The Evolution of Harry Potter Actor Rupert Grint
Three Must-See Films for Ron Weasley Fans
Since the very beginning of the massively successful Harry Potter series, Rupert Grint has been the standout teen lead as the redheaded and rather oppressed Ron Weasley. He is often found stealing scenes from costars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, even though Radcliffe plays the title character, and has far more screen time.
While Radcliffe and Watson have needed some time to really grow into their roles, Grint seemed to immediately grasp his. This left him much more room to play, to search for small comedic moments, and generally develop his role as much as possible. On the most recent Harry Potter film, The Half Blood Prince, Grint really had a chance to stretch his legs and his abilities far outshine those of any other young actor. Half Blood Prince is by far the funniest Harry Potter movie yet, and this is more than a little due to Grint’s love storyline with Jessie Cave, who plays the overeager Lavender Brown.
With the Harry Potter films coming to a close fairly soon (the second to last one is now filming), Grint is beginning to branch out and try new roles.
Driving Lessons (2006)
This first choice was actually filmed a while back, obviously, but it speaks volumes about Grint’s potential and what his eventual career might look like. Driving Lessons is a warm and very quirky indie comedy about young Ben Marshall (Grint) as he struggles to find his place in an overwhelming and puzzling situation. He is well-stuck between two extremely strong female presences in his life – an overbearing mother and a whimsical, unpredictable employer whose choices continually bring him equal amounts of adventure and turmoil.
Surely his fullest and most believable performance, Grint is heart breaking and completely relatable as Ben Marshall, the stumbling anti-hero.
Cherrybomb (2009)
Truly new territory for Grint in every sense, Cherrybomb has not yet been released on a wide scale but has received generally positive reviews from overseas press. Grint plays Malachy in this intense thriller about three teenagers on a downward spiral. This will be Grint’s first foray into gritty drama, since Harry Potter has always been tempered for a young audience even in its darkest moments. Although he still portrays a teenager, this film seems to hold nothing back, and is said to contain not only alcohol and sensuality, but also drug binges and car stealing. Grint is not depending on his core fan base here – he is clearly attempting to move beyond it.
Wild Target (2010)
The details of this film are yet to be filled in, but filming is complete and young Grint is really appearing with the big names here. Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean) and Emily Blunt (Devil Wears Prada) lead the cast list, along with Martin Freeman (The Office, UK) and Rupert Everett (My Best Friend’s Wedding). It is also slated at a thriller, and with names such as these it is sure to boost Grint’s credibility.
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