McSweeney's Spoofs Harry Potter Quidditch Recruitment

From the Leaky funny files: earlier this month, humor 'zine McSweeney's published an article regarding the "Recruitment of Harry Potter," in which a zealous fictional Quidditch recruiter sends a memo planning how best to snag Harry for the team:"Tell him we will absolutely pull Snape's season tickets if that's any concern at all. Hell, go ahead and do that anyway. Guy gives me the willies. Don't worry - by all accounts Quidditch is Potter's main obsession. Well, that and the whole feud thing, but let's not bring that up unless he broaches the subject. (None of us have the Dark Mark, right? If any of you do, be sure to wear your long-sleeve jersey.) Enjoy!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Video of J.K. Rowling at Radio City Music Hall Press Conference

We now have video available of the press conference that J.K. Rowling did at Radio City Music Hall on August 1; sorry for the delay getting this to you. We have a transcript available here and you can download the file by right-clicking and "saving as" at the following links Update redownload; the first set of links were incorrect and the sound was off on them; these are right:

J.K. Rowling at Radio City (MP4, iPod friendly, 21 MB)
J.K. Rowling at Radio CIty (WMV, 37 MB)

Our full coverage, including links to pictures, transcripts, videos and more of this and the actual Radio City Music Hall readings, is available here. Enjoy!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

New Section Added to Warner Bros.' Official Harry Potter Website

Warner Bros.' official Harry Potter website has been updated with a new Pensieve section, which includes Teasers and Trailers, Interviews, Movie Clips and DVD Extras. Check it out!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Devon Murray Wants Kids to Help Kids

Devon Murray, (Seamus Finnigan) from the Harry Potter movies, recently kicked off off UNICEF Ireland's Kids Helping Kids campaign. The campaign hopes to raise €100,000 ($128,172), with funds going directly to support UNICEF programs to bring safe water to children caught up in emergency situations.

Devon, who is from Kildare, launched this year's campaign at a children's party and said:

UNICEF Ireland want children right across the country to get involved in this year's 'Kids Helping Kids' campaign. There are lots of ways to have fun and raise money for UNICEF's safe water programmes for children at the same time.

Please join this year's campaign - it's a great event that everyone can easily participate in!

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Video Game Preview: the Dementors, the Veil, the Ministry and More

SPOILER WARNING!

Please be aware that the OotP game report refered to in the story below contains spoilers to many of the events in the Order of the Phoenix plot. If you have not read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, you might want to pass on reading the game report.

SPOILER WARNING ENDED!

Leaky visited the London studio where production on the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix video game is taking place recently, and now has a fully detailed report available here.

In this report you'll find a breakdown of which scenes are included in the game, the tack the producers are taking regarding its creation, and much more. It also signals the beginning of a fan's council, in which YOUR opinion will count regarding the creation of the games: We have set up a thread in our forum where you can give your ideas and thoughts, and it will be reported directly to the makers of the games. For the details of this and more, read Leaky staffer Donna's excellent report!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Emma Nominated for a Relly Award

Emma Watson has been nominated for a Relly award in the category of Best Junior Achiever. You can vote for her starting tomorrow at this link. Live With Regis and Kelly will also air clips of the nominees on the show tomorrow. The winners will be announced on September 22th. Good luck, Emma!

(SOURCE: MUGGLE NET)

New Bertie Bott's Flavors & Lollipops from Hasbro

Some new flavors of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor beans have recently been reviewed and in a word can only be described as 'disgusting.' The two new flavors, pickle and sausage, will replace some 'normal' flavors currently available in a pack.

The reviewer comments that:

Sausage was another story. My sister and I popped one in our mouths at the same time and we spit it out at almost the same time - after maybe two chews. DISGUSTING. It almost made me gag and my sister actually did gag. Sausage was way nastier than any other gross flavored jellybeans I have tried - even worse than vomit. It didn't taste like sausage it just tasted NASTY.

An additional review of Harry Potter Blood Pops has also been added:

The flavor is, well, a bit odd. It vaguely reminds me of strawberry, but that's not quite it. To be honest I'm not sure what it tastes like (hopefully it's not actually blood-flavored). It wasn't the best flavor in the world, but it wasn't the worst either.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

War Drama Role for Dan Radcliffe

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is branching out from life at Hogwarts, as he's going to star in a tragic drama set in World War One.

