WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.580 Welcome to The Deep Dive. Today, we're really 00:00:02.580 --> 00:00:05.339 getting into a pretty unique story. Imagine this. 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:08.980 Your whole childhood, basically from age 11 onwards, 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:12.419 is tied to, well, one of the most loved characters 00:00:12.419 --> 00:00:15.720 in modern fiction, Ron Weasley. So what actually 00:00:15.720 --> 00:00:18.359 happens after that? When your world's been defined 00:00:18.359 --> 00:00:20.899 by Harry Potter, how do you go about building 00:00:20.899 --> 00:00:23.179 your own identity? You know, a career with different 00:00:23.179 --> 00:00:25.500 sides to it, a life beyond the robes. That's 00:00:25.500 --> 00:00:27.940 what we're diving into today. Our mission, really, 00:00:28.219 --> 00:00:30.429 is to give you a full picture of Rupert Grint's 00:00:30.429 --> 00:00:32.990 journey. We'll look at everything his surprisingly 00:00:32.990 --> 00:00:35.549 normal childhood dreams, that very unconventional 00:00:35.549 --> 00:00:37.969 edition, then the whole decade in the spotlight. 00:00:38.210 --> 00:00:41.189 And then crucially, his path after Potter, how 00:00:41.189 --> 00:00:43.450 he deliberately tried different things, film, 00:00:43.490 --> 00:00:45.350 TV, even theater. A place we'll touch on his 00:00:45.350 --> 00:00:47.390 personal life, his charity work, and yeah, even 00:00:47.390 --> 00:00:49.329 the slightly tricky subject of his finances. 00:00:49.710 --> 00:00:51.770 The aim is for you to get a really rounded view 00:00:51.770 --> 00:00:54.450 of the man himself. Exactly. And for this deep 00:00:54.450 --> 00:00:56.289 dive, we're mainly drawing from a pretty detailed 00:00:56.289 --> 00:00:59.240 biography. It's packed with info. Seriously, 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:01.700 it covers his acting milestones, what critics 00:01:01.700 --> 00:01:03.960 thought, some great personal stories that show 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:06.480 his character, and yeah, even the complex stuff 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:08.799 like his tax dealings. It gives us this fascinating 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:11.900 look at someone whose life just exploded into 00:01:11.900 --> 00:01:14.700 the public eye so young and how it's kept developing 00:01:14.700 --> 00:01:17.500 in, well, often quite surprising ways. Right. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:19.400 So let's start right back at the beginning then. 00:01:20.019 --> 00:01:23.140 Rupert Alexander Lloyd Grint. born August 24, 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:26.680 1988, in Harlow, Essex. He's the eldest of five 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:29.620 kids. His dad, Nigel Dilton Racing Memorabilia, 00:01:29.620 --> 00:01:32.340 and his mom, Joanne. He grew up in Watnit Stone, 00:01:32.459 --> 00:01:35.439 Hertfordshire. Now you'd maybe think, future 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:37.739 global movie star must have dreamed of acting, 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:40.340 right? But the charming thing is, his big ambition. 00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:42.260 It wasn't acting, he wanted to be an ice cream 00:01:42.260 --> 00:01:44.480 man. Seriously. Yeah, it's a great little detail, 00:01:44.579 --> 00:01:46.730 isn't it? And he actually did it. Later on, with 00:01:46.730 --> 00:01:48.469 his Harry Potter money, he bought an ice cream 00:01:48.469 --> 00:01:50.890 van, drove around selling ice cream to locals, 00:01:51.230 --> 00:01:53.290 fulfilled the dream. That ice cream van story, 00:01:53.510 --> 00:01:55.049 it's more than just cute, though. I think it 00:01:55.049 --> 00:01:57.510 says a lot. It points to this kind of desire 00:01:57.510 --> 00:02:01.670 for something normal, maybe simple joys, which 00:02:01.670 --> 00:02:04.750 is such a huge contrast to the insane global 00:02:04.750 --> 00:02:07.170 fame that was about to hit him. And it brings 00:02:07.170 --> 00:02:10.159 up that big question, really. How does anyone, 00:02:10.520 --> 00:02:13.180 especially a kid, keep hold of who they are when 00:02:13.180 --> 00:02:15.400 they're suddenly thrown into this massive public 00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:18.240 kind of weird life? That dream almost feels like 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:20.780 an anchor. You know, something tying to a more 00:02:20.780 --> 00:02:23.020 ordinary world. Yeah, you can sort of see that 00:02:23.020 --> 00:02:24.939 desire for normalcy in his background, too. He 00:02:24.939 --> 00:02:27.080 went to Richard Hale School in Hertford, was 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:30.060 raised Catholic, apparently feared God as a kid, 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:32.159 which suggests a pretty standard upbringing. 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:34.960 Sure, he liked theater at school, did some plays, 00:02:35.219 --> 00:02:37.439 joined the Top Hat stage in screen school, played 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:39.680 a fish in Noah's Ark, a donkey in the Nativity. 00:02:40.219 --> 00:02:42.439 Classic school play stuff. But the key thing, 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:45.379 he had zero professional acting experience before 00:02:45.379 --> 00:02:48.360 Potter. None. He even left school at 16, said 00:02:48.360 --> 00:02:50.300 he didn't really like school that much. Just 00:02:50.300 --> 00:02:52.099 sounds like a pretty regular kid, completely 00:02:52.099 --> 00:02:54.680 unprepared for what was coming. Absolutely. And 00:02:54.680 --> 00:02:57.800 that context just makes his leap even more incredible. 00:02:58.259 --> 00:03:01.699 From school plays to, well, a multi -billion 00:03:01.699 --> 00:03:04.120 dollar franchise, it's almost unheard of. It 00:03:04.120 --> 00:03:06.280 really highlights the gamble the casting directors 00:03:06.280 --> 00:03:09.159 took, maybe. Or perhaps it shows there was just 00:03:09.159 --> 00:03:10.879 something inherently right about him, something 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:14.199 you can't teach. An authenticity, maybe. Authenticity. 00:03:14.340 --> 00:03:16.340 Yeah, that leads perfectly into the audition 00:03:16.340 --> 00:03:19.599 story. So, casting for Philosopher's Stone kicks 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:23.500 off in 1999. J .K. Rowling famously wanted an 00:03:23.500 --> 00:03:26.060 all -British cast. Grint, who was actually a 00:03:26.060 --> 00:03:28.580 fan of the books already, sees a report on Newsround 00:03:28.580 --> 00:03:31.379 about the open casting, decides to go for Ron. 00:03:31.639 --> 00:03:33.159 And this is where it gets brilliant. Instead 00:03:33.159 --> 00:03:34.919 of doing a normal audition piece, what does he 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:38.120 do? He sends in a video of himself rapping, rapping 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:40.360 about why he should get the part. Can you imagine 00:03:40.360 --> 00:03:43.039 the sheer nerve of it? Exactly. It's so unique, 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:45.360 so unexpected, just this burst of personality. 