Of the three lead actors, Rupert is most like his character in person – so laid-back that you imagine he’d be better off in the Californian surf than the corridors of Hogwarts.
He tends to begin his answers with 'kind of' more often than not – his sleepy student vibe belies that he is part of one of the biggest movie franchises of all time and, if we’re to believe Forbes rich list, is worth a cool £20 million – but he has been hailed by Azkaban director Alfonso Cuarón as "the likely future star out of the Hogwarts trio". Only time will tell!
Ron has always been a source of comic relief throughout the series but he really comes into his own in the last two instalments...
Rupert Grint: Yes definitely, it all comes out in these movies. Ron has always been overshadowed by everyone in his life and I guess it all builds up when he doesn’t have faith in Harry.
In this movie, Ron and Hermione’s relationship continues – are you and Emma more comfortable now with the romantic scenes?
They’re alright actually. I was a bit nervous about them in the beginning and it is quite strange to think of Emma that way, but it was fine.
How do you feel when you look back at the first movie, since you’ve all grown up so much?
It’s quite weird looking back on the earlier films; it feels like I’m looking at someone else. We’ve all changed so much, it’s strange to see us looking so young.
Do you have one stand-out moment from your time in Harry Potter?
Probably our first day on set all those years ago, it was such a whirlwind. I came from such a whole different world and it was so exciting and life changing.
You’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the biggest names in the business in this franchise, from Alan Rickman to Maggie Smith, but are you still awestruck by them?
They all have such a presence, some more so than others. Alan Rickman has something about him and he stays in character, which can be a little scary. When I was young I would go around and get autographs from everyone.
If you hadn’t landed the role of Ron do you think you would be working in the movie industry now?
Probably not, the way I got into was so flukey, it’s kind of a scary thought what I’d be doing if Harry Potter hadn’t come along.
Ron has been quite unlucky in love, but would you say your love-life is more successful?
I think being in Harry Potter has possibly helped things for me, as I’m ginger, so that’s never a plus!
Is there any substance to the rumours linking you to a Prince Harry movie?
I don’t know where the Prince Harry thing came from; it’s probably because I’m ginger!
Now that Harry Potter is coming to an end, are you excited about getting involved in other projects?
I’m excited but also scared. We’ve been contained in this bubble for so many years and now we have to step out into the real world. But I’m looking forward to it, this has been part of my life for so long. I did a lot of TV films and low budget films last year so that gave me a taste for what else is out there.
What would you take from the set at the end?
I think I’d like the flying car – that would be quite cool. I’ve taken a few things along the way, nothing big. Maybe I shouldn’t be saying that!
Janice Butler
