4 Surprising Behind-The-Scenes Facts About Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Who could have played Harry Potter's mother? And why did Steven Spielberg turn down the director's chair?
Recently, the most charming installment of the magical franchise, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, celebrated its 23rd anniversary.
In honor of this small but important event, we decided to remember some interesting facts about the filming of the movie.
1. JK Rowling's Unbreakable Rule
JK Rowling had one important stipulation for the creators of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: the entire cast had to be of English descent.
Rowling's goals were noble – the author wanted British actors to receive greater recognition. Rowling's request was strictly followed: director Chris Columbus and producer David Heyman invited only native-born Englishmen to audition.
An exception was made in only one case – Irishman Richard Harris was approved for the role of Albus Dumbledore; the actor had an appearance and timbre necessary for the screen image of the Hogwarts headmaster.
2. The Film Could Have Been Made by Steven Spielberg, but He Was Tired of Children's Movies
JK Rowling's immutable rule about English actors did not apply to directors: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets were directed by American Chris Columbus, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was filmed by Mexican Alfonso Cuaron.
So it is interesting to imagine what the first part would have been like in the hands of Steven Spielberg, who was the first candidate for the post of director of the Philosopher's Stone. After a short period of work, Spielberg abandoned the film, explaining his decision by the fact that he no longer wanted to work on children's films.
3. JK Rowling Could Play Lily Potter
At the casting stage, the creators of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone seriously considered giving JK Rowling a small cameo in the film – she was to play Lily Potter.
Despite all the persuasion, JK Rowling turned down the generous offer, noting that she had serious doubts about her acting abilities. The author joked that even if all she had to do was wave her hand at the camera, she would still get it wrong.
4. Emma Watson Had to Audition Several Times to Get the Role
The casting process for the first movie was so nerve-wracking that the casting director decided to quit before filming began. The main problem was casting the child actors. While the producers had more or less settled on Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, the approval of Emma Watson was difficult for everyone except JK Rowling.
The author liked little Emma right away, but Chris Columbus and David Heyman did not share her opinion. As a result, Watson had to audition for the role of Hermione eight times to convince the producers of her talent.