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Rupert Grint
Rupert Alexander Grint (born 24 August 1988) is an English actor, who rose to prominence playing Ron Weasley, one of the three main characters in the Harry Potter film series. Grint was cast as Ron at the age of 11, having previously acted only in school plays and at his local theatre group. From 2001 through 2011, he starred in eight Harry Potter movies alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson.
Beginning in 2002, Grint began to work outside of the Harry Potter franchise, taking on a co-leading role in Thunderpants. He has had starring roles in Driving Lessons, a dramedy released in 2006, and Cherrybomb, a small budgeted drama released in 2010. Grint co-starred with Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt in Wild Target, a comedy. His first project following the end of the Harry Potter series will be Comrade, a 2012 anti-war release in which he stars as the main role.
Rupert Alexander Grint was born and raised in Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom. His mother, Joanna Grint (née Parsons), is a housewife, and his father, Nigel Grint, is a memorabilia dealer. Grint is the eldest of five siblings. He attended St Josephs Primary School in Hertford, a Roman Catholic primary school. While there, Grint took an avid interest in theatre. He started performing in school productions and joined the Top Hat Stage and Screen School, a local theatre group that cast him as a fish in Noah's Ark and a donkey in another nativity play. However, Grint had never acted professionally before the Harry Potter series. At the age of 16, he left school to focus on his acting career. "I didn't really like school that much," the actor later commented.
Radio One's movie critic James King named Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, played by Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, as number 4 in his Top 5 Movie Couples list on Edith Bowman show.
I am the biggest "Harry Potter" fan; I even was before I knew there was going to be a film. I read all the books. The fourth one is amazing. It's scary, but I like all the books. You've got to read them all to get the complete Harry Potter experience. In the third book, I like all the bits about Scabbers being an Animagus. And I like that Ron gets an owl.
Rupert Grint
Rupert Alexander Lloyd Grint
24 August 1988, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England
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Has one brother and three sisters.
On his audition tape for Harry Potter, he performed hip-hop lyrics that he wrote to promote himself for the role of Ron Weasley.
Loving the Harry Potter series, Rupert Grint found out that there were auditions for the feature film, so he got the part although he had previously only acted in one school play.
Siblings are: James (b. 1990); Georgina (b. 1993); Samantha (b. 1996); and Charlotte (b. 1998).
Says he would like to be invisible so he could sneak out of detention at school
Is arachnophobic
Plays the guitar a little bit and also plays the didgeridoo.
He attended an all boys-school in his hometown.
He likes all kinds of music, but his favorite is classic rock and roll.
Favorite school subject is Chemistry.
His favorite actor is Jim Carrey. He likes movies like Shrek (2001), Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), and Dumb & Dumber (1994).
His favourite sport is football (soccer)
Forgot to write the essay describing Ron Weasley to director Alfonso Cuarón because "that's what Ron would have done."
Took GCSEs at Richard Hale School, Hertford.
After taking his GCSE exams in May/June 2004, he chose to finish school at the age of sixteen to focus on his role in the Harry Potter films.
Can ride a unicycle.
He can speak German, though only a little, such as numbers and little sentences.
He had a role in A Cinderella Story (2004) but was forced to drop so he can be committed to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004).
Bought a quad bike with his Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) earnings.
He and his "Harry Potter" co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson were named #9 on Entertainment Weekly's Best Entertainers of the Year, 2005.
In an interview in 2001 on Nickelodeon with Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe, he stated his favorite show was Spongebob Squarepants.
Passed his driving test in the fall of 2006 after two attempts.
Attended Top Hat Stage & Screen School in Hertford.
Has 2 dogs, Ruby (a black lab) and Fudge (a chocolate lab).
His father Chris once ran a Motor Car Racing Memorabilia Company.
Was ranked #16 on Forbes List of The 20 Top-Earning Young Superstars.(2007).
One of his favorite bands is the Arctic Monkeys.
On an on-line poll for Popstar Magazine in 2007, he was ranked the number one international celebrity.
Emma Roberts and Alexa Vega list him as their favorite actor.
Was considered one of the 55 faces of the future by Nylon Magazine's Young Hollywood Issue.
[Answering to "Is Emma Watson actually bossy like Hermione?"] I'd tell you, but she'd hurt me.
Too bad brooms can't really fly. Now if you miss the bus you can't just go in your room and fly to school with a nimbus two thousand!
Being famous is wicked, but it's better to be normal.
"Oh, they're scary. To think that people are going to be playing with you!" [About Harry Potter action figures]
All my brothers and sisters and friends have really helped me. They make my life normal. I still have arguments with my brother. And the little ones don't really understand. They just treat me like Rupert. Which is brilliant, really.
Fans asking for my autograph is really weird. It's hard to get used to.
I've tried several disguises and stuff but that doesn't work. I do get recognised sometimes but it's cool,
Things at home didn't change much. I still have to clean my own room!
