Where Harry Potter actors who were replaced are now – prison, tragedy and controversy

The Harry Potter cast was perfectly chosen and it’s hard to imagine many of the characters being played by anyone else.

Alan Rickman was so perfect as Severus Snape that most of the adult characters were aged up so he could be in the films, while Emma Watson is almost identical to Hermione Granger.

However, for various reasons there were some characters across the franchise who had to be recast.

From tragic deaths to behind-the-scenes drama, some actors had to be replaced during the course of making the movies.

There are the obvious ones, such as Michael Gambon taking over as Professor Dumbledore when Richard Harris tragically died, but many fans might not know who originally played Lord Voldemort.

Here is a look at the Harry Potter stars who were replaced.

Richard Harris – Albus Dumbledore

Everyone remembers Richard Harris’ spellbinding portrayal of Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films.

The Oscar-nominated actor, who played King Arthur in Camelot and Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator, turned down the role of the Hogwarts headmaster three times because he knew his health was in decline.

However, he finally accepted because his then 11-year-old granddaughter threatened to never speak to him again if he did not take it.

Harris admitted his wayward nature almost lost him the role of Harry Potter’s wise mentor as he and the rest of the cast were asked to sign up for a seven-movie deal.

“The thought of doing seven films was intimidating,” he said at the time. “I’m rebellious by nature and felt it could be rather difficult to handle.”

After filming the Chamber of Secrets, Harris fell ill and underwent chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s disease.

Harris had expected to get out of hospital in time to feature in the Prisoner of Azkaban but sadly he died in October 2002 at the age of 72.

Bosses were forced to recast the role and initially turned to Sir Ian McKellen, but he didn’t want to take the part as Harris had previously. called him a “dreadful” actor.

He explained on BBC’s HARDtalk: “When they called me up and said would I be interested in being in the Harry Potter films, they didn’t say in what part. I worked out what they were thinking, and I couldn’t take over the part from an actor who I’d known didn’t approve of me.”

Four months after Harris’ death, esteemed actor Michael Gambon was announced as the new Dumbledore.

Gambon portrayed the character in a slightly different way, making him more angry and putting on an Irish accent.

Verne Troyer – Griphook

Verne Troyer, who became famous playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers movies, played Griphook in the first movie.

Despite producers vowing to use only British actors throughout the films, the American actor someone managed to sneak in as the Gringotts goblin.

While Troyer appeared in prosthetics and costume as Griphook, he was voiced by Warwick Davis, who was seen on-screen as another bank teller and Charms teacher Professor Flitwick.

By the time Griphook was brought back into the franchise there was a definitive rule about only using British stars so Troyer was replaced.

In the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and 2, where he had a much more expanded role, he was played entirely by Davis

He managed to escape Malfoy Manor with our heroes and then led them to Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault inside Gringotts before betraying them to get the sword of Gryffindor.

Explaining how he got the part, Davis said: “Griphook has so much more depth to him than I’d ever been able to get into my work as Professor Flitwick.

“So, I went in and read for David Yates and the casting director, and gave them a best shot, David left a message that I’d got the part.”

As for Verne, he went on to appear in final Austin Powers movie Goldmember, The Keith Lemon movie and Celebrity Big Brother in 2009.

Sadly, the actor died aged 49 in Los Angeles in 2018 of suicide by alcohol poisoning.

Jamie Waylett – Vincent Crabbe

Jamie Waylett’s only acting roles have been in the Harry Potter movies.

The young actor played Draco Malfoy’s crony Vincent Crabbe, who was always seen alongside his double act partner Gregory Goyle.

He actually had to play Ron Weasley in the Chamber of Secrets in the scene where he drinks Polyjuice Potion to sneak into the Slytherin Common Room with Harry.

Waylett appeared in all of the first six movies until he was kicked out for some inappropriate behaviour.

In 2009, he lost his role in Harry Potter after he was caught growing cannabis plants in his home, and was sentenced to 120 hours community service.

Waylett was jailed for two years in 2012 after being found guilty of violent disorder when he swigged from a bottle of champagne stolen during the London riots.

He was pictured holding a petrol bomb, though he was cleared of intending to destroy or damage property.

While Crabbe was never properly recast, his role as one of Malfoy’s henchman was taken over by Blaise Zabini.

Malfoy’s new lieutenant, who was played by Louis Cordice, appeared in the final three films and was killed by Friendfyre in the Room of Requirement in Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

Richard Bremmer – Voldemort

It’s hard to imagine anyone other than Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort, but the villain was played by another actor in the first movie.

Richard Bremmer was the first person to appear on-screen as the Dark Lord during the flashback sequence where he murders Harry’s parents at their home.

