Rupert Grint issues warning to Harry Potter fans ahead of his new film role

Rupert Grint has warned fans that his role in the new film Nightborn is extremely different from the loving character he played in the Harry Potter franchise.

In the upcoming Finnish horror movie, which is the 37-year-old actor’s first film since 2013, Grint plays Jon, a father raising a newborn with his wife, Saga (portrayed by Seidi Haarla), in an isolated house in the forest. However, Jon and Saga discover that there’s something wrong with their son, causing ripples in their marriage.

Given the themes in the film, like the emotional impacts of childbirth on a mother, and its graphic scenes, Grint knows the story is much different than the Harry Potter films he starred in as Ron Weasley for a decade — and he wants his fans to know that too.

“It does go against the warmth of Ron,” he said about his new role during an interview with Variety, published Friday. He’s also taking on different roles, including Bob Cratchit, an overworked and underpaid clerk to Ebenezer Scrooge (played by Johnny Deep) in a forthcoming rendition of A Christmas Carol.

Grint plans to keep his acting career going at his own pace, with hopes to work on “one thing every year.” However, he knows that he’s lucky enough to work in that manner because of the financial security he’s had from the Harry Potter films.

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“I’m very aware of that privilege,” he told Variety. “It was hard work, but those movies have allowed us to pick and choose, which is just such a gift. Obviously it doesn’t mean you’re always going to choose the right thing. But I do feel very lucky for that.”

Although he said he had to make "sacrifices" when working on the Harry Potter films, especially as a child at the time, he’s still thrilled he had this experience.

“It’s a long time, and there are definitely period where you want to get out it,” he explained. “But I have no regrets. It was a great time and I think they’ll have lots of good people around looking after them.”

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Although Grint starred in films such as M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller Knock at the Cabin (2023) and shows including the hit Apple TV+ series Servant (2019), he previously said that he felt like he would always be known as the lovable kid wizard.

“I’m fine with that,” he told the BBC in November. “I think it’s great. I love meeting people who really felt this was a part of their childhood.”

Asked whether he is fed up of being linked to a role he played decades ago, Grint replied: “No, absolutely not. I love it.”

Grint was 12 years old when he starred in the first Harry Potter alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. He was 22 by the time the final film hit cinemas in 2011.