When Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone first came out in theaters in 2001, fans of J.K. Rowling’s series of fantasy novels were more than ecstatic - and newcomers to the franchise were starting to understand what the fuss was all about. At the time, Potterheads all over the world had just finished devouring the more than 600 pages of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and now they could finally put a face to characters they had come to know and love over the course of the novels. While Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the other students at Hogwarts were played by relatively unknown actors, many of the teachers and other adult characters were certainly pretty familiar to lots of grown-ups in the audience. But, twenty years after the first Harry Potter movie came out, what are the franchise’s biggest stars up to? Here’s a guide to where you might’ve seen them recently.
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe)
The boy who lived grew up to become an Auror, and the boy who played him found freedom in the financial security being the face of an extremely lucrative franchise granted him. In a February 2021 interview with Empire Magazine, part of which was transcribed by NME, Radcliffe credits Harry Potter with allowing him to experiment with weird roles, such as the ones he played in movies like Swiss Army Man and Guns Akimbo. His latest project was the TBS anthology comedy series Miracle Workers, in which he plays an angel, a prince, and a reverend on the Oregon Trail. In 2022, Radcliffe is set to star alongside Sandra Bullock and Brad Pitt in The Lost City.
Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint)
The actor behind Harry Potter’s ride or die best friend and subsequent brother-in-law did get some other movies on his resume, but he’s been more active on television. Ever since 2017, he’s starred in the Netflix dark comedy series Sick Note, alongside Nick Frost, in Crackle’s TV adaptation of Guy Ritchie’s crime comedy Snatch, in the BBC miniseries The ABC Murders, and, most recently, in Apple TV+’s horror show Servant.
Hermione Granger (Emma Watson)
Out of the franchise’s main trio, Watson is arguably the one with the most star power nowadays - even if her last acting credit was two years ago as Meg March in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women. After portraying the “brightest witch of her age”, Watson starred in Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring and Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower and the live-action remake of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Watson also graduated in English literature from Brown University and, during the Covid-19 pandemic, stated on Instagram that she used her time at home to get a feel of what it’s like working behind the cameras. Maybe we'll see her get a directing credit soon!
Albus Dumbledore (Richard Harris and Michael Gambon)
The first actor to portray the Hogwarts headmaster, Richard Harris, passed away shortly after Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets came out. Already a well-established name in the British film and television industry, much like Harris, Michael Gambon took over the role from Prisoner of Azkaban on. Ever since the end of the series, he has been in many movies, TV shows, and stage productions. His latest works on screen were in the 2019 thriller, Cordelia, in the Judy Garland biopic, Judy, and in the Amazon mystery show, Fortitude.
Minerva McGonagall (Maggie Smith)
After the Harry Potter saga came to an end, Hogwarts’ Transfiguration professor and head of Gryffindor became Dowager Countess Violet Crawley in the hit period drama show, Downton Abbey. Dame Maggie Smith has reprised the role in both of the series film adaptations - the second one, titled Downton Abbey: A New Era, is set to come out in 2022.
Severus Snape (Alan Rickman)
Love him or hate him, there’s no denying the Hogwarts Master of Potions is an integral part of the Harry Potter series. Therefore, it’s no wonder that Alan Rickman’s death of pancreatic cancer in 2016 hit fans like a bomb. His last role was in Alice Through the Looking Glass. Rickman voiced the blue caterpillar, reprising his role from 2010’s Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.
Rubeus Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane)
The gentle half-giant that acts as Hogwarts’ gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys was portrayed on the screen by Robbie Coltrane, who had a successful acting career both before and after working on the franchise. Most recently, he has appeared as actor, writer, and director, Orson Welles, in Sky Arts’ comedy show Urban Myths. He has also starred alongside fellow Harry Potter cast member Julie Walters in Hulu’s miniseries, National Treasure.
Remus Lupin (David Thewlis)
The best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Hogwarts ever saw (and the best teacher fans never had), lycanthrope, Remus Lupin, was introduced in Prisoner of Azkaban. Thewlis reprised his role in four of the subsequent films (he didn't appear in Goblet of Fire, sadly). Most recently, fans may have recognized the old professor as Ares in Wonder Woman and Justice League. The actor currently voices the Shame Wizard in Netflix’s Big Mouth and will appear as John Dee in the upcoming Sandman series.
