EXCLUSIVE: How Multi-Millionaire 'Harry Potter' Star is Resigned to Going to Grave in Shadow of Wizard Franchise Role — And Why They LOVE Their Acting Fate
The 'Harry Potter' actor has accepted living in the franchise’s shadow and embraced their career fate.
Dec. 6 2025, Published 4:30 p.m. ET
Rupert Grint has accepted that he will go to his grave in the shadow of Ron Weasley – and insiders tell RadarOnline.com he not only embraces that fate but finds real satisfaction in it.
Grint, 37, who played Weasley in all eight Harry Potter films from 2001 to 2011, has spent more than two decades navigating an acting career defined by a single role.
Embracing Ron Weasley's Shadow
Rupert Grint accepted that he would always live in Ron Weasley’s shadow.
Cast aged 11 in the wizard franchise and propelled to global recognition almost overnight thanks to its blockbusting success, he now says he is fully at peace with the permanence of that association.
His comments arrive ahead of HBO's forthcoming Harry Potter adaptation, due in 2027, which has sparked renewed interest in the franchise and the original cast.
Grint said about his Potter role as Weasley: "I don't think I'll ever quite step out of his shadow, but I'm fine with that. I think it's great. I love meeting people who really feel this was a part of their childhood."
Asked whether he had grown tired of being linked to a role he played as a child, he insisted: "No, absolutely not. I love it. It has quite a deep meaning to a lot of people of my generation, and even more to generations who are finding it now. It's great. It gives me a lot of pride. It was such a huge thing."
Passing the Baton
Grint wrote a letter to Alastair Stout before the new HBO adaptation began filming.
His reflections come as he confirms he has written to Alastair Stout, the young actor stepping into the Weasley character's shoes for HBO.
Grint said: "I wrote him a letter before they started, passing the baton as it were. It was really just wishing him all the best with it.
"I had so much fun stepping into this world, and I hope he has the same experience. I think it's great that it's a whole new thing. It's going to be its own thing, and I think that will be fun."
He also said of a possible return to the franchise: "Maybe in the future. Never say never."
The renewed spotlight on the series has prompted industry observers to reassess Grint's trajectory.
One long-time casting executive said: "Rupert knows exactly where he sits in the cultural imagination. Instead of fighting that, he's leaned into it – and people respect him more for it."
Legacy as Armor
Casting executives said he leaned into his legacy instead of running from it.
Another source added: "A lot of actors spend years trying to outrun a defining role. He's done the opposite. Accepting the legacy has given him more control over his career, not less."
But others say that acceptance has become a kind of armor for the actor.
A producer who has worked with him in recent years said: "He understands that Ron made him, and he doesn't resent that. There's something grounding about that attitude in an industry obsessed with reinvention."
Grint has previously acknowledged how quickly fame transformed his childhood, saying: "It changed my whole life quite quickly. I was a huge fan of the books, so for me it was like stepping into the books, and that was very special."
His co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson forged similarly intense relationships with their Potter characters.
Proud of His Fate
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Sources said he viewed Ron Weasley as a legacy he was proud to carry.
Like them, Grint later distanced himself from the Potter book series author J.K Rowling over her gender-critical views as public controversy engulfed the writer.
Yet despite the cultural storms surrounding the franchise, Grint's affection for the world he grew up in remains undimmed.
One industry source said: "He's realistic – he knows Ron will always be at the center of his legacy. But he sees that as something to be proud of, not something to escape."
They also joked: "His net worth of $50million also helps him through any fears he never ended up being considered a heavyweight actor."
