Former Harry Potter star Rupert Grint is gearing up for the release of his new film, M. Night Shyamalan's latest thriller Knock at the Cabin, by taking a trip down memory lane. The British actor recently sat down for an interview with Bustle to talk about his upcoming project, but he also took the chance to reflect on one of his most formative roles to date: Ron Weasley.
Speaking to Bustle, Rupert opened up about navigating the acting world after starring in one of the most successful film franchises in history. In the process, he admitted the experience of shooting the eight-film saga back to back and then promoting it yearlong was “quite suffocating.”
Because of the pressure, Rupert told Bustle that he even contemplated a break from acting after the saga wrapped up in 2011. "I wanted a break, to reflect on everything," he said. “It was an out-of-body experience for a while, but I think we finished at the right time. If we continued, it could've gone downhill.”
Speaking to British GQ, Rupert also illustrated just how much his life would revolve around Harry Potter while the franchise was filming. While shooting the saga's fourth film, The Goblet of Fire, which premiered in 2005, the actor started suffering from intense tonsillitis, but he couldn't seek treatment due to his busy schedule.
"While I was filming, there was never any time to get them out. From Goblet to the end of the franchise, I was just ill. My tonsils were absolutely massive," Rupert told GQ, adding that they became a "metaphor" for his work-life balance. "As soon as I finished my work, I got them removed. It was one of the best decisions I ever made."
Despite the ups and downs, Rupert still looks back on his time as Ron Weasley with a smile on his face, and is ultimately grateful for the experience. “I answer to it, if someone calls me Ron. It’s my second name,” he joked to Bustle. Now, he's even trying to get his daughter Wednesday to join in on the wizarding fun. "I've shown her clips from Potter, but I don't think she understands it's me," he told GQ. "When she's old enough, I'm looking forward to watching them with her." That's a step up from claiming the saga had been ruined for him in our books!