Sirius Black (Gary Oldman)
Before playing Harry’s beloved godfather, wrongfully arrested for the murder of Peter Pettigrew, Gary Oldman was already a pop culture household name for his performances as villains in Léon: The Professional and Air Force One, and as the titular character in Bram Stoker's Dracula. In 2017, Oldman won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance as British prime minister, Winston Churchill, in Darkest Hour. He was nominated in the same category again in 2020 for playing the titular character in Mank.
Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall)
Pet mouse, Death Eater, and traitor Peter Pettigrew kept himself hidden from the rest of the Wizarding world for over a decade. Spall, on the other hand, has been keeping himself busy on screen and stage ever since Harry Potter came to an end. In 2021 alone, he starred in The Last Bus and The Obscure Life of the Grand Duke of Corsica, and played Major Alistar Gregory in Pablo Larraín’s Princess Diana biopic, Spencer.
Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes)
The actor behind the dark wizard frequently referred to in hushed tones as He Who Must Not Be Named has most recently joined another British pop culture juggernaut, playing M in the new James Bond film, No Time to Die. In 2021, he also starred in the dramas The Dig and The Forgiven. His latest project, The King’s Man, is set to hit theaters in December.
Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton)
The would-be Death Eater we all loved to hate has more than a couple of movies in post-production according to his IMDb page. However, his most memorable roles after the most annoying kid in Slytherin were in The CW’s The Flash, in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and in the Amma Asante drama, A United Kingdom. Felton has also been dedicating himself to a different artistic passion: music. His first EP, YoOHoO, is currently available on Spotify.
Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis)
Lewis has been pretty active in British television ever since playing the anxious, clumsy kid turned Nagini-slayer, Neville Longbottom. Also, let's not forget the online hysteria when everyone found out that when out of Neville's costume and fake teeth, Lewis isn't too tough on the eyes. He can currently be seen in Channel 5’s drama, All Creatures Great and Small.
Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch)
Playing fan-favorite Loony… oops!, Luna Lovegood has opened many doors to Evanna Lynch, who is still working as an actress fourteen years after her first appearance in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Her latest role was in the BBC drama, Silent Witness. In 2021, Lynch published her first book, a memoir titled The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and the Glory of Growing Up.
Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright)
Though Wright did keep herself active as an actress for a few years after her run as Ginny Weasley, she has now moved on from the screens. Well, at least to some extent. Wright is currently an activist against climate change and has penned a book called Go Gently: Actionable Steps to Nurture Yourself and the Planet, set to come out in 2022, in which she offers tips on how to change your life to reduce your impact on the environment. The book has also inspired Wright to create a YouTube channel devoted to environmental issues.
Fred and George Weasley (James and Oliver Phelps)
Not actual redheads, James and Oliver Phelps kept on acting after the end of the Harry Potter series, but they’re still best known for the mischievous Weasley twins. Most recently, they played cloakroom attendant Harvis and his brother Jarvis in Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho. The siblings also host the Normal Not Normal podcast, in which they interview people that, like themselves, became famous very early in life, and are working on a travel show titled Fantastic Friends.
Molly Weasley (Julie Walters)
After playing the loving Molly Weasley and sharing the screen with fellow cast member Robbie Coltrane in Hulu’s National Treasure, Walters reprised her role as Rosie in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and appeared in the 2020 adaptation of The Secret Garden. She also voices a character in the British kids’ show, Moley.
Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton)
Arguably a worse villain than Lord Voldemort himself, Dolores Umbridge made her mark in the minds of Harry Potter fans with a single movie. Despite reprising the role in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1, it’s in Order of the Phoenix that Staunton truly has her time to shine in the franchise. As if Umbridge wasn't a powerful enough character for Staunton to seek her teeth into, she is set to play Queen Elizabeth II in the next season of Netflix’s The Crown. She will also be coming back as Dowager Baroness Maud Bagshaw in the upcoming Downton Abbey sequel, sharing the screen once more with Maggie Smith.
Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham-Carter)
Lord Voldemort's most faithful and deranged servant was Enola's (Millie Bobby Brown) mother, Eudoria, in Netflix's Enola Holmes, as well as Princess Margaret in the streaming platform's royal family drama The Crown. She is currently filming the sequel to Enola Holmes and is set to star as a British soap actress in the upcoming series, Nolly.
Sybill Trelawney (Emma Thompson)
Since Emma Thompson played the odd seer and Divination professor responsible for the prophecy that put Harry Potter in Lord Voldemort's line of sight, she has also played Agent O in Men in Black: International, Prime Minister Vivienne Rook in the dystopian miniseries Years and Years, and the Baroness in Disney's Cruella. She's currently filming the new Matilda movie in which she will be playing the terrifying Miss Trunchbull.