Dan said he was "thrilled" to be acting in My Boy Jack, a true story about the son of famous poet Rudyard Kipling.

"Young men are still going off to fight in wars from which many will never return," he said.

Meanwhile, filming is continuing on the next Harry Potter flick, Order of the Phoenix, due out in 2007.

Dan's new role is a big departure from playing the boy wizard.

The two-hour TV-film tells the story of how Rudyard Kipling got his 17-year-old son into the army even though he had bad eyesight.

Tragically, the boy was killed in the war which ran from 1914 to 1918, and his body was never found.

(SOURCE: CBBC NEWSROUND)

Rupert Grint: 'No Quidditch at All'

RupertGrint.net, MuggleNet's official Rupert fansite, has posted their exclusive interview with the actor who plays Ron in the Potter films. In it, he talks with site owners Claire and Kelle about everything from his favorite movies to Book 7 theories.

Additionally, those of you who checked our site the other day will remember we reported there will be no Quidditch in Order of the Phoenix. The information (just for MuggleNet visitors) had come from this interview with Rupert, where he states there won't be any broom time "at all" in OOTP. He also says he was "looking forward" to filming the Weasley is our King storyline, which "may be" in the sixth film.

Listen to the audio clip right here (MP3, 292 KB).

(SOURCE: MUGGLE NET)

HBP Mistake Fixed

In the first editions of Half-Blood Prince, an error discovered in "An Excess of Phlegm" stated that Hermione received one Exceeds Expectations and ten Outstanding grades in her OWLs. However, she only took ten subjects. Our Potter Encyclopedia had staggered a guess that she took the "Muggle Studies exam and passed it with top marks despite dropping the subject at the end of her third year."

Now, HarryLatino.com reports that this was indeed a genuine error and has been rectified in recent editions of Book 6; it now reads she earned nine Os and one EE. Phew!

(SOURCE: MUGGLE NET)

David Yates Shares in Emmy Win

David Yates, the newest director for a Harry Potter movie, shares an Emmy award in the "Outstanding Made for Television Movie" category for The Girl in a Café, which he directed in 2005 and aired on HBO.

The announcer commented that David couldn't be there in person because he "was directing the next Harry Potter movie."

The Girl in a Café has won 3 Emmys, congratulations to David and everyone connected with the movie.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Audio of Rupert & Julie from Edinburgh Film Festival

As we told you last night, both Rupert Grint and Julie Walters from the Harry Potter movies attended a screening of their recent movie, Driving Lessons, at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

You can now listen to Rupert and Julie on the red carpet from the event in which Rupert discusses premieres and moving away from Harry Potter, while Julie Walters talks about her character Evie from the movie and what it was like working with Rupert again.

You can listen to the audio interviews at RG.net and additional information about the event should be available on their site sometime tomorrow.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Matt Lewis Happy with His Test Results

Previously we told you that both Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe from the "Harry Potter" movies had aced their recent school exams. We can now add Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) to the list of actors that are happy with their results.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

'Driving Lessons' Photocall Photos of Julie & Rupert

Harry Potter stars Julie Walters and Rupert Grint attended a photocall for their film Driving Lessons at Edinburgh Castle earlier this week in preparation of the film premiering at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. We are told that both Julie and Rupert attended tonight’s screening of the movie.

You can see the photos from the photocall here

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Emma Watson Gets Ten OWLs in Her GCSEs

Harry Potter star Emma Watson managed to live up to her onscreen Hermione alter ego as she is celebrating top grades in her GCSEs after achieving eight A*s and two As. Also, last week Daniel Radcliffe discovered he had achieved three A-grades in his AS-levels.

The 16-year-old actress from Oxford managed to live up to her onscreen alter ego with the straight A results.

In a newsletter to fans earlier this year, Watson said she had been back at school working hard in the run-up to the exams.

She said: "I keep reminding myself of how great it will feel once they are over and I get to put my books away for a short time - not very Hermione, I know!"

You can read the entire article here.