However, you wouldn’t be able to recognise him as he was shrouded in a dark cloak for the dark scenes.

His face did appear right at the end of Philosopher’s Stone when Professor Quirrell removed his turban to reveal Voldermort’s face on the back of his head.

Bremmer was covered in prosthetics and his face was superimposed onto the back of Quirrell actor Ian Hart’s head – with Hart also doing the voice of the evil wizard.

When Voldermort finally returned to his full power in the fourth film he was played by Schindler’s List actor Fiennes.

“The producers spent a long time fighting to get me so I’m very proud to have been the first. But the role is now being played by Ralph Fiennes, who is an old mate, in the fourth film,” he Remmer told Digital Spy.

“I’ve been in the business a long time and it didn’t surprise me they just went for a bigger name, being Hollywood led, and I’m happy to pass it on to Ralph.”

Remmer may have missed out on coming back as one of the greatest villains of all time but he has continued acting.

He appeared in martial arts comedy Shanghai Nights, as an officer in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and in Coronation Street in 2004.

Elizabeth Spriggs – The Fat Lady

Acclaimed actress Elizabeth Spriggs played The Fat Lady in the first Harry Potter movie.

The moving portrait guarded the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room and was seen asking students for the password.

When she returned in the third film, The Fat Lady was portrayed be comedy legend Dawn French.

The French and Saunders star got the role after Christopher Columbus, who directed the first two films and was co-producer on the second, saw her Harry Potter spoof sketch for Comic Relief.

The Fat Lady got much more screen time in the Prisoner of Azkaban and was fundamental to the plot as she witnessed Sirius Black enter Hogwarts.

A more light-hearted version of the character, Dawn’s Fat Lady had a terrible singing voice and tried to impress the students by breaking a glass, although she actually smashed it against the wall.

She also hid behind a painting of a hippo in a neighbouring portrait when she got scared.

As for Spriggs, the Royal Shakespeare Company actress went on to appear in Heartbeat, Midsomer Murders and Agatha Christie’s Poirot.

Her final film role was in 2008 British drama Is Anybody There? which also featured Michael Caine.

Sadly, the actress passed away aged 78 in June 2008 and her funeral was attended by fellow actors Jeremy Irons and Peter Vaughan.

Derek Deadman – Tom the Innkeeper

Doctor Who actor Derek Dreadman played Leaky Cauldron barman Tom in the first Harry Potter movie.

But when the character return in the Prisoner of Azkaban he had been completely transformed.

The kindly barman had changed into a slightly creepy bald man with a hunched back, which actually was much more like his description in the books.

Jim Tavare took on the role for the third film and was instructed to be more like Igor from Young Frankenstein.

Dreadman stepped back from the movie scene after his appearance and sadly passed away from complications associated with his diabetes in 2014.

Jennifer Smith – Lavender Brown

Several actors have appeared in the role of Lavender Brown across the film franchise – leading to some controversy.

In he Chamber of Secrets she was played by Kathleen Cauley, who was then replaced by Jennifer Smith in the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Smith featured in several scenes, such as during a Divination lesson, but did not have any lines and her character was never mentioned by name.

Lavender was given a much more prominent role in the Half-Blood Prince when she became Ron Weasley’s girlfriend.

This time she was played by Jessie Cave, which caused some controversy and accusations of ‘white-washing’ the cast as black actresses had previously had the role.

That wasn’t the only scandal involving Lavender as the character was seen wearing Hufflepuff robes in the second movie instead of Gryffindor, an error which was corrected for the next movies.

Richard Fish – Bill Weasley

Richard Fish made a very fleeting appearance in The Prisoner of Azkaban as Bill Weasley.

In the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, Fish was seen in the back of a photo from the Weasley family’s holiday to Egypt during the school holidays.

Richard was stood behind Arthur Weasley actor Mark Williams – with the snap also containing Julie Walters and Rupert Grint.

All of the rest of the Weasley family were main cast members aside from Alex Crockford, who portrayed Charlie Weasley in the picture.

Richard actually spent a few days on set just to get the photo, which was obviously magically moving in the film, and the actor had hoped to return in a greater capacity in The Goblet of Fire.

During an interview with the Leaky Cauldron fan site, he said: “After Azkaban I had a talk with a few of the Assistant Directors over a couple of months and after they learned I was keen to return to hopefully make Bill have a larger presence, they confirmed that they were interested in re-hiring me for the job.”

However, it wasn’t to be as Bill did not appear in the subsequent movie and when he did appear properly in the franchise he was played by someone else entirely.

Domhnall Gleeson, the son of Mad Eye Moody actor Brendan Gleeson, took over the role for The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2.

*Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince airs tonight on ITV at 6.10pm

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Originally from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/harry-potter-actors-who-were-24754422