When I read the books, I imagined that the family of Ron Weasley was my family. After reading the books, I knew the Weasleys inside out.
[Rupert would also like to play Malfoy]: "He's pretty nasty all times, and that would be quite fun. It would be cool to have the audience against me."
It's really weird to get recognized and people call you 'Ron.'
[about "don't be an assiduous student in school"]: "There is some truth in that statement. I don't like school, which makes it easier for me not to do my homework. Evidently, my professors aren't very happy, and being in the "Harry Potter" movies doesn't give me any special treatment. For example, when I returned to school after Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) finished shooting, I had several hours of detention because I hadn't done my schoolwork."
[Refering to Emma Watson and her Table Tennis playing skills] We rarely play her now because it gets quite embarrassing.
I do get one chance to dance, I had to dance with Maggie Smith. That was the only dancing experience I had, which was actually quite enough really. [about his dancing experience with Maggie Smith in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]
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Starting in 1999, casting began for the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the best-selling novel written by British author J.K. Rowling. Rowling personally insisted that the cast be British and assisted Susie Figgis and director Chris Columbus in casting the roles. Grint chose to try-out for the part of protagonist Ron Weasley, one of Harry Potter's best friends at Hogwarts, because he had ginger-coloured hair, and was a fan of the book series. Having seen a Newsround report about the open casting, he sent in a video of himself rapping about how he wished to receive the part. His attempt was successful as the casting team asked for a meeting with him. On 8 August 2000 Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and an 11-year old Grint were selected to play the roles of Harry, Hermione Granger and Ron, respectively. Grint is the oldest member of the trio. In the film series, Ron often provides the comic relief but is insensitive and immature. The release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 2001 was Grint's debut screen performance. Breaking records for opening-day sales and opening-weekend takings, it was the highest-grossing film of that year. With a total of US$974 million in its theatrical run, Philosopher's Stone stands as the second most commercially successful entry in the series. It was also critically well-received, scoring mainly positives reviews from reviewers. However, a number or critics found the adaption staying faithful to the book to be both its best and worst quality. Grint won a Satellite Award in the category of "Outstanding New Talent", and a Young Artist Award for "Most Promising Young Newcomer".
A year later, Grint again starred as Ron in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), the second instalment of the series. The film opened to positive reviews and critics generally enjoyed the lead actors' performances. Both Los Angeles Times and New York Magazine observed that Grint and his peers had matured between films, with the latter pointing out that Grint had become "more proficient" and said they missed "the amateurish ardor" the actor and Watson carried in Philosopher's Stone. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) was released on 31 May in the UK. The film sees all three of its lead characters hover on the brink of adolescence, "and while they look braver and more capable than before, the dangers they face seem far more grave and their own vulnerability more intense." Academy Award-nominee Alfonso Cuarón took over direction for Prisoner of Azkaban which remains the lowest-grossing Harry Potter film with US$795 million in revenue. Nonetheless it was the second highest-grossing movie of 2004 behind Shrek 2. Despite this it remains the second highest rated in the series in terms of critical reaction.
In 2005, Grint reprised his role again for the fourth movie in the series – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The adaptation, unlike previous projects, explored romantic elements and included more humour. In a 2005 interview with IGN, all three lead actors singled out the humour as being a reason for the movie's success. This project was helmed by Mike Newell. According to the actor, the director was "really loud and not afraid to swear at you, but he was really cool." Goblet of Fire stands as one of the best reviewed instalments within the series, and is noted for the maturity and sophistication of its characters, darker and more complex plotline, writing, and performances of the lead actors. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth film in the Harry Potter franchise, was released to theatres in 2007. A huge financial success, Order of the Phoenix set a record worldwide opening-weekend gross of US$394 million, superseding Spider-Man 3 as the title holder. This entry was directed by a new filmmaker, David Yates, who would continue to direct all of the following movies. Grint said the laid back director was "really good" and helped keep the material fresh. As the fame of the actor and the series continued, Grint and fellow Harry Potter cast members left imprints of their hands, feet, and wands in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
On 15 July 2009, the series's sixth instalment, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was released. This adaptation centred around more being learnt about Lord Voldemort's dark past. It did considerably better financially than the previous movie, again setting new box office records. In its total theatrical run, Half-Blood Prince totalled in US$933 million ticket sales. Also, Half-Blood Prince remains one of the most positively reviewed entries within the series among film critics, who praised the movie's "emotionally satisfying" story, direction, cinematography, visuals and music. Grint observed a change in Ron in this entry, pointing out that his once insecure, often overshadowed character started to become more secure and even began to show a dark side of himself. The actor found it fun to personify a more emotional Ron. Between 2009–2010, his work received three nominations, including one win – an Otto Award from the German magazine Bravo.
