You might not recognize the names James and Oliver Phelps, but you’d easily recognize their faces. For the better part of a decade, they portrayed Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter film franchise, and with the new HBO series on the horizon, they recently spoke with Variety about their beloved characters. Along the way, they also offered up some tongue-in-cheek advice to the incoming cast members who will be portraying the Weasley twins on the small screen.
The new Harry Potter series is still in the very early stages of its development, and isn’t expected to debut until 2027. As such, there’s been little news on the casting front save for rumors that Mark Rylance is in the running to portray Albus Dumbledore. At this point, the Phelps brothers say they know as much as anyone else about the show, which is very little. Still, Oliver did wish whoever lands the role of the Weasley twins well, but humorously advised them to not upstage the original actors.
“I think we will always be associated with those characters. Whatever happens in the TV series — which we know as much as anyone else does to be honest with you — I think people will always see us as Fred and George to a point. Obviously, the guys who will go on and take our characters in that adaptation of it, they’ll do their thing and we wish them nothing but the best.
Just don’t be as good as us!
“
James and Oliver Phelps Never Got Used to Harry Potter’s Popularity
Beginning with J.K. Rowling’s novel in 1997, Harry Potter has since turned into a global entity all its own. While the books were certainly popular, the films helped propel it into pop culture, and now there’s an entire theme park dedicated to the Wizarding World at Universal Studios Florida, which was visited by more than 9 million people last year. 13 years after the saga’s conclusion, it still holds a place in the hearts of many fans, and is constantly being rediscovered by a new generation of Potterheads.
Since their film debut back in 2001, the Phelps boys can regularly be seen together on screen, including in Edgar Wright’s 2021 cult horror hit, Last Night in Soho. They’re back together again this year, hosting a new baking competition on the Food Network titled Harry Potter: Wizard of Baking, which again speaks to the franchise’s enduring legacy. However, despite its popularity, both Phelps brothers say they’ve never really gotten used to how well-received it’s been by the fans.
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“I think maybe we are just aware of it now. Now there’s a new generation of fans who grew up watching it — like my daughter’s friends are big Potter fans and that’s weird,” Oliver told Variety. “Yeah,” James added. “It’s weird when you go to a Potter-themed birthday party.”
While it remains to be seen who will be cast in the new Harry Potter series for HBO, it’s clear they have some pretty big shoes to fill. It’s possible they could reach the level of fame that the Phelps twins have, but regardless of how it all comes together, it’s painfully obvious that no matter what, the small screen version will have a hard time when it comes to matching the beloved legacy of the films.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
- Release Date
- November 16, 2001
- Director
- Chris Columbus
- Cast
- Daniel Radcliffe , Rupert Grint , Emma Watson , Richard Harris , Tom Felton , Alan Rickman , Robbie Coltrane , Maggie Smith , Richard Griffiths , Ian Hart , Fiona Shaw , John Hurt , David Bradley , Matthew Lewis , Sean Biggerstaff , Warwick Davis , Harry Melling , James Phelps , Oliver Phelps , John Cleese , Chris Rankin , Alfred Enoch , Devon Murray , Jamie Waylett , Josh Herdman