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:48.060 And it worked. The casting team noticed it. It 00:03:48.060 --> 00:03:50.000 stood out from probably thousands of tapes. And 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:52.319 they called him in. Such a bold move. Totally. 00:03:52.680 --> 00:03:56.159 And in August 2000, boom, he's cast alongside 00:03:56.159 --> 00:03:59.039 Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, the famous 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:01.560 trio. And in a little trivia bit, he's actually 00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:03.659 the oldest of the three. People often don't realize 00:04:03.659 --> 00:04:05.780 that. It's legendary for a reason, that story. 00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:08.620 And the inside, I think, is that sometimes just 00:04:08.620 --> 00:04:11.240 being yourself, even in a quirky way, can cut 00:04:11.240 --> 00:04:13.759 through more than polished technique. Especially 00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:15.259 when they're looking for someone with natural 00:04:15.259 --> 00:04:17.699 charm, which Ron definitely needed. He wasn't 00:04:17.699 --> 00:04:20.399 trying to be someone else. He just put his enthusiasm 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:22.860 out there in his own way. And that raw passion, 00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:25.560 that distinctiveness, it was obviously exactly 00:04:25.560 --> 00:04:27.790 what they wanted. It's a good reminder, maybe, 00:04:27.930 --> 00:04:29.949 that taking the unconventional path can really 00:04:29.949 --> 00:04:33.870 pay off. So there he is, Rupert Grint, the aspiring 00:04:33.870 --> 00:04:36.050 ice -cream man who wrapped his way into playing 00:04:36.050 --> 00:04:38.829 Ron Weasley. And then for ten solid years, his 00:04:38.829 --> 00:04:41.290 life was Ron Weasley. He grew up playing that 00:04:41.290 --> 00:04:44.290 character. All eight Harry Potter films. Starting 00:04:44.290 --> 00:04:46.569 with Philosopher's Stone in 2001, right through 00:04:46.569 --> 00:04:49.649 to Deathly Hallows Part II in 2011. That's basically 00:04:49.649 --> 00:04:52.129 his entire adolescence on screen. It's an immense 00:04:52.129 --> 00:04:54.250 undertaking. Think about it holding onto a character 00:04:54.250 --> 00:04:58.050 and your own identity. Across 10 years, eight 00:04:58.050 --> 00:05:00.870 massive films during your most formative time. 00:05:01.370 --> 00:05:03.649 It's an extraordinary amount of pressure. Growing 00:05:03.649 --> 00:05:05.970 up personally, growing professionally, all while 00:05:05.970 --> 00:05:08.189 the whole world is watching. Just keeping the 00:05:08.189 --> 00:05:10.310 enthusiasm going, keeping the character fresh, 00:05:10.810 --> 00:05:12.750 dealing with the fame, the travel, the filming 00:05:12.750 --> 00:05:15.410 demands. It takes a kind of resilience we probably 00:05:15.410 --> 00:05:17.670 don't even think about. Let's track that journey 00:05:17.670 --> 00:05:21.180 a bit, film by film. See how he evolved. Philosopher's 00:05:21.180 --> 00:05:24.279 Stone, 2001, his big screen debut. And it was 00:05:24.279 --> 00:05:27.459 huge, right? Smashbox office records, highest 00:05:27.459 --> 00:05:29.920 grossing film of the year, nearly a billion dollars. 00:05:30.259 --> 00:05:32.560 Critics mostly liked it, though some felt it 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:34.540 stuck maybe too closely to the book. But for 00:05:34.540 --> 00:05:37.660 Grint, instant recognition. He won a Satellite 00:05:37.660 --> 00:05:40.279 Award for Outstanding New Talent, a Young Artist 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:42.920 Award for Most Promising Young Newcomer, straight 00:05:42.920 --> 00:05:45.160 out of the gate. Yeah, that must have been completely 00:05:45.160 --> 00:05:48.730 wild. Thrilling, but maybe terrifying too. Going 00:05:48.730 --> 00:05:51.329 from literally no professional acting to winning 00:05:51.329 --> 00:05:54.629 awards overnight, it set the bar incredibly high. 00:05:55.189 --> 00:05:57.069 But it also showed the casting wasn't just luck. 00:05:57.430 --> 00:06:00.470 They saw something real in his performance. That 00:06:00.470 --> 00:06:03.509 raw, sort of untutored energy he had was perfect 00:06:03.509 --> 00:06:06.290 for Ron in that first film, that amateurish ardor 00:06:06.290 --> 00:06:08.110 someone mentioned. Then Chamber of Secrets in 00:06:08.110 --> 00:06:11.069 2002, also well received. Critics liked the leads 00:06:11.069 --> 00:06:13.870 again. And interestingly, papers like the LA 00:06:13.870 --> 00:06:15.930 Times and New York Magazine pointed out the trio 00:06:15.930 --> 00:06:18.329 were maturing. New York Magazine specifically 00:06:18.329 --> 00:06:20.589 said Grint was more proficient, although they 00:06:20.589 --> 00:06:22.310 kind of missed that raw quality from the first 00:06:22.310 --> 00:06:24.209 film, that amateurish ardor from him and Emma 00:06:24.209 --> 00:06:26.470 Watson. That observation is really telling, isn't 00:06:26.470 --> 00:06:28.129 it? It shows how quickly they were learning on 00:06:28.129 --> 00:06:30.970 the job. It's natural, that shift from pure instinct 00:06:30.970 --> 00:06:34.410 to more technique. For Grint, this film let him 00:06:34.410 --> 00:06:37.079 dig a bit deeper into Ron. especially with things 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:40.079 like the spiders, his arachnophobia, which apparently 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:43.220 is a real fear for Grint too. So reacting convincingly 00:06:43.220 --> 00:06:46.379 to Aragog, a giant CGI spider, needed more than 00:06:46.379 --> 00:06:48.600 just enthusiasm. It showed he was developing 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:50.600 the skills to really embody the character in 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:54.300 these big fantastical scenes. 2004 Prisoner of 00:06:54.300 --> 00:06:56.480 Azkaban. Big change here with Alfonso Cuarón 00:06:56.480 --> 00:06:59.040 directing. Definitely a darker tone. The kids 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:01.259 are on the brink of adolescence, facing much 00:07:01.259 --> 00:07:03.939 more serious stuff. Oddly, it's the lowest grossing 00:07:03.939 --> 00:07:06.129 Potter film still made nearly 800 $100 million, 00:07:06.610 --> 00:07:08.370 mind you, and was the second biggest film of 00:07:08.370 --> 00:07:11.089 2004, but lower than the others. Quaron definitely 00:07:11.089 --> 00:07:13.430 brought a different feel, more introspective, 00:07:13.569 --> 00:07:16.029 maybe moodier, and that pushed the actors, I 00:07:16.029 --> 00:07:18.970 think. For Grint, it meant exploring Ron's loyalty, 00:07:19.129 --> 00:07:21.550 his anxieties, with a bit more weight. It wasn't 00:07:21.550 --> 00:07:23.529 just reacting to magic anymore, it was about 00:07:23.529 --> 00:07:26.269 the emotional impact of it all. That kind of 00:07:26.269 --> 00:07:28.230 direction probably forced him to find deeper 00:07:28.230 --> 00:07:30.750 nuances in Ron, needing real character work, 00:07:30.810 --> 00:07:33.310 not just saying the lines, a crucial step for 00:07:33.310 --> 00:07:36.230 any young actor. the back's office dip doesn't 00:07:36.230 --> 00:07:38.050 really diminish its importance in their development. 00:07:38.410 --> 00:07:41.879 Okay, on to Goblet of Fire in 2005. Mike Newell 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:44.019 directing this one. More romance creeping in, 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:46.680 more humor, too. Grint apparently said Newell 00:07:46.680 --> 00:07:49.600 was really loud and swore a bit, but really cool. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:52.399 Sounds like maybe a looser vibe on set. He and 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:53.980 the others actually said in an interview that 00:07:53.980 --> 00:07:56.060 the humor was a big part of its success, and 00:07:56.060 --> 00:07:57.740 critically, one of the best reviews of the series, 00:07:58.139 --> 00:07:59.959 praised for being more mature, sophisticated, 00:08:00.139 --> 00:08:02.319 darker plot, good writing, great performances. 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:05.160 This one was a big turning point for Ron's character, 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:07.540 definitely. He's dealing with all that teenage 00:08:07.540 --> 00:08:10.529 stuff, insecurity, jealousy. especially around 00:08:10.529 --> 00:08:12.810 Hermione and the yule ball. And Grint really 00:08:12.810 --> 00:08:14.949 had to navigate that. The awkwardness, the sort 00:08:14.949 --> 00:08:17.870 of simmering romance, the frustration, but also 00:08:17.870 --> 00:08:20.509 lean into the humor. It really showed his range 00:08:20.509 --> 00:08:23.189 expanding. It wasn't just magic. It was the very 00:08:23.189 --> 00:08:25.629 human stuff of growing up just, you know, amplified 00:08:25.629 --> 00:08:28.389 by the wizarding world. His portrayal of Ron's 00:08:28.389 --> 00:08:30.990 vulnerability here made the character even more 00:08:30.990 --> 00:08:32.789 relatable, I think. Showed he could handle that 00:08:32.789 --> 00:08:38.740 emotional complexity. David Yates takes over 00:08:38.740 --> 00:08:40.559 as director and he sticks around for the rest 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:44.059 of the series. Huge hit financially, set a massive 00:08:44.059 --> 00:08:46.799 worldwide opening weekend record. Grint said 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:48.840 Yates was really good, liked his laid -back style, 00:08:48.980 --> 00:08:51.200 felt it kept things fresh, shows how that director 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:53.100 relationship matters. And this was the year they 00:08:53.100 --> 00:08:55.039 did the handprints, footprints, and wand prints 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:57.759 at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, properly 00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:00.360 cemented in film history. Having Yates provide 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:03.000 that consistent direction for the last four films 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:05.600 must have been beneficial. a stable environment 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:07.919 for them to keep growing. And yeah, that Grumman 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:09.899 ceremony is more than just publicity, isn't it? 00:09:10.220 --> 00:09:12.360 It's a real marker of their cultural impact, 00:09:12.940 --> 00:09:14.740 a permanent acknowledgement of their work over 00:09:14.740 --> 00:09:17.440 that decade. Pretty profound. Then Half -Blood 00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:21.039 Prince in 2009. Another box office monster, over 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:24.720 930 million. Very well reviewed, too. People 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:27.879 like the emotionally satisfying story, the look, 00:09:28.019 --> 00:09:30.899 the feel of it. And Grant himself noticed a shift 00:09:30.899 --> 00:09:33.080 in Ron. Said his character was becoming more 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:35.259 secure, less defined by just being insecure, 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:37.980 but also showing a darker edge as things got 00:09:37.980 --> 00:09:41.340 serious. He actually said it was fun to personify 00:09:41.340 --> 00:09:43.860 a more emotional Ron. Shows he was really engaging 00:09:43.860 --> 00:09:45.720 with the character's journey, got a few award 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:48.190 nominations for it, too. That development for 00:09:48.190 --> 00:09:51.230 Ron was key. Moving him beyond just the funny 00:09:51.230 --> 00:09:54.330 best friend, it let Grinch show more depth, hinting 00:09:54.330 --> 00:09:56.690 at the maturity needed for the really heavy final 00:09:56.690 --> 00:09:59.169 films. You know, actors can get stuck in a role 00:09:59.169 --> 00:10:01.610 in a long series, so getting meatier emotional 00:10:01.610 --> 00:10:03.769 arcs is vital. Keeps him challenged, stops it 00:10:03.769 --> 00:10:06.009 getting stale. This film really let him demonstrate 00:10:06.009 --> 00:10:08.720 that complexity. Right, the grand finale. Split 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:11.340 in two parts. Deathly Hallows, part one in 2010, 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:14.340 part two in 2011. Apparently the main actors 00:10:14.340 --> 00:10:16.240 had some initial thoughts about whether to sign 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:18.100 on again, which is understandable. It was a huge 00:10:18.100 --> 00:10:21.080 commitment. But Grint was on board by March 2007. 00:10:21.539 --> 00:10:23.379 Splitting the last book made sense financially 00:10:23.379 --> 00:10:25.399 and for the story. They shot them back to back. 00:10:25.639 --> 00:10:27.919 Finally wrapped in June 2010. Must have been 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:30.940 intense. Part one did incredibly well. Over 950 00:10:30.940 --> 00:10:33.639 million. Good reviews, mostly. And Grint's performance 00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:35.700 really got noticed here. Dana Stevens at Slate 00:10:35.700 --> 00:10:38.299 said all three leads were terrific. Joe Morgenstern 00:10:38.299 --> 00:10:39.860 at the Wall Street Journal didn't even like the 00:10:39.860 --> 00:10:42.080 film much but wrote specifically that Grint has 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:44.240 grown up to be a skillful actor who knows the 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:47.559 value of a slow burn. High praise. Got nominations 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:50.019 from MTV and the National Movie Awards too. Best 00:10:50.019 --> 00:10:52.600 fight. Performance of the year. So recognized 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:55.200 by critics and audiences. That phrase skillful 00:10:55.200 --> 00:10:58.360 actor is huge. It really validates that whole 00:10:58.360 --> 00:11:01.139 decade of learning on camera. Shows a clear progression 00:11:01.139 --> 00:11:05.970 from novice to well accomplished. And slow burn 00:11:05.970 --> 00:11:10.610 suggests subtlety, control, a long way from that 00:11:10.610 --> 00:11:13.350 initial amateurish ardor. It means he could deliver 00:11:13.350 --> 00:11:16.350 understated but powerful moments, proof he genuinely 00:11:16.350 --> 00:11:18.330 honed his craft through that intense experience. 00:11:18.529 --> 00:11:20.409 He didn't just grow up, he grew as an actor. 00:11:20.730 --> 00:11:23.549 In part two in 2011, picks up the pace, more 00:11:23.549 --> 00:11:26.470 action focused, critically acclaimed, Grint included. 00:11:26.789 --> 00:11:28.710 Anne Hornaday at the Washington Post had that 00:11:28.710 --> 00:11:30.870 great line, who could have predicted that Radcliffe, 00:11:31.009 --> 00:11:32.990 Grint and Watson would turn out to be good actors? 