Despite the success of the past movies, the future of the franchise was put into question as all three lead actors were unsure about signing on to continue their roles for the final two episodes. However, by March 2007, Grint agreed to return for the last instalments. For financial and scripting reasons, the last book has been divided into two films which were shot back to back, with filming concluding in June 2010. Of completing the final movie he said: "I mean it literally has been my childhood and suddenly it all came down to really just one random scene, with us jumping through a fireplace, and then it was over. But because you shoot out of sequence, it’s often just 'Turn left, cross the room, okay, that’s a wrap.' And you’re done. Yeah, it’s very odd. Because suddenly it was all over, just like that. It was really emotional for all of us, realising that we’re never going to be doing this again.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010) was released in November and made over US$950 million. It set several box office records and opened to mostly favourable reviews in the media. His portrayal of Ron again earned him critical praise. Reviewing the adaption in Slate, Dana Stevens called all three of the leads "terrific." Despite giving Deathly Hallows: Part 1 a negative rating, Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal publication stated "Grint has grown up to be a skilful actor who knows the value of a slow burn". New York Post writer Lou Lumenick, however, observed that both Grint and Radcliffe had grown weary of playing the same characters and expressed it in their performances. Grint's performance scored him nominations from the MTV Movie Awards and National Movie Awards for Best Fight and Performance of the Year in 2011. Grint reprised his role for the eighth time, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the last Harry Potter instalment. This movie picked-up from where the previous project left-off and included a lot of action, whereas the first part had focused more on character development.
In 2002, Grint starred in his first non-Harry Potter movie: Thunderpants, which revolves around Patrick (played by Bruce Cook) whose remarkable capacity for flatulence scores him a job as an astronaut. In this film, Grint portrayed the co-lead, an anosmic male who is Patrick's only friend. It was generally ignored by critics and audiences alike. Most of the critics that did take notice of Thunderpants did not respond well to it, with one writing: "This movie should be shown in prisons so that inmates have a good reason to never return." Another movie he appeared in was Driving Lessons, a comedy-drama released in 2006, where he starred opposite Julie Walters. The film was met with a mixed reception by critics, but his portrayal of an oppressed teenaged boy was generally praised. "Grint, on the other hand, is a revelation" and he "displays an innate naturalness mixed with personal charisma that turn a potentially pathetic" character into a more likeable and comedic person, wrote ALT Film Guide's Andre Soares.
In July 2008, it was announced that Grint would star in the independent gritty thriller Cherrybomb with Robert Sheehan and Kimberley Nixon. Grint found shooting this to be much more different than the Harry Potter movies since he had to adjust to doing a dozen scenes per day. Grint's character – Malacy, a worker at Belfast – goes to high lengths to impress his boss's daughter whom he is infatuated with. This film, like his next project, would involve him playing violent roles. Despite premiering at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival, it was initially unable to find a distributor. An online campaign by Grint's fans was credited with helping to secure a deal for distribution in the UK in 2010.
Jonathan Lynn directed Grint in Wild Target, a 2010 comedy thriller release, which he starred in alongside Emily Blunt and Bill Nighy. A remake of the 1993 French film Cible Emouvante, Wild Target was made on a relatively low production budget of US$8 million. However, it was a commercial failure, only earning back US$3.4 million. It also garnered mostly negative reviews in the media, who criticised it for dishonouring the original film and wasting the comedic potential of its cast, but it was also said “It’s nice to see Rupert Grint perform well in a role other than that of Ron Weasley, and it’s clear that he’s got a career ahead of him.” In 2011, Grint was cast as the lead character in the small budgeted anti-war Norwegian film Comrade, which will be directed by Petter Næss. Principal photography started in April, and the project, which was shot on location, is slated for a 2012 release. Comrade is based on a true story that took place on 27 April 1940, when German Luftwaffe pilot Horst Schopis’s bomber was shot down at Grotli by an RAF fighter, which then crash-landed. The several German and English crew members found shelter by chance during a strong winter there.
In August 2011 Grint did a Photoshoot with his Harry Potter Co-Star Tom Felton in Los Angeles for the Fall/Winter Collection of the Fashion Label Band of Outsiders .
In September it was announced that Grint will voice a Character in the Movie Adaptance of Postman Pat names "You Know You’re the One" next to David Tennant , Stephen Mangan and Jim Broadbent with a planned 3D theatrical Release for spring 2013.
The actor enjoys a close friendship with his fellow Harry Potter co-star Emma Watson, adding that they have a sibling-like relationship, having known each other from an early age. Like his character, he has arachnophobia, a fear of spiders. Grint is also involved with charity, having donated items such as clothes to charity auctions, as well as participating in the Wacky Rally in 2010 with James and Oliver Phelps, which raised money for England’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution. He was one of more than 40 participants to produce designs for Chrysalis Collection for Keech Hospice Care in London. His piece, a painted butterfly, was auctioned off on eBay.com in March 2010.
In May 2011, along with other celebrities, Grint took part in the ad campaign for Make Mine Milk, which is about awareness for how important it is to have your daily dose of milk. His ads can be seen on thousands of bus sides and posters across England, Scotland and Wales.
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