(SOURCE: WIZARD NEWS)

New Trailer for 'Driving Lessons' Released

Yahoo! Movies has posted a new trailer for Rupert Grint's and Julie Walter's new movie, Driving Lessons, which shows quite a bit of new footage from the film. The London premiere of Driving Lessons will be held at Curzon Mayfair in London on Monday, September 4. The doors will open at 6:15, and the screening will then begin at 7:00. The film is 100 minutes long.

(SOURCE: VERITASERUM)

Age Won't Stop Rupert Playing Ron

Rupert Grint, who turns 18 today, expressed his desire to continue to play Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies.

Rupert stated:

I want to do all seven and hopefully that'll happen. It'll be weird when it's all finished because it's been a huge part of my life. I started when I was 11 and I'm 18 now.

Rupert, who will be attending a

screening of his movie Driving Lessons at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on Saturday also commented on the fact that he recently failed in driving test and cannot drive his new mini.

I failed my test and I'm gutted and embarrassed that I can't drive. I only failed on one thing. I didn't look behind me on a three-point turn.

But failing on one thing is more annoying than failing on a few things. But I'll pass next time. I've actually bought a Mini. My dad sits in the passenger seat when I want to go somewhere. It's black and I've pimped it up.

Rupert is currently filming the fifth movie, Order of the Phoenix, which is set for release next July, and has been signed up to star in the sixth film, Half-Blood Prince, which is scheduled for a November 2008, when Rupert will be 20.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Jessica Stevenson Said to be Joining Phoenix Cast

Empire Online and others are reporting today that British actress Jessica Stevenson (Bridget Jones's Diary, Shaun of the Dead) has been cast in the role of Mafalda Hopkirk, from the Improper Use of Magic Office, in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. We are trying to verify this with WB, and will update with more when we can.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

'Magic Works' from 'Goblet' Nominated for Award

The nominees to the 2006 World Soundtrack Awards were released yesterday and 'Magic Works' by Jarvis Cocker from the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire soundtrack has received a nomination in the "Best Original Song Written for Film" category.

The awards will be handed out during the Flanders International Film Festival in Ghent, Belgium, on October 14.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

John Hurt's Debt to Edinburgh

(Headmistress' Note: Mr. Hurt played Mr. Ollivander in HP and the Sorcerer's Stone)

John Hurt yesterday described how Edinburgh played a key role in his becoming an actor.

Hurt, who is in the city as chairman of the jury for the Michael Powell Award for British films at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, said the first play he ever saw was Hamlet, with Richard Burton, at what was then the Assembly Hall.

"It was incredibly still and brilliantly spoken," Hurt said. The 1953 production by the Old Vic was an unforgettable experience for him as a schoolboy.

Hurt had a Scottish schoolmaster who brought him to the festival. He later returned as an actor in Hamp, at the Lyceum, in 1964.

Hurt is on the judging panel with Chrissie Hynde, the Pretenders singer, and John Banville, the novelist.

The opening night film, The Flying Scotsman, is tipped as a favourite for the prize, along with Driving Lessons, starring Rupert Grint, of the Harry Potter films.

(SOURCE: THE SCOTSMAN)

Alan Rickman Interview Due on BBC Radio

Actor Alan Rickman will be a guest on the BBC Radio 4 show "The Film Programme" Friday, Sept 1. According to the Radio Times website, "Chris Tookey talks to Alan Rickman about his role in Snow Cake, a powerful drama in which he plays a road accident survivor who befriends an autistic woman." This new interview with Alan Rickman (Professor Snape) will air 4:30 -5:00pm.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Gemma Jones to Appear On Stage in London

Gemma Jones, Madam Pomfrey in the Harry Potter films, will star in the world premiere of Everything Is Illuminated at north London's Hampstead Theatre. It opens on September 19, 2006 (previews from September 14) for a run to October 14, 2006.

You can read the full article here.