00:11:33.649 --> 00:11:35.970 Box Office was insane. Biggest midnight release, 00:11:36.169 --> 00:11:38.110 biggest first day, biggest opening weekend, ended 00:11:38.110 --> 00:11:40.250 up as the fourth highest grossing film ever at 00:11:40.250 --> 00:11:42.970 the time. And for Grant, the end was obviously 00:11:42.970 --> 00:11:44.889 massive, he said. I mean, it literally has been 00:11:44.889 --> 00:11:46.809 my childhood. Yeah, I remember reading that quote. 00:11:47.149 --> 00:11:49.190 And suddenly it all came down to really just 00:11:49.190 --> 00:11:51.830 one random scene, jumping through a fireplace, 00:11:51.929 --> 00:11:54.759 and then it was over. He said it was very odd, 00:11:55.000 --> 00:11:56.820 really emotional, realizing they'd never do it 00:11:56.820 --> 00:11:59.960 again. And J .K. Rowling herself, at the premiere, 00:12:00.279 --> 00:12:02.539 called him one of the big seven cast members, 00:12:02.919 --> 00:12:05.139 acknowledged how vital he was. It's fascinating, 00:12:05.220 --> 00:12:08.200 isn't it, how he, like Ron, visibly grew up on 00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:11.460 screen. The critics noticed that growth, especially 00:12:11.460 --> 00:12:14.360 later on, the challenge is immense. Keeping it 00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:17.200 fresh, staying enthusiastic, developing the character 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:19.259 over 10 years, especially when you're so young 00:12:19.259 --> 00:12:21.700 and so identified with that role, Grit managed 00:12:21.700 --> 00:12:24.460 it by letting Ron grow with him. His later performances 00:12:24.460 --> 00:12:26.820 felt really personal, and they got that critical 00:12:26.820 --> 00:12:29.139 recognition. You know, looking at other child 00:12:29.139 --> 00:12:31.539 actors in long franchises, it's quite rare to 00:12:31.539 --> 00:12:33.480 see that consistent validation for their acting 00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:35.740 evolution and their ability to sort of separate 00:12:35.740 --> 00:12:37.679 themselves from the character while still honoring 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:40.019 it. So what's the takeaway on Grint here? He 00:12:40.019 --> 00:12:42.460 literally matured before our eyes, from that 00:12:42.460 --> 00:12:45.700 raw enthusiasm to being called a skillful actor. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:48.639 That's a massive journey, especially under that 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:51.320 constant global spotlight. And you have to wonder, 00:12:51.659 --> 00:12:53.539 how does spending your entire entire youth so 00:12:53.539 --> 00:12:55.879 deeply immersed in a fictional world affect you? 00:12:56.200 --> 00:13:00.019 Your sense of self? Your future plans? It definitely 00:13:00.019 --> 00:13:02.039 adds a layer to understanding the choices he 00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:04.919 made next, trying to define himself outside of 00:13:04.919 --> 00:13:08.659 Hogwarts. Okay, so while Potter was still massive, 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:10.940 Grint was already starting to look beyond it. 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:12.980 Testing the waters, you could say. Which is smart. 00:13:13.149 --> 00:13:15.929 Very smart. The danger of being tight cast after 00:13:15.929 --> 00:13:19.029 a role that huge is massive. So doing other projects, 00:13:19.190 --> 00:13:21.269 even small ones, while Potter was still going, 00:13:21.610 --> 00:13:23.450 it was a way to signal to people, hey, I can 00:13:23.450 --> 00:13:25.269 do other things, explore different genres, get 00:13:25.269 --> 00:13:28.250 different experiences, basically building a non 00:13:28.250 --> 00:13:31.149 -Potter CV before it all ended. That kind of 00:13:31.149 --> 00:13:32.830 thinking is crucial for staying relevant long 00:13:32.830 --> 00:13:35.509 term. His first film outside Potter was way back 00:13:35.509 --> 00:13:38.590 in 2002, actually. Thunder Pants. He co -starred 00:13:38.590 --> 00:13:41.070 as Alan, a boy who can't smell, who's friends 00:13:41.070 --> 00:13:43.250 with another kid who has, let's say, extraordinary 00:13:43.250 --> 00:13:46.210 flash lens issues. Right. Yeah. Critics pretty 00:13:46.210 --> 00:13:49.090 much hated it. One review was brutal. This film 00:13:49.090 --> 00:13:50.870 should be shown in prison so that inmates have 00:13:50.870 --> 00:13:56.490 a good reason to never return. Wow. OK. Well, 00:13:56.570 --> 00:13:58.350 you can't knock them for trying something different, 00:13:58.470 --> 00:14:00.970 I guess. I mean, going from this huge fantasy 00:14:00.970 --> 00:14:03.649 blockbuster to that. It's certainly a choice. 00:14:03.730 --> 00:14:05.840 Maybe it was just for fun. A way to do something 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:08.100 completely silly, away from the Potter intensity. 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:10.840 Or maybe just a chance to work without that immense 00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:12.919 pressure. Even if it didn't land critically, 00:14:13.100 --> 00:14:15.039 it shows he wasn't afraid to experiment, you 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:17.539 know? Didn't take himself too seriously, perhaps. 00:14:17.740 --> 00:14:19.600 That can be valuable for a young actor, too. 00:14:19.860 --> 00:14:22.179 Fast forward to 2006. He does Driving Lessons. 00:14:22.279 --> 00:14:24.620 It's a comedy drama, and he stars opposite Julie 00:14:24.620 --> 00:14:27.120 Walters' Molly Weasley herself. Ah, interesting 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:30.570 pairing. Yeah. The film got mixed reviews overall, 00:14:30.750 --> 00:14:32.929 but Grint's performance as this sort of oppressed 00:14:32.929 --> 00:14:36.750 teenage boy, Ben, was widely praised. André Soares 00:14:36.750 --> 00:14:39.750 at Alt Film Guide called him a revelation, said 00:14:39.750 --> 00:14:42.330 he had this innate naturalness mixed with personal 00:14:42.330 --> 00:14:44.549 charisma that made the character really likeable 00:14:44.549 --> 00:14:47.070 and funny, despite being potentially quite awkward. 00:14:47.230 --> 00:14:49.549 And that seems significant. Co -star from Potter. 00:14:49.740 --> 00:14:52.320 totally different vibe. And he gets singled out 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:54.299 for praise like that. Show there was definitely 00:14:54.299 --> 00:14:56.779 more to him than Ron. Working with Julie Walters 00:14:56.779 --> 00:14:59.360 again probably helped. Created a comfortable 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:01.820 space for him to maybe take more risks. And getting 00:15:01.820 --> 00:15:03.860 that kind of specific critical acclaim being 00:15:03.860 --> 00:15:06.480 called a revelation, that's huge. It wasn't just, 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:09.120 oh, Ron's in another film. It was validation 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:11.759 that he could act, genuinely act in a different 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:15.200 register. Proved he could handle nuance, charm, 00:15:15.720 --> 00:15:18.259 vulnerability in a grounded non -magical role. 