From wizards, witches, dragons, and other mythical creatures swarming throughout the Wizarding World, the famed Harry Potter franchise is notably synonymous with a variety of unforgettable stars and celebrities. As a result, young performers such as Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson were able to propel their careers, although a wide range of celebrities involved were already megastars.
But during a recent rewatch of the movies amidst an eye-popping marathon, I sat back and noticed how many actors were involved in the film franchise that I never actually realized as a kid. And, dare I say I’m probably not alone in these revelations — with the movies being a special part of plenty of people’s childhoods during the early 2000s. The acclaimed film franchise, of course, is based on the iconic novels from author J.K. Rowling, and follows the face-melting story centered around Harry Potter.
And yet, as massive as the film franchise has proven to be even decades after its pulse-pounding conclusion, a swift rewatch will surely remind you of all the familiar faces that appeared in the movies — you just might have not noticed at the time.
Alfred Enoch
In the ever-popular realm of Shondaland, most of us are familiar with Enoch’s top-notch work thanks to his incredible performance as Wes on How to Get Away with Murder. But before getting involved in tight-lipped crimes, Enoch starred in a slew of Potter movies as Dean Thomas — a half-blood Gryffindor student at Hogwarts who eventually proved to be an essential member of Dumbledore’s Army when it came time to defeat Lord Voldemort.
Warwick Davis
More often than not, the practical effects and perfected makeup used in the Harry Potter movies was so good that it intentionally kept the true identities of some actors hard to recognize. Without a doubt, Star Wars and Willow star Davis was certainly one of those individuals, with his performance as both Professor Flitwick and Griphook almost making him impossible to truly recognize. Even without being noticed at first glance, Davis’ performance has gone down in history, with his characters proving to be a crucial part of the overall story.
David Tennant
Before terrorizing Jessica Jones in the colossal MCU bubble and serving as the Tenth (and Fourteenth) Doctor, the Scottish actor made his presence felt as a significant villain while portraying Barty Crouch Jr. Tennant’s character memorably served as a member of Lord Voldemort’s collection of sinister followers, regularly fooling and manipulating a wide variety of other characters in the process. Tennant’s career has only blossomed from this point, but it’s hard to forget how evil he truly was as one of Voldemort’s loyal servants.
Robert Pattinson
It’s a bird! No, it’s a plane! No, it’s Batman! Well, I mean, it is, but it’s also one of the most beloved actors in the Harry Potter films. Long before donning the cape and cowl and being a forefront character in the Twilight saga, the 37-year-old actor stole our hearts and catapulted us into a whirlwind of emotions as Cedric Diggory — a likable student at Hogwarts from the Hufflepuff house. Technically a competitor for Harry Potter in the Tri-Wizard tournament, it didn’t take long for Potterheads to adore him, with the popularity pushing Pattinson’s career further.
Emma Thompson
OK, now hear me out — this is the most shocking out of all the celebrities on this list. Up until a recent rewatch just a few years ago, I literally had no clue that Emma Thompson was in the Harry Potter movies. That might have just been naivety on my part seeing as I was just a kid, but a fair amount of folks might be surprised to learn that the award-winning actress played Professor Trelawney — a half-blood witch who was able to see into the future. Even years later, seeing her unrecognizable face pop up in the movies is still a shock.
Other celebrities you might’ve missed
All the excitement of extra celebrities doesn’t just stop there, of course, with major names such as Jamie Campbell Bower, who now portrays Vecna in Stranger Things, and Freddie Stroma, who now portrays Vigilante in Peacemaker, both appearing in the Harry Potter films. In addition, memorable actors such as John Cleese, Verne Troyer, and Julianne Hough have all made cameo appearances in the film franchise as well. Proof that no matter how many times you watch them through, there’s always more to notice and appreciate about these movies.