(SOURCE: WIZARD NEWS)

New Dan Radcliffe, Katie Leung, and David Yates Interview on Order of the Phoenix

There is a new interview today with Dan Radcliffe (Harry), Katie Leung (Cho Chang) and director David Yates, who all discuss filming for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Several new pieces of information are included in this lengthy interview, including that the tapestry prop for Grimmauld Place was "designed by J K Rowling herself." Along with mentions of the new sets and filming scenes such as those with Umbridge and the Centaurs, the two actors and new director reflect on the tone of the newest Harry Potter movie. They also discuss the filming of the kiss between Harry and Cho. Some highlights:

From director David Yates on his approach to making OotP:

"I think what the producers were looking for when they asked me to do this was to make sure we had a story that felt emotionally rich and that’s what I’m trying to bring to it.

It’s probably a little more emotional than the others; it’s a little more grown up, inevitably because of the story. And in terms of the reality of magic it’ll feel a bit more raw and edgier, darker and tougher than the others. In terms of my contribution, I’d say it would be to kind of grow the films up as the books are growing up."

Dan Radcliffe and Katie Leung both describe filming the scene where Harry gets his first kiss. Katie says that "Daniel is a good kisser, I really enjoyed it." Daniel goes on to say of the moment: "It was fun; me and Katie – we were awkward and nervous at first but once we got it, it was fine." Oh, and when asked how many takes did they make to get the scene finally right, Dan answered "Probably on the thirtieth."

Finally, the article covers Dan Radcliffe's upcoming role in the stage production of Equus, who also notes that he is taking "taking a year out from school next year and then we’re going to sort of look at it all again the year after that." in terms of deciding on filming schedules for future Potter movies. Dan says of working on the stage:

It’s going to be nerve-wracking, but it’s going to be incredibly exciting, it’s a new challenge. It’s something I’ve never done before. I’ve been voice training — learning to project my voice.

Most actors go from drama school to the stage and then into film. But I’m sort of doing it the other way around. I’m going from film to stage. And so it’s an unorthodox way of doing it, but it’s going to be quite exciting.

You can read the entire interview via this link. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will be released next July.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Another Batch of OOTP Set Pictures

Thanks to K.J. for sending us a scan from this week's Women's Day New Zealand, which features a small spread on recent Order of the Phoenix filming.

Accompanying the article are four new pictures from the set. Two show Maggie Smith, who plays McGonagall in the film, sitting in a wheel chair reading a newspaper (not The Daily Prophet, as the article suggests). The other pictures show Robbie Coltrane's and Tom Felton's doubles.

(SOURCE: MUGGLE NET)

'Goblet of Fire' Wins Teen Choice Award

Teen People magazine's 'Teen Choice 2006' awards show took place last night in the U.S. and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire won the 'Teen Choice' award in the Drama category.

The movie was up against Flight Plan, Pride & Prejudice, Take the Lead, Goal!, and Walk the Line.

You can read the full list of winners here

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Cast Watch: Sexy Isaacs, Rocking Thewlis

There are several pieces of news about some of the adult actors from the Harry Potter films.

First, the September issue of In Style magazine highlights their annual "What's Sexy Now" feature; this year includes Jason Isaacs as part of the "U.K. Bad Boys." Of Jason, who will be seen again in Order of the Phoenix, the magazine writes:

"MAKE VILLAINY POSH. Jason Isaacs can play pernicious with countless inflections, whether bumping off Heath Ledger in The Patriot or sneering down his aquiline nose as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter series. But the 43-year-old Liverpudlian also played Mr. Darling in Peter Pan. So, really, how bad can he be?"

Also, actor David Thewlis recently attended the V Festival over the weekend, and enjoyed some great music with his partner Anna Friel at the rock festival in England. You can see new photos of David here in our galleries. David will return as Remus Lupin in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

"Driving Lessons" Trailer Now Online

The official trailer for Driving Lessons, starring Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) and Julie Walters (Molly Weasley) is now online. RupertGrint.net now has links available for download, as well as screencaps via this link. You can also watch the trailer at MyMovies.net as well. Driving Lessons will screen at the Edinburgh Film Festival this weekend; both Rupert Grint and Julie Walters are expected to attend on August 26.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Julie Walters Talks Mrs. Weasley, Driving Lessons, More

The Daily Record has a new interview with actress Julie Walters who gives new insight on her role as Molly Weasley in the Harry Potter films. The actress, who will be in Edinburgh next week for the screening of her new film Driving Lessons with Rupert Grint, relates the story about her being worried Mrs. Weasley had been the character to die in the latest book from J.K. Rowling. The actress says:

"A story went around not so long ago that I was an avid reader of the Harry Potter books, and that I rushed to the bookshop every time a new one appeared on the shelves. Well, it's not quite true.

