Wand-erful News

Are muggles ready for more movie magic? Actors Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grim are; they recently signed on to reprise their roles as Harry Potter and Ron Weasley in the final two Harry Potter films. So did Emma Watson, ending speculation that Warner Bros, might need to find another Hermione Granger. The three friends will be back on the big screen July 13, when Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, opens. That's a week before the July 21 release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final book in the hugely popular fantasy series written by J.K. Rowling. Daniel Radcliffe recently talked to Current Events.
Current Events: In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry is sick of being famous. How about you?

Daniel Radcliffe: I don't think of myself as being famous. On the set, you're there to work. It's a very fun job to do, but it's a job, and you do it and that's that. There's a part of me that everyone recognizes, but it's only part of me. I've never been chased down streets by paparazzi.
CE: Like Harry, you're getting older. How well does the character reflect your experience growing up?

DR: I think it's a very accurate portrayal in terms of Harry's confusion and fear of growing up and the challenges he knows it's inevitable he will face. That's what Harry Potter is about for me. It's not magic. It's not good versus evil. It's about a loss of innocence — going from a little kid to a young man.
CE: Speaking of good versus evil, Harry's least favorite teacher is Severus Snape. Whose side do you think Snape is on?

DR: That is the ultimate question. [What] if I say, deep down, he's a really decent chap, [and he turns out to be bad]? I don't want to commit myself.
CE: What's the best thing about filming Harry Potter?

DR: The friends I've made doing this.
CE: And the worst thing?

DR: The worst would be having to film Quidditch [a wizard sport played on broomsticks]. That was a painful experience.

Current Events