However, he gained much more popularity representing General Hux (or ‘Hugs‘, only for connoisseurs) in the last trilogy of Star Wars. He appeared in what one can consider the two biggest franchises around the world! So, we are looking forward to seeing more of Domnhall’s magic very soon!
#8. Julie Walters: Molly Weasley
The most motherly figure throughout the HP saga was undoubtedly Molly Weasley. She had seven kids of her own and ‘adopted’ Harry as the eighth brother to the Weasley clan. She is another difficult character to spot in other films since, in most of them, her flaming red hair is gone.
After HP, Julie interpreted Rosie Mulligan in Mamma Mia! and its sequel, and participated in Mary Poppins Returns as Ellen. She also made some voice works in one of the greatest animated films of these last years… yes, you’ve guessed it, in Paddington and Paddington 2, where she was Mrs. Bird! She also voiced Mrs. Montague in Gnomeo & Juliet and Sherlock Gnomes.
#7. Emma Watson: Hermione Granger
I’m sure you are aware of what the only girl from the Golden Trio is doing nowadays. Out of the three, Emma had the fewest jobs for the big screen but was the only one whose jobs turn out to be wildly known. In all of them, save one, she played the lead role! The only exception was My Week With Marilyn, where she played a secondary role and met Newt Scamander, I mean, Eddie Redmayne.
Then, she starred in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Bling Ring, Noah, Colonia, Beauty and the Beast, and The Circle. Her newest role is as Meg March in Little Women. Speaking of women, Emma is a great defender of women’s rights and a committed activist. She is a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and has launched the campaign HeForShe, which advocates and promotes gender equality. She also supports movements against sexual harassment such as Time’s Up and #MeToo. Yes, she belongs in Gryffindor where dwell the brave at heart!
#6. Helena Bonham-Carter: Bellatrix Lestrange
It’s safe to say that none of the actors from the HP franchise had such a repertoire before the release of the first installment as Bonham-Carter. The thing is, Helena started her career as an actress in 1983 at the age of 17. From that time on, she had participated in renowned films, such as Hamlet (as Ophelia), Frankenstein (as Elizabeth Lavenza), Woody Allen‘s Mighty Aphrodite (as Amanda), The Wings of the Dove (as Kate Croy), and Fight Club (as Marla Singer), among many others.
Bonham-Carter is the only actress that had the opportunity to interpret Princess Margaret (Helena’s more recent job in The Crown) and Princess Margaret’s mother, Queen Elizabeth (in The King’s Speech). Blue-blooded families suit her very well! Maybe, that’s why she was so obsessed with the ‘pure-blood’ during HP. She also participated in most (or all) of her former husband Tim Burton‘s films.
#5. Michelle Fairley: Monica Wilkins (Hermione’s Mom)
One of the greatest surprises of this ranking is Monika Wilkins, aka Mrs. Granger or, simply, Hermione’s mom. Or, properly speaking, the Irish actress who portrayed that role, Michelle Fairley. Her participation in Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows Part 1 passed almost unnoticed and that’s why most of us just figured she was a simple ‘extra’. However, you’d be surprised to know she has a very extensive curriculum.
She appeared in Philomena, Resurrection (TV series), In the Heart of the Sea, and in the TV Mini-series The White Princess as Margaret Beaufort. But, her most important role was, like many others in this list, in Game of Thrones, where she portrayed none but Catelyn Stark (maiden name: Catelyn Tully). So, never underestimate secondary characters since one day they are normal muggle dentists and the next day they may become part of the royalty of Winterfell.
#4. Maggie Smith: Professor Minerva McGonagall
Professor McGonagall always tried to keep a stiff upper lip, but when she was really excited she couldn’t hide that petty smile of pride. Of course, that severe expression wouldn’t be possible without the magnificent acting skills of Maggie Smith. She debuted on the big screen in 1955 and is an A-list star on stage, film, and television who needs no introduction. Her most recent job was as Lady Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey. She also interpreted Desdemona in Othello.
Many awards and recognitions were bestowed upon her. As a reward for Maggie’s contribution to arts, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) and also was made a Companion of Honours of the Commonwealth realms (CH). So, Maggie exhibits these two titles in her name. She is a Dame, and not just figuratively. J.K.Rowling hit the nail on the head with her choice to name her character ‘Minerva‘.
#3. Michael Gambon: Professor Albus Dumbledore
Despite his imposing name in the saga, ‘Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore’, Michael Gambon is another renowned actor who needs no introduction. He has acted non-stop since 1965 when he debuted in Othello. He arrived in the HP franchise for the third film, after his character’s predecessor, the also talented Richard Harris, passed away. He had set the bar so high, but Gambon nailed it… just like a phoenix!
After HP, he interpreted Helena Bonham-Carter‘s father-in-law in The King’s Speech (yep, he was King George V). However, you may also have seen him in Kingsman: The Golden Circle, or heard him in Paddington and Paddington 2, where he voiced Uncle Pastuzo. Last, but not least, I would like to say a few words. And here they are Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!
#2. Helen McCrory: Narcissa Malfoy
Narcissa Malfoy, Draco’s mother, was interpreted by the British actress Helen McCrory. In the saga, she was the only dark witch who was capable of real love. She indeed loathed those non-pure-bloods or blood-traitors but the love for her family made her lie to Voldemort himself about Harry being dead, and that was her redemption. McCrory has interpreted many other intelligent, loyal, and strong women during her career.
After HP, she appeared in Martin Scorsese‘s film Hugo as Mama Jeanne, and in Skyfall (with her former Lord of Darkness), among many others. Narcissa wasn’t her only experience in the dark arts, her role in Penny Dreadful as Evelyn Poole / Madame Kali was a great practitioner of the occult as well. But one of her more important roles is as Aunt Polly / Polly Gray in the amazing TV series Peaky Blinders, where she plays the matriarch of the Shelby family. All her roles are to be reckoned with, so don’t interfere or she might make an Unbreakable Vow against you!
#1. Alan Rickman: Severus Snape
No list from the Harry Potter cast would be complete without including Alan Rickman. As a Harry Potter fan and just a few days after the fourth anniversary of Alan’s death, noblesse oblige! Severus was a despiteful character all the way until his murder, yet we all cried with his memories… But that wouldn’t be thinkable without Rickman’s acting skills and impressive performance.
During and after HP, he participated in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, in Sweeney Todd, he voiced Absolem, the blue caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland and its sequel, and he even portrayed Ronald Reagan in The Butler. He couldn’t re-read the Harry Potter books until he turned 80, but any time you are asked ‘after all this time?’ you have to answer: ALWAYS. Wands up for a great actor and the bravest Slytherin we’ve ever known!