"What happened was that someone once spotted me rifling through the new book at a store - know what had happened? I'd heard the rumour that one of the characters was going to be killed off by JK Rowling, and I was just checking on my insurance.

"I came to the words 'Mrs Weasley', realised that she wasn't the one who died and felt very relieved as a result. The work goes on."

"Someone said to me recently that, as Mrs Weasley, I seemed to shout a lot. I said to them 'Look, if you were the mother of all those boys, and you lived in a house like that, you would shout a lot too. You would have to shout just to make yourself heard'."

Of working with her co-star Rupert Grint, she says he is:

"... "a very fine actor", adding: "He has great comic timing, and a terrific screen presence as well as a marvellous sense of humour.

"I love the time that I'm in his company. He is a terrible giggler. He sees or hears something funny, and he's away. I see his shoulders start to twitch and I'm off too.

Driving Lessons will screen August 26 at the Edinburgh Film Festival and both Julie Walters and Rupert Grint are expected to attend. Rope of Silicon is reporting that the film has been rated PG-13 for "language, sexual content and some thematic material," but that rating is not yet up on the MPAA website. In the UK, it was rated "15" ahead of it's September 4 release. The film is also due to be shown on ITV later this fall, and many of you are emailing that commercials for this are already airing on ITV. To see some nice high res pics from the movie and some new posters, check out RupertGrint.net which has them here. Thanks to everyone who emailed, HPFZ, and RupertGrint.net!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

'Driving Lessons' US Rating

Driving Lessions was recently given a PG-13 by the MPAA for language, sexual content and some thematic material. The film will hit North American theaters on October 13th. Earlier this year, the movie was rated "15" in the UK, where it will be released on September 4th.

(SOURCE: MUGGLE NET)

Oldman Directs Jewish Hip-Hop Video

Gary Oldman is changing career paths - the legendary British actor is now a music video director.

But the star is not helming any old promo, he has turned his talents to Jewish hip-hop supergroup Chutzpah on their latest single, Red Rover.

"I like rap, particularly Jewish rap," he said.

"Chutzpah's amazing. They're brilliant. Master Tav's a genius and MC Meshugenah is so entertaining... I jumped at the chance to direct them in this video."

Gary and the band started shooting the video for Red Rover earlier this summer.

However, it is currently on hiatus, as Gary fits in his other job as Sirius Black in the new Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix.

The track is described as the group's schoolyard battle song.

Filming of the video is due to resume in October when the 48-year-old star returns from the UK.

(SOURCE: YAHOO! MUSIC NEWS)

Alan Rickman Celebrity READ Poster Available Now

We told you last month that Alan Rickman (Snape) would be featured in a poster for the American Library Association's Celebrity READ campaign. This popular campaign encourages children to read through posters featuring celebrities along with a book of their own choosing. You can see -- and purchase -- the new poster of Mr. Rickman, holding a copy of "Catcher in the Rye," here.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Matt Lewis: Umbridge is "... Twisted & Slightly Mental"

In a recent interview with Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) from the Harry Potter movies, Matt shares some information from the upcoming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie.

Matt describes Imelda Staunton's portrayal of Professor Umbrdige as "...the nastiest person you'll ever meet, on film." He also states that his character will have much more interaction with the main cast of characters (Harry, Ron and Hermione), discusses the differences in the screenwriters and describes some of his scenes from Goblet of Fire.

This is part one of a three-part interview and you can go here to listen courtesy of TLC's podcast, PotterCast.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Posters, Pictures & Ratings for 'Driving Lessons'

Rupert Grint's latest movie Driving Lessons, which also stars Harry Potter actress Julie Walters, has received a PG-13 rating for its release in the U.S. in October. The movie, which is being released on September 4 in the UK, has been given a '15' rating.

Driving Lessons, which will be previewed at the Edinburgh International Film Festival next week, is also scheduled to air on British TV channel ITV later this autumn.

