Fans often envision a magical world full of wonders and enchantments when discussing the Harry Potter series. Even though it did not always seem that way on screen, the production of these films was not always as secure and magical. It was a shocking turn of events that put the lives of adored actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and others in grave danger during the filming of the ‘Great Hall’ scene.
Thus, fans have learned a lot about what happened off-screen in the years since the release of the last Harry Potter movie, but many events still remain hidden from public view.
Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter
It should not come as a surprise that the filming of eight Harry Potter films encountered disaster at least once, but that does not lessen the impact of the story. The series’ debut film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (also known as the Philosopher’s Stone), by Chris Columbus, came in 2001.
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How Daniel Radcliffe and Other Actors Faced Danger While Filming Harry Potter?
The Great Hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was one of the most iconic locations in the Harry Potter films. Here, there were gatherings of students for feasts and other significant occasions.
How Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Other Actors Faced Danger in Harry Potter
Real candles were intended to be used in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by production designer Stuart Craig and director Chris Columbus. This was intended when the production first started. Sadly, it appeared that they had forgotten that fire can burn things.
In an interview with the New York Times, Columbus once described the chaos the candles caused:
“When all the kids file into the Great Hall for the first time, we see hundreds of floating candles in the air. And then something horrible happened — the flames of the candles started to burn through the clear string holding them and started to drop! We had to get everybody out of the set — and then we shot it two more times, telling ourselves, ‘We’re just going to add C.G.I. candles’.”
Of course, neither the kids nor Daniel Radcliffe seemed overly concerned. However, The Lost City actor noted in a New York Times interview that kids have never been the best judges of what was safe:
“I’m sure Chris was more stressed out by it, but as a kid, you’re like, ‘This is really funny’.”
Also read:Harry Potter Star Rupert Grint Blatantly Disregarded Alan Rickman’s Advice, Kept Ruining Takes Due To His and Daniel Radcliffe’s “Giggling problem”
Another Harry Potter Incident That Left a Stunt Double Paralyzed On Set
Daniel Radcliffe, Leilah Sutherland, James Phelps, Sean Biggerstaff and Oliver Phelps
Over the course of eight Harry Potter movies, there was flying on brooms, fighting, explosions, and much more. Every one of them had stuntman David Holmes there to perform the dangerous tasks that lead actor Daniel Radcliffe was unable to.
Holmes was hurt, regrettably, while filming a scene for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. During filming in 2009, he was reportedly flying on a broom, according to an interview with the UK’s Mirror. The neck fracture that he sustained left him partially mobile in his hands and arms but paralyzed from the chest down.
Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe in a still from the Harry Potter franchise
Of the accident, he informed the UK’s Mirror:
“I hit the wall and then landed on the crash mat underneath. My stunt co-ordinator grabbed my hand and said, ‘Squeeze my fingers’. I could move my arm to grab his hand but I couldn’t squeeze his fingers. I looked into his eyes and that’s when I realized what happened was major. I remember slipping in and out of consciousness because of the pain levels. I’d broken a bone before, so recognising that weird feeling across my whole body from my fingertips right down to my toes, I knew I had really done some damage.”
Meanwhile, speaking to the Mirror about his friendship with Holmes, Daniel Radcliffe said:
“I’ve got a relationship that goes back many, many years with Dave. And I would hate for people to just see me and Dave and go, ‘Oh, there’s Daniel Radcliffe with a person in a wheelchair’ — because I would never, even for a moment, want them to assume that Dave was anything except for an incredibly important person in my life.”
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One
The seventh and final book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was split into two full-length films. Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is one of the top 50 highest-grossing movies of all time, coming in at number 18 with over $1 billion in revenue.
You can stream all Harry Potter films on Max.
Also read:“I no longer care about my hairy ar*e”: The Strangest Thing Daniel Radcliffe Did For a Role Was “F**king Painful” and It Was Not For Harry Potter
Source- New York Times; Mirror
