25 Strange Harry Potter Facts About the Film and the Cast

Albus Dumbledore believed Voldemorts mother used a love potion on his father. If that was true, it would mean Voldemort was conceived while the potion was being used, leaving him without the ability to feel love.

Others blamed his lonely, loveless childhood. J.K. Rowling eventually confirmed Dumbledores love potion theory.

In the books, Potter’s eyes are described as a bright green, but in the movies, you see a blue-eyed Potter. Daniel Radcliffe was given green contacts to wear when filming began but he was allergic to them. The last scene of the movie was the first scene shot that you can catch a glimpse of a puffy-faced, green-eyed Potter saying Goodbye to Rubeus Hagrid.

Voldemort gave Harry Potter the ability to speak Parseltongue when Voldermort made Potter one of his seven Horcruxes.

However, when Voldemort killed Potter for five seconds, he also destroyed the Horcrux, therefore removing Potters ability. Since Parseltongue is a language Wizards cannot learn, Potter is never able to speak it again.

Hermione Granger was the only one to return after the trio dropped out. She went on to become the Minister of Magic.

David Holmes, Radcliffe’s stunt double, was rehearsing an ariel explosion stunt when the accident occurred. The explosion threw Holmes into the wall then be plummeted to the ground. When crew ran to assist him he told them he couldn’t feel his legs. He is paralyzed from the waist down.

Rowling’s first car was a 1960 Ford Anglia. The Weasleys owned the same exact model and in the same exact color as teenage Rowling. A total of 14 of these cars were destroyed filming Ron Weasley and Harry Potter’s crash into the Whomping Willow.

The real Flamel lived in France in 1340-1418. He was a French scribe and manuscript seller. After his death, Flamel became known as an Alchemist. Although there is no proof, it is said to be he discovered the Philosopher’s stone and achieved immortality

Rowling described the Gentlemen as huge and terrifying, and he would sit to talk about his garden and how bad his petunias were doing. Robbie Coltrane was Rowlings first and only choice to play Hagrid, and was the first actor cast for the movie.

Before copying the Muggles, the Wizards relieved themselves where they stood and vanished the evidence. Thankfully they realized the Muggles were on to something and installed plumbing in the 18th century.

Producers wanted school work to look as authentic as possible, so real homework was done when filming at Hogwarts. While filming Prisoner of Azkaban the trio was even assigned essays to write about their characters.

Radcliffe went through 80 wands. It was said he was fidgety and used them as drumsticks. By the time the final movie was completed, 160 pairs of Harry Potter’s round eyeglasses were made.

Lice made their way to most of the children and even some adults. How the lice spread and how many of the cast members were really affected is unknown. But the outbreak was never enough that nurses were brought on staff and production halted until the entire cast and crew were bug-free.

Gizmo was the first to play Hedwig with his main stunt doubles, Ook and Sprout. Elmo, Kasper, Oh Oh, Swoops and Bandit would also step up for the role.

Male Snowy owls were chosen to portray the female Hedwig because she was white. The male owls are whiter than females. Additionally, they were smaller and easier for young actors to handle.

Hagrid uses bloody dragon steak on injuries. Slughorn uses the blood to fake an attack by Death Eaters. But the practical uses? Spot remover and oven cleaner.

There are several instances we are told Ron Weasley has cursed and Wizard cursing is used. But the only Muggle-known curse we hear is from Mrs. Weasley. In the Battle of Hogwarts, she shrieked “NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH” right before killing Bellatrix Lestrange.

Harris stated he knew the films had great potential but at 71 he did not want to spend the rest of his years filming. It was his granddaughter who convinced him to take the role. She told him “If you don’t play Dumbledore then I will never speak to you again!”

Millie was Watson’s hamster that she brought along on set. Millie passed away mid-production of Sorcerer’s Stone. The crew built her a tiny hamster coffin, complete with velvet lining, and gave her a proper funeral

She appears in Sorcerer’s Stone and is the perfect double. The grey tabby cat didn’t require any make-up or computer effects because her markings were already perfect.

Although Crabbe was in all of the books, he was missing from the final films. Jamie Waylett, who portrayed Crabbe, was charged with possession and fired in 2009. He was sentenced to community service and later did jail time for his involvement in the London Riots.

Thomas Felton, who played Malfoy, had a habit of sneaking food on set. When producers figured him out, not until the 3rd movie, they sewed his pockets shut. Felton confessed saying, “I want to clear this up because that is absolutely true!”

The headmaster got his name inspiration from one of his many passions, music. Dumbledore translates to bumblebee in Old English. Rowling chose this because she imagined him “walking around and humming to himself.”