In a recent interview Rupert had this to say about playing Ben in Driving Lessons:

It's nice to do something different. I've been doing the Harry Potter films for quite a long time. They take two years each. This has no special effects, no blue screen - it's proper, real life. It's good to be someone different. Ben's a bit of a loner and a bit of a geek. And I got to do a bit of driving.

The official web site is located here and will be available shortly. You can view teaser posters as well as some hi-res images here.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Potter Better Known than Blair

Teen wizard Harry Potter is more famous in America than Prime Minister Tony Blair, according to a survey.

57% of people asked could pick out JK Rowling's boy hero while just 50% recognised Britain's top politician.

Six out of 10 questioned could name Homer Simpson's son as Bart and three-quarters could name two of Snow White's seven dwarfs.

But the Americans struggled to name their top judges or the work of legendary classic poet Homer.

Professor Robert Thompson said the findings did not mean that Americans were dumb. He said that certain information was more difficult to remember, particularly things from the government, educational institutions and the media.

(SOURCE:

CBBC NEWSROUND)

Neville "Rapidly Changes" Throughout Order of the Phoenix says Matt Lewis

The character of Neville Longbottom will go through a transformation in the fifth Potter film, said Matthew Lewis, the actor who plays him, in a recent interview with PotterCast, Leaky's Harry Potter podcast.

"It almost comes off as a different character this year," he said of Neville. "He's not the Neville that we all know. He starts off that way then rapidly changes throughout the film. It's been a lot of fun. Definitely a change, but definitely a welcome one."

He also speaks of working more closely with the main group of Potter actors, the new screenwriter and director, the newer faces, and much more: check out PotterCast for a full preview.

These conversations and a huge amount more are included in the first of a three-part interview with Matt that will start airing on PotterCast early tomorrow.

(Thanks to those who've noticed that PotterCast.com is going through a slight identity crisis at the moment; the idiot who owns the domain - gee, I wonder who that could be - flubbed things up a bit. Get to PotterCast here in the meanwhile.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Gary Oldman Made New Short Film on His Cell Phone

A new short film by Gary Oldman, who plays Sirius Black in the Harry Potter films, shot on the new Nokia N93 multimedia computer premieres today on the Nokia Nseries Studio, a groundbreaking online mobile movie community where aspiring directors can now upload and showcase their own mobile videos.

Read more about Gary and his film here.

(SOURCE: WIZARD NEWS)

First Photo of Tonks

The first photo of Natalia Tena as Tonks in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has now surfaced online. You can see a photo taken of the the costumed, purple -haired auror standing among a group of the crew on the Potter film set via this link to MuggleNet.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

JKR Earns Spot on Another Forbes List

Forbes magazine has published a list of "Top Celebrity Earners" of 2005, and J.K. Rowling is ninth on the list. According to the magazine, Ms. Rowling earned £41 million last year, which is roughly £77 per minute. Hannah Clark of Forbes said this about Jo:

"If you want to keep making money in the long term, you need a winning franchise and JK Rowling is proof of that. While celebrities sometimes venture into nine-figure territory, their paychecks don't even come close to the sums earned in the business world."

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Two Fans Tell Story of Meeting with J.K.Rowling

There are new stories in the press about two lucky fans who got to ask author J.K. Rowling some questions while she was in New York for the "Harry, Carrie, and Garp" charity readings at Radio City Music Hall.

The first story involves young Kyle Searcy of Destin, Florida who spent almost a half-hour with JKR asking her questions. Kyle, who has cerebral palsy, met with Jo via the Dreams Come True organization, who grant wishes for seriously ill children. Kyle was able to get all six books autographed, and says this of his meeting with the Harry Potter author:

"I talked to Jo Rowling for about 30 minutes," Searcy, 13, said in an interview. "She told me about the different characters, and a little bit of information on the (upcoming) seventh book ... I asked which book in the series was her favorite, she asked me the same question."

You can read the entire article about Kyle below. The second interview is with Alex Friedman, an 11 year old Harry Potter reader from Shaker Heights, Ohio who got to ask JKR two question at the first night of the readings. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

asked her two questions: "The last book will begin with the four most important adults in Harry's life dead. Why did you want to start the book with Harry in such a lonely place?"

[Her reply: "Harry is not completely alone. He still has his two faithful sidekicks. In these sort of epic sagas, the hero eventually has to fight alone."]

And, "You wrote the last chapter of the last book before you even started the first book. Has it changed much from what you originally planned?"

[Her reply: "The essential plot is what I always planned. But a couple of characters I expected to survive have died, and one character got a reprieve."]

You can also see a photo of Alex on the Time for Kids report on the "Harry, Carrie, and Garp" event.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Dan Radcliffe Talks About Equus, Films Six and Seven, More

In a new interview in the Australian Herald Sun, actor Daniel Radcliffe discussed his character's nudity in his upcoming play Equus, the possibility that Harry will die in Book Seven, whether or not he will return as Harry in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and his new film, "The December Boys." Regarding Equus, he said, "All the other actors who have ever played the part have done that [appeared nude], so for me not to do it wouldn't really be playing the part . . . It would be a watered down version. It wouldn't be the same.""I'll be incredibly nervous, but I think, 'it's in the script; it's got to be done'. I'm terrified, but excited."

As to playing Harry in HBP, Dan remarked: "I don't know. . . But the sixth book is fantastic and if the script is good and does it justice, then it would be foolish to turn it down."

Regarding Harry's survival in Book Seven, Dan says this: "I've had talks with [J.K. Rowling], but not about that . . . I don't know anything that's going to happen in the seventh film. I hope it will be very, very good and I'll go with whatever. I think it will be quite exciting really. It may be the only way (the arch villain) Voldemort could be killed is if Harry dies as well because there is that very strong connection between them."

Finally, about his new film "The December Boys," Dan notes this about his Aussie accent: "You've yet to hear it, I know . . . You will eventually when you see the film. It was just great to do a film in a different country, new crew, new character. It was incredibly refreshing and exciting and a whole new experience and challenge for me."

You can see a scan of the article here.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

New Photo of Dan Radcliffe on Set of OotP

There is a new photo online of actor Dan Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and a group of lucky fans from Brazil who recently visited the set of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Winners of a contest, this group had the chance to visit the set, and meet Imelda Staunton (Professor Umbridge), Natalia Tena (Tonks), Dan, and others. You can see a photo of the group on the Oclumenia site, via this link. Thanks to Hadia and Oclumencia!

Update: Since the Oclumencia website is having trouble, you can now see the photo here in our galleries.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

MSN Video Stream of "Harry, Carrie and Garp" Download

If you'd like to save the JKR "Harry, Carrie and Garp" event in a smaller format that works with your iPod, try it at the links below, captured by Chris for Leaky. Thanks to everyone who wrote in offering different versions! As a reminder, for a limited time, you watch this on MSN here. To download the following files (they are iPod-friendly), right-click and "save as" (Note - as some of you have pointed out, the audio and video don't seem to be synching correctly; this will be fixed and we'll re-post when it is. In the meantime, enjoy the unsynchedness of it all):

Harry, Carrie and Garp - part 1
Harry, Carrie and Garp - part 2
Harry, Carrie and Garp - part 3
Harry, Carrie and Garp - part 4

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

New Audio and Print Interviews with Tom Felton; Will Be in U.S. This Week

Actor Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) has given two new interviews, one an audio interview, and another in print. The audio interview involves Tom's participation again with the 2006 International St. Lawrence Junior Carp Tournament, which Tom and his brother Chris will co-host August 17 in upstate New York. To listen to the audio interview with Tom discussing fishing (no Potter), click here.

The second new interview with Tom has now been posted on his official website. In this profile featured in Surrey Life magazine, Tom talks about his love of fishing, cars, as well as his role in the Harry Potter films. He also says that he is currently filming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but that it is weird for him to watch the finished version of the movies.

“Obviously the scenes aren’t shot in sequence and filming lasts so long that when I see it my first thought is ‘where’s the rest of it?’ And sometimes I’m thinking ‘oh yes, the next bit is really good’ but then it doesn’t happen or is somewhere else in the action.”

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

J.K. Rowling Donates Bag to Charity Auction

Author J.K.Rowling has donated a bag that she carried at the premiere of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to a charity auction. The Scotsman reports that Jo donated a " small black Rodo purse." Other celebs contributing to the "Handbag Heaven" auction also include singers Annie Lennox and Beyonce. Tickets are available for the auction which will be held on October 6 in Glasgow, Scotland; more information available via this link. Proceeds will benefit Women's Fund for Scotland, which helps women who are "facing a whole range of challenges associated with disability, ethnicity, single parenthood, ill health, age and domestic abuse."

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Goblet of Fire Wins at DVD Awards

The Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire DVD won a technical award at "The 9th Annual DVD Awards with Leonard Maltin." B1Media, the company which designed the Welcome menu on the GoF DVD, was named winner for "Major Technical - Best Menu Design."

The interactive DVD menus boasted a 3D castle, a fully animated fire-breathing dragon and an amazingly rich view of the entire “Goblet” world. “We’re honored that this award recognized the elaborate and expressive 3D achievement and strong sense of design the menus displayed,” said B1 Producer, John C. Pohl. “The artistic excellence of these menus contributed to an incredible DVD experience and was a result of the sacrifice that our 3D, compositing, animation and design teams made.”

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

'Goblet of Fire' HD DVD Details Emerge

Warner Bros. has released details and cover images of the HD DVD version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, it was reported today.

The discs will be presented in Dolby TrueHD sound and will include an "In-Movie Experience" (IME), as well as all the extra features included in the standard edition.

The release date is unknown. Also unknown is how this relates to recent news that all of the standard Potter DVDs will be put on hiatus by early 2007.

So, what's IME? According to the marketing lingo:

Warner Home Video HD DVD ... provides a new level of interactivity, giving instant access to extra features with the debut of a seamless menu-bar that allows viewers to enjoy features and settings without leaving or interrupting the film.

And what's so special about HD DVD in general? It "provides six-times better resolution than standard DVD," according to the official site. "It's as simple as that. This of course translates to six-times more explosiony-explosions, six-times more impassioned passion and six-times more frenzied shark frenzies. Oh, and six-times the goose bumps."

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Transcripts of JK Rowling's Charity Reading Q&A

The two nights of Harry, Carrie and Garp at Radio City Music Hall in New York City last week had most of us in attendance scribbling notes, sneaking photos and reflecting. Unfortunately that meant we didn't have the complete, exact text of what JK Rowling said in response to fan questions... until now.

What follows is a transcript of the second night's highlights, courtesy MSN Video, with pregnant pauses, sighs, laughs and cheers intact (it's unknown if the first night's video will be made available, but you can read those highlights courtesy Veritaserum).

Read the complete transcript here.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Midges Affect Potter Film Crew in Scottish Highlands

This is North Scotland has a rather unusual story about filming for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It would seem the Midges (pesky gnat-like creatures) were so bad in the Highlands this summer, that technical crews working on the film had to take refuge under a protective tarp in order to complete their work for the fifth Potter movie.

A special effects team had the job of moulding plaster casts of rocks at the weekendat stony outcrops in Glen Nevis, and along the Road to the Isles. But clouds of midges meant the film's technicians had to work under tarpaulins, using protective headgear.

The technicians' task is to make templates of enormous Highland rocks. The resulting impressions will then be studio manufactured into rubbery rocks and transported to Hogsmeade, the wizarding village which is home to Hogwart's School of Witchcraft.

At Hogsmeade, the realistic-looking finished articles will be used to provide visual continuity for the film - replicating some of the rugged mountain-side scenery filmed earlier this year in the Highlands.

"Most of the filming was done earlier this year but the artificial rocks will blend in with a shooting sequence at Hogsmeade. The technicians have learned a lot about the rockfaces in Glenfinnan and Lochailort, and they've also found out plenty about the midges. In fact, we've been kidding the team on that the midges are so bad this July, they've even been attacking the clegs (horseflies)."

Principle filming for Order of the Phoenix continues at Leavesden Studios in London, England, with location shoots ongoing as well. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is due in theaters next July.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Video of JKR's Readings in NY Online

For all those Harry Potter fans who could not attend An Evening with Harry, Carrie & Garp last week, Scholