This Harry Potter star looks nothing like how we remember him in the films.
First marching efficiently onto our screens in 2001 with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Chris Rankin, 40, played a crucial role in the films alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.
If you don’t recognise him, then just think of the prefect who loved being a prefect at school a little bit too much.
There’s some major head boy energy coming from this wizard’s wand throughout the films, and he even deserts his ginger-haired family in the later films in favour of political clout.
It’s Percy Weasley of course – the third eldest of Ron’s brothers, who delights in a career in the Ministry of Magic after leaving Hogwarts.
He first hit our screens aged 16 as the Gryffindor prefect who escorted nervous newcomers in Harry’s year to their dormitories, and filmed his last scene 11 years later.
In the later films, he appears briefly in the background as in the books he drifted from the Weasley family, poisoned by the pursuit of power in the political ranks of the magical world, which were slowly turning evil.
During the Battle of Hogwarts – as depicted in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – the book sees Percy acknowledging his estrangement with his family and apologising to them, however this is never addressed in the films.
Now, over 20 years on from his first appearance in Harry Potter, Chris is sending fans Christmas and birthday messages on paid video service, Cameo.
Nowadays, Chris is a performer, a director, a producer and creative, according to his website. He lives in South Wales with his partner Ness, and their dogs Stanley and Boo.
Compared to his magical contemporaries Chris isn’t charging a premium for the video service – on the contrary, a personalised message will only set you back £28.
Bonnie Wright, who plays Ginny Weasley in the film franchise, is charging £158, and as is Jamie Waylett who played Vincent Crabbe in six of eight films.
His recent video introduced himself on Cameo, after a hiatus.
‘Hello you fabulous magical people on Cameo. It’s Chris Rankin here, Percy Weasley from the Harry Potter films, yes Hogwarts head boy and everyone’s seventh favourite Weasley child,’ he began.
‘I’ve been off Cameo for a little while now because I’ve been a busy old bee trotting around Europe on a tour, but I am now back, and I am here for all your possible video requests.
‘Whether it’s a video just for yourself, whether its Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Boxing Day, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, weddings, anything and everything.
‘Please give me a shout if you need a video message, because I am happy to make a fool of myself on camera, just for you.’
His videos to fans are always enthusiastic and generous, and the actor – who is now a blogger too – sometimes even, if you’re lucky, breaks into song.
Chris is posting on the regular at the moment – if you need a last minute Christmas present for a Potterhead, you know what to do.
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