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:21.080 a really key step in shaking off the typecasting 00:15:21.080 --> 00:15:23.600 potential. Then in 2009, he went darker with 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.620 Cherry Bomb, a drama with Robert Sheehan and 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:29.820 Kimberly Nixon. He played Maliki, a guy who gets 00:15:29.820 --> 00:15:31.679 obsessed with his boss's daughter and it leads 00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:35.200 to violence. Pretty different territory. Grin 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:37.179 himself said it was very different from shooting 00:15:37.179 --> 00:15:39.720 Potter much faster pace, like a dozen scenes 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:42.399 per day, his first real go at something more 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:44.370 intense, more adult. And what's really interesting 00:15:44.370 --> 00:15:46.850 about Cherry Bomb is the fan involvement. It 00:15:46.850 --> 00:15:49.110 premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in 2009, 00:15:49.230 --> 00:15:51.330 but struggled to get a distributor, having a 00:15:51.330 --> 00:15:54.490 lot with indie films. But then Grint's fans launched 00:15:54.490 --> 00:15:57.059 this online campaign. And it actually worked. 00:15:57.379 --> 00:15:59.779 They helped secure a UK distribution deal in 00:15:59.779 --> 00:16:02.899 2010. Wow, really? Yeah. It makes you wonder, 00:16:02.919 --> 00:16:05.360 doesn't it, how much does that kind of massive 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:08.960 early fan base actually help an actor diversify, 00:16:09.019 --> 00:16:10.940 not just by watching the films, but by actively 00:16:10.940 --> 00:16:12.740 fighting for them? It's a pretty powerful example 00:16:12.740 --> 00:16:15.220 of fan loyalty making a tangible difference. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:18.139 Definitely. OK, then Wild Target in 2010. Comedy, 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:20.799 thriller, remake of a French film. Stared with 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:23.629 Emily Blunt and Bill Nighy. Yeah, but it didn't 00:16:23.629 --> 00:16:26.169 do well. Small budget. Made even less back. Mostly 00:16:26.169 --> 00:16:29.309 negative reviews, too. But even in that, Grint 00:16:29.309 --> 00:16:31.870 still got some positive mentions. One critic 00:16:31.870 --> 00:16:33.870 said something like, nice to see him do well 00:16:33.870 --> 00:16:36.409 in a role that isn't Ron. He clearly has a career 00:16:36.409 --> 00:16:39.009 ahead of him. So even a flop didn't entirely 00:16:39.009 --> 00:16:40.909 bury his performance. And alongside all this, 00:16:40.929 --> 00:16:43.830 he was still popping up elsewhere. A cameo in 00:16:43.830 --> 00:16:46.830 Come Fly With Me on the BBC got cast as the lead 00:16:46.830 --> 00:16:49.370 in a small Norwegian anti -war film Into the 00:16:49.370 --> 00:16:52.539 White based on a true story from 1940. That sounds 00:16:52.539 --> 00:16:55.200 intense. Did a fashion shoot with Tom Felton, 00:16:55.320 --> 00:16:57.980 Draco Malfoy for Band of Outsiders, announced 00:16:57.980 --> 00:17:00.879 he was voicing Postman Pat. Postman Pat, seriously. 00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:03.879 Yep. And famously, he was in Ed Sheeran's Lego 00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:06.859 House music video in October 2011. So these varied 00:17:06.859 --> 00:17:09.619 projects, often quite small, during the Potter 00:17:09.619 --> 00:17:11.859 peak years, they were just random gigs. It feels 00:17:11.859 --> 00:17:14.240 very strategic. Testing different genres, different 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:16.759 mediums, indie drama, voice acting, music videos, 00:17:17.380 --> 00:17:19.839 building that non -Potter identity piece by piece. 00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:21.950 He was actively showing his range. before the 00:17:21.950 --> 00:17:24.390 safety net of Potter was gone. That's smart career 00:17:24.390 --> 00:17:26.529 planning, trying to ensure he wouldn't just disappear 00:17:26.529 --> 00:17:28.730 or be stuck as Ron forever. Yeah, it's like he 00:17:28.730 --> 00:17:31.250 was laying the groundwork. So consider that. 00:17:31.849 --> 00:17:34.190 How important were those smaller, diverse roles 00:17:34.190 --> 00:17:37.049 during the height of Potter -mania? Were they 00:17:37.049 --> 00:17:39.809 just keeping busy or a calculated strategy to 00:17:39.809 --> 00:17:41.990 prepare for the future? Seems like the latter. 00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:46.319 OK, so Potter wraps up in 2011. Now Rupert Grint 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:48.539 steps out properly on his own, and he didn't 00:17:48.539 --> 00:17:50.680 just focus on acting straight away. In 2012, 00:17:50.779 --> 00:17:53.180 he did other things, too, like that Visit Britain 00:17:53.180 --> 00:17:56.180 TV ad with Julie Walters again, Misha Stockery, 00:17:56.380 --> 00:17:59.519 Stephen Fry, promoting UK holidays using his 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:01.920 profile. Right. Leveraging that recognizability. 00:18:02.099 --> 00:18:04.759 And later that year, July 25th, he carried the 00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:07.519 Olympic torch for the London 2012 Games. ran 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:09.920 through Hendon, said it was overwhelming, amazing, 00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:12.180 felt really proud, a big national moment. Yeah, 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:13.900 that's significant, connecting himself to something 00:18:13.900 --> 00:18:16.779 beyond entertainment. He also narrated a 3D planetarium 00:18:16.779 --> 00:18:19.440 film called We Are Aliens about searching for 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:22.240 life in the universe, diversifying again. Looking 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:25.339 at those things together, the tourism ad, the 00:18:25.339 --> 00:18:28.339 Olympics, the science narration, it shows a clear 00:18:28.339 --> 00:18:30.720 effort to broaden how people saw him. He wasn't 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:33.500 just Ron Weasley actor. He was engaging with 00:18:33.500 --> 00:18:36.099 national events, tourism, even science communication. 00:18:36.329 --> 00:18:38.569 It's a smart way to manage your public image, 00:18:38.730 --> 00:18:41.650 show different facets, move beyond the one defining 00:18:41.650 --> 00:18:44.789 role, signals maturation. He also tried his hand 00:18:44.789 --> 00:18:48.390 at American TV pilots. In 2013, he was cast as 00:18:48.390 --> 00:18:52.190 the lead Clyde in a CBS comedy pilot called Super 00:18:52.190 --> 00:18:54.990 Clyde from Greg Garcia, who did My Name is Earl. 00:18:55.230 --> 00:18:57.309 Oh, interesting. Yeah. But it didn't get picked 00:18:57.309 --> 00:18:59.650 up to become a full series, which happens, right? 00:18:59.730 --> 00:19:01.809 Shows the reality of the business. Even big names 00:19:01.809 --> 00:19:04.279 have projects that don't quite make it. part 00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:06.240 of the process. Absolutely. The pilot graveyard 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:09.279 is vast. But then later in 2013, a really big 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:13.119 move, his stage debut, West End, London. He was 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:15.480 in Jez Butterworth's play Mojo, a black comedy. 00:19:15.940 --> 00:19:18.240 He played Sweets, described as a hoodlum who 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:20.740 pops amphetamines like Smarties and has this 00:19:20.740 --> 00:19:23.279 comic menace. Wow, quite a departure from Ron. 00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:26.900 Totally. Gritty stuff based on real events. Start 00:19:26.900 --> 00:19:28.920 alongside some heavy hitters too. Brendan Coyle, 00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:31.920 Ben Whishaw, Daniel Mays. It ran for a few months 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:34.789 at the Harold Pinter Theater. And for that role, 00:19:35.470 --> 00:19:37.930 he won the What's On Stage Award for Best London 00:19:37.930 --> 00:19:40.650 Newcomer. Big critical validation. That's fascinating. 00:19:40.730 --> 00:19:43.430 Moving to theater, especially the West End, what 00:19:43.430 --> 00:19:46.069 is that signal? Often it's about actors wanting 00:19:46.069 --> 00:19:48.490 a different kind of challenge, right? The immediate 00:19:48.490 --> 00:19:51.529 audience feedback, the sustained performance 00:19:51.529 --> 00:19:53.930 night after night. It's a real test of craft. 00:19:54.140 --> 00:19:56.980 For Grint, it was a bold choice, and winning 00:19:56.980 --> 00:20:00.359 an award for it straight off, that really cemented 00:20:00.359 --> 00:20:02.920 his credibility as a serious actor beyond film 00:20:02.920 --> 00:20:05.079 proved he could handle that demanding environment. 00:20:05.339 --> 00:20:07.599 And he didn't stop there. The next year, 2014, 00:20:07.779 --> 00:20:10.400 he went to Broadway. made his debut as Frank 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:13.380 Finger in It's Only a Play. Another big step. 00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:15.519 Yeah, and look at this cast. Matthew Broderick, 00:20:15.660 --> 00:20:18.319 Nathan Lane, Stocker Channing, Megan Moly. Seriously 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:20.579 high profile company. Wow, that's legendary status. 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:22.700 Ran for several months at the Gerald Schoenfeld 00:20:22.700 --> 00:20:25.480 Theater and he won two Broadway .com Audience 00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:27.339 Choice Awards for it. Favorite featured actor 00:20:27.339 --> 00:20:30.319 and favorite breakthrough performance. OK, so 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:32.960 succeeding on both the West End and Broadway 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:36.930 in quick succession with audience awards to That's 00:20:36.930 --> 00:20:38.809 impressive. It really speaks to his dedication, 00:20:39.029 --> 00:20:42.230 his talent. Broadway's tough, demands incredible 00:20:42.230 --> 00:20:45.309 stamina, presence. The audience award show, he 00:20:45.309 --> 00:20:48.029 really connected with people live, not just as 00:20:48.029 --> 00:20:51.029 Ron on screen. Huge validation. He kept up the 00:20:51.029 --> 00:20:53.250 film work too, alongside the theater. Back in 00:20:53.250 --> 00:20:55.630 2013, he was attached to this Macbeth adaptation 00:20:55.630 --> 00:20:57.910 called Enemy of Man, with Sean being Charles 00:20:57.910 --> 00:21:01.230 Dance. Filming started in 2014. He played Ross 00:21:01.230 --> 00:21:03.369 in the concept trailer. Not sure if it got fully 00:21:03.369 --> 00:21:05.750 made, but interesting project. Also did Charlie 00:21:05.750 --> 00:21:08.769 Countryman in CBGB in 2013, then Moonwalkers 00:21:08.769 --> 00:21:12.029 in 2015. And more recently, a big one, M. Night 00:21:12.029 --> 00:21:15.309 Shyamalan's thriller Knock at the Cabin in 2023 00:21:15.309 --> 00:21:17.809 played Redmond. Yeah, that was a noticeable role. 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.819 And he's got another film called Nightborne in 00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:21.680 post -production, apparently, so keeping him 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:24.099 busy on screen. And television has become a really 00:21:24.099 --> 00:21:26.200 big area for him, very active, making interesting 00:21:26.200 --> 00:21:28.559 choices. He executive produced and starred in 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:30.819 Snatch, the series based on the movie from 2017 00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:32.940 -18, so creative control there. Right, stepping 00:21:32.940 --> 00:21:34.900 behind the camera, too. Also starred in Sick 00:21:34.900 --> 00:21:37.640 Note, a black comedy, around the same time. Different 00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:40.259 kind of humor. Then played Inspector Chrome in 00:21:40.259 --> 00:21:42.539 the ABC murders, the Agatha Christie adaptation 00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:46.380 in 2018. Classic detective stuff and from 2019 00:21:46.380 --> 00:21:49.940 to 2023 a major role as Julian Pierce in servant 00:21:49.940 --> 00:21:53.079 on Apple TV plus psychological horror critically 00:21:53.079 --> 00:21:56.220 liked, ran for four seasons. That consistent 00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:58.640 move into horror and psychological thrillers 00:21:58.640 --> 00:22:01.119 is really interesting. Servan, and he was also 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:02.980 in an episode of Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet 00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:05.859 of Curiosities in 2022. Oh, yeah. Dreams in the 00:22:05.859 --> 00:22:08.819 Witch House. Exactly. It's a very clear, deliberate 00:22:08.819 --> 00:22:11.740 shift away from the family friendly image. He's 00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:14.619 actively choosing darker, more complex roles. 00:22:14.819 --> 00:22:16.720 It challenges him, challenges the audience's 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:19.099 view of him. It's a really effective way to carve 00:22:19.099 --> 00:22:21.980 out a distinct post -Potter identity, showing 00:22:21.980 --> 00:22:24.779 a much broader, often more intense acting range. 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:27.299 And amidst all that, he still embraces the past 00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:29.839 sometimes. He was in the Harry Potter 20th anniversary, 00:22:30.099 --> 00:22:32.259 returned to Hogwarts special in 2022. Which was 00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:35.190 lovely to see. Yeah. And then a fun little full 00:22:35.190 --> 00:22:37.829 circle moment. He starred in another Ed Sheeran 00:22:37.829 --> 00:22:41.910 music video for a little more in 2025, reuniting 00:22:41.910 --> 00:22:45.769 with Ed after Lego House way back in 2011. Nice 00:22:45.769 --> 00:22:48.210 callback. So when you look at his post -Potter 00:22:48.210 --> 00:22:50.410 career, it's this really deliberate mix, isn't 00:22:50.410 --> 00:22:53.950 it? demanding stage roles, dark TV shows, interesting 00:22:53.950 --> 00:22:56.130 film parts, but also fun cameos that play with 00:22:56.130 --> 00:22:58.289 his image. It's a master class in diversification, 00:22:58.289 --> 00:23:01.049 really. How crucial is that for an actor trying 00:23:01.049 --> 00:23:03.809 to avoid being typecast forever, especially after 00:23:03.809 --> 00:23:07.369 a role as iconic as Ron? Grint's path seems like 00:23:07.369 --> 00:23:09.549 a pretty compelling example of how to do it, 00:23:09.630 --> 00:23:12.210 grow artistically, stay relevant, but also explore 00:23:12.210 --> 00:23:14.529 different interests. OK, let's shift focus a 00:23:14.529 --> 00:23:17.329 bit. Beyond the acting, what about Rupert Grint, 00:23:17.589 --> 00:23:19.849 the person? Well, he seems to have built a pretty 00:23:19.849 --> 00:23:21.509 stable personal life. He's been with actress 00:23:21.509 --> 00:23:23.589 Georgia Groom since 2011. That's a long time. 00:23:23.670 --> 00:23:26.170 Yeah, very grounded, it seems. And they have 00:23:26.170 --> 00:23:28.950 two daughters now. Wednesday, born May 2020, 00:23:29.250 --> 00:23:33.289 and Goldie, born April 2025. So family life is 00:23:33.289 --> 00:23:35.670 clearly important. And here's a wild indicator 00:23:35.670 --> 00:23:37.650 of just how much people are still fascinated 00:23:37.650 --> 00:23:40.769 by him. He joined Instagram in November 2020. 00:23:40.890 --> 00:23:43.710 First post, a picture holding baby Wednesday. 00:23:44.190 --> 00:23:47.029 He hit one million followers in four hours and 00:23:47.029 --> 00:23:49.349 one minute, broke the Guinness World Record for 00:23:49.349 --> 00:23:51.289 the fastest time to reach a million followers. 00:23:51.349 --> 00:23:54.750 Wow, four hours. That's insane. Right. It just 00:23:54.750 --> 00:23:56.950 shows this lasting connection people feel with 00:23:56.950 --> 00:23:59.509 him decades after Potter started. It's not just 00:23:59.509 --> 00:24:01.829 about the acting. There's this huge public affection. 00:24:02.250 --> 00:24:04.450 That record isn't just trivia, is it? It really 00:24:04.450 --> 00:24:06.670 highlights that enduring bond he has with the 00:24:06.670 --> 00:24:08.990 audience, almost like family. It goes beyond 00:24:08.990 --> 00:24:11.670 just his roles. People are invested in him. And 00:24:11.670 --> 00:24:13.369 maybe that ties back to what we were saying earlier, 00:24:13.430 --> 00:24:15.849 despite the crazy fame. He seems to have kept 00:24:15.849 --> 00:24:18.170 this relatable, grounded quality that people 00:24:18.170 --> 00:24:21.210 really connect with, fosters that loyalty. And 00:24:21.210 --> 00:24:23.609 speaking of groundedness, the ice cream van, 00:24:23.930 --> 00:24:25.829 we mentioned the dream, but he really did it. 00:24:26.109 --> 00:24:27.950 Bought the van with his Potter money, drove it 00:24:27.950 --> 00:24:30.269 around, sold ice cream, actually lived out that 00:24:30.269 --> 00:24:32.569 childhood ambition. It's brilliant. It is brilliant. 00:24:32.869 --> 00:24:34.710 And it's quite rare, isn't it? Someone achieves 00:24:34.710 --> 00:24:36.650 that level of success and wealth. And what do 00:24:36.650 --> 00:24:39.029 they do? Buy an ice cream van. It's not about 00:24:39.029 --> 00:24:41.369 showing off. It's about connecting to something 00:24:41.369 --> 00:24:44.170 simple, maybe even nostalgic. It speaks volumes 00:24:44.170 --> 00:24:46.730 about staying grounded, holding on to a piece 00:24:46.730 --> 00:24:49.390 of that ordinary life, makes it incredibly relatable, 00:24:49.769 --> 00:24:52.490 shows a life not totally consumed by fame. Away 00:24:52.490 --> 00:24:54.690 from whimsical vans, he's got normal interests, 00:24:54.769 --> 00:24:57.960 too. big football fan, supports Tottenham Hotspur. 00:24:58.319 --> 00:25:00.779 Very typical British passion. And as we mentioned, 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:03.259 he got involved publicly with things like carrying 00:25:03.259 --> 00:25:06.480 the Olympic torch in 2012, a moment of national 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:08.640 pride he was part of. He's also done a lot of 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:10.680 charity work over the years, seems consistently 00:25:10.680 --> 00:25:12.980 committed, supported various charities, donated 00:25:12.980 --> 00:25:15.960 personal stuff for auctions. In 2010, he did 00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:18.099 that wacky rally with the Phelps twins, Fred 00:25:18.099 --> 00:25:20.740 and George, raising money for the RNLI, the Lifeboat 00:25:20.740 --> 00:25:23.839 Institution. Hands on fundraising. Good guys. 00:25:24.140 --> 00:25:27.180 Yeah. Painted a butterfly for an eBay auction 00:25:27.180 --> 00:25:30.380 for Keach Hospice Care that same year. Got involved 00:25:30.380 --> 00:25:33.299 in the Make Mine Milk campaign in 2011, promoting 00:25:33.299 --> 00:25:36.000 drinking milk, ads on buses and everything. And 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:38.400 since 2011, he's been a big supporter of Cancer 00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:40.880 Research UK's Little Star Award. He said something 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:42.740 like, it's wonderful they're helping to bring 00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:44.680 a little bit of magic to the children's lives. 00:25:45.019 --> 00:25:47.779 That consistency is key, I think. It's not just 00:25:47.779 --> 00:25:49.819 one -off appearances. It's a pattern of engaging 00:25:49.819 --> 00:25:52.660 with different causes, emergency services, health, 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:55.759 children's charities. It suggests a genuine personal 00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:58.099 connection, an understanding of the responsibility 00:25:58.099 --> 00:26:00.599 that comes with his platform and wealth. Using 00:26:00.599 --> 00:26:03.180 it for positive impact, it really reinforces 00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:05.799 that image of him as a decent person, contributing 00:26:05.799 --> 00:26:08.460 beyond just his acting work, aligns his public 00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:11.200 image with, well... seemingly decent values. 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:14.059 So what does that consistent charity work tell 00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:17.220 you, the listener, about his values? How he uses 00:26:17.220 --> 00:26:20.259 his unique position? It definitely paints a picture 00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:23.720 of someone thoughtful and engaged. Right, let's 00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:25.539 move on to something a bit more complex, but 00:26:25.539 --> 00:26:27.960 definitely part of the story of fame and wealth. 00:26:28.819 --> 00:26:32.460 His tax affairs. Back in 2016 there was a legal 00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:35.779 case. Rupert Grint lost an appeal against HMRC, 00:26:35.859 --> 00:26:38.779 that's the UK tax authority. He'd tried to change 00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:41.000 his accounting date, apparently, to try and shift 00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:43.480 some income into a lower tax year, which would 00:26:43.480 --> 00:26:46.119 reduce his overall tax bill. OK. A common enough 00:26:46.119 --> 00:26:48.279 financial strategy or attempt at one. Exactly. 00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:50.480 At the time, estimates put his Potter earnings 00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:53.039 around $24 million, so significant sums involved. 00:26:53.619 --> 00:26:56.299 But HMRC argued successfully that his main reason 00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:58.339 for changing the date wasn't a legitimate business 00:26:58.339 --> 00:27:01.160 need, but primarily motivated by tax avoidance. 00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:03.819 And that distinction matters legally. Yeah. That's 00:27:03.819 --> 00:27:05.779 the crux of many of these cases, isn't it? Intent. 00:27:06.140 --> 00:27:09.039 It raises that tricky question. Where's the line 00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:11.519 between legitimate tax planning, which everyone 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:14.579 does, and tax avoidance, which authority sees 00:27:14.579 --> 00:27:17.160 as bending the rules, even if not strictly illegal? 00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:20.700 The court sided with HMRC, deciding his primary 00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:23.720 motive was avoidance. It really highlights the 00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:25.640 intense scrutiny high earners, especially famous 00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:28.359 ones, are under. Tax authorities really dig into 00:27:28.359 --> 00:27:30.720 the why behind financial structuring. It's a 00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:33.410 complex area. And it didn't end there. In 2019, 00:27:33.589 --> 00:27:35.970 HMRC brought another case against him. This time 00:27:35.970 --> 00:27:38.029 he lost again and was ordered to pay an extra 00:27:38.029 --> 00:27:42.230 1 .8 million pounds in tax. Ouch. Yeah. The argument 00:27:42.230 --> 00:27:44.750 here was about how a specific payment of 4 .5 00:27:44.750 --> 00:27:47.309 million should be classified. Was it income or 00:27:47.309 --> 00:27:50.410 was it a capital asset? HMRC argued it was income. 00:27:50.670 --> 00:27:52.829 Grinside presumably argued it was more like a 00:27:52.829 --> 00:27:54.910 capital gain. The difference in tax rates is 00:27:54.910 --> 00:27:56.970 huge. Income tax is usually much higher than 00:27:56.970 --> 00:27:58.910 capital gains tax. Right. That classification 00:27:58.910 --> 00:28:02.500 is fundamental in tax law. Exactly. HMRC won. 00:28:02.759 --> 00:28:05.039 The 4 .5 million pound was treated as income, 00:28:05.480 --> 00:28:08.000 which massively increased his tax bill for the 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:11.220 2011 -12 tax year. He lost his appeal and had 00:28:11.220 --> 00:28:14.599 to pay the 1 .8 million plus legal costs. So 00:28:14.599 --> 00:28:16.220 just to be clear here for everyone listening, 00:28:16.299 --> 00:28:18.119 we're just reporting the facts from the source 00:28:18.119 --> 00:28:20.000 material about these legal outcomes. We're not 00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:22.319 taking sides or judging. Absolutely not. It's 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:24.400 about understanding the case as reported. The 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:26.519 core issue is that legal distinction between 00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:29.660 income money earned from work. essentially and 00:28:29.660 --> 00:28:31.920 capital assets things you own like investments 00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:34.950 that might increase in value. tax very differently. 00:28:35.490 --> 00:28:37.589 This ruling shows how aggressively tax authorities 00:28:37.589 --> 00:28:39.769 can challenge how large sums are categorized. 00:28:40.049 --> 00:28:42.029 And for public figures, these battles play out 00:28:42.029 --> 00:28:44.750 very publicly. It underlines the complex financial 00:28:44.750 --> 00:28:47.490 tightrope they walk. Definitely. These cases 00:28:47.490 --> 00:28:50.210 really spotlight the intricate financial realities 00:28:50.210 --> 00:28:52.930 that come with big earnings and fame and just 00:28:52.930 --> 00:28:55.369 how closely tax authorities are watching. It 00:28:55.369 --> 00:28:57.490 raises broader questions about financial planning 00:28:57.490 --> 00:28:59.910 for public figures, especially when their income 00:28:59.910 --> 00:29:02.170 is generated over many years from something like 00:29:02.170 --> 00:29:05.200 a huge franchise. It's a constant balancing act 00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:07.500 between legal management and public perception. 00:29:08.039 --> 00:29:09.859 Okay, so let's try and pull all these threads 00:29:09.859 --> 00:29:12.000 together. What does the whole picture of Rupert 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:14.759 Grint tell us? It's clearly way more than just 00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:17.680 Ron Weasley made it big. It's a deep dive into 00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:20.000 figuring out your identity, managing ambition, 00:29:20.119 --> 00:29:21.960 dealing with the real world stuff that comes 00:29:21.960 --> 00:29:24.420 with such an unusual start in life. You know, 00:29:24.420 --> 00:29:27.339 from wrapping his way into the role to consciously 00:29:27.339 --> 00:29:30.339 choosing diverse parts in film, TV, and theater. 00:29:30.700 --> 00:29:32.799 His path has been fascinating. We've seen the 00:29:32.799 --> 00:29:34.599 grounded personal side, the consistent charity 00:29:34.599 --> 00:29:36.859 work, even the complexities of his finances. 00:29:37.480 --> 00:29:39.940 navigated that transition from child star in 00:29:39.940 --> 00:29:42.160 an iconic role to becoming a versatile actor 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:44.440 and, well, a seemingly well -rounded guy. He 00:29:44.440 --> 00:29:46.579 really has. He's managed to build this varied 00:29:46.579 --> 00:29:48.779 career, always keeping that sort of relatable 00:29:48.779 --> 00:29:51.700 charm, but without being trapped by Potter. He 00:29:51.700 --> 00:29:54.559 still embraces a legacy, but isn't defined solely 00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:57.740 by it. His journey shows resilience, definitely, 00:29:57.920 --> 00:29:59.599 a willingness to try different things, maybe 00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:02.099 take risks, a quiet determination to do it his 00:30:02.099 --> 00:30:04.400 own way, often picking projects that seem to 00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:06.259 challenge him artistically, not just chasing 00:30:06.259 --> 00:30:09.140 fame. He's moved beyond being just the boy who 00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:11.700 lives best made to become this multifaceted actor 00:30:11.700 --> 00:30:14.140 in person. shows that huge early success doesn't 00:30:14.140 --> 00:30:16.220 have to dictate everything that follows. It can 00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:18.819 be a launch pad for something deeper, more intentional. 00:30:19.180 --> 00:30:21.579 So as we wrap up this deep dive, maybe something 00:30:21.579 --> 00:30:24.440 for you, our listener, to think about if your 00:30:24.440 --> 00:30:26.460 biggest achievement, the thing everyone knew 00:30:26.460 --> 00:30:28.599 you for, happened when you were really young, 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:31.990 like it did for Rupert Grint. How would you define 00:30:31.990 --> 00:30:34.450 success for the rest of your life? And what steps 00:30:34.450 --> 00:30:36.750 would you consciously take to make sure your 00:30:36.750 --> 00:30:39.549 own growth, your own story, wasn't completely 00:30:39.549 --> 00:30:41.829 overshadowed by that early accomplishment? Something 00:30:41.829 --> 00:30:44.309 to mull over. Thanks for joining us on the Deep 00:30:44.309 --> 00:30:46.690 Dive. We hope this look into Rupert Grint's journey 00:30:46.690 --> 00:30:48.650 gave you some food for thought and maybe a bit 00:30:48.650 --> 00:30:50.789 more insight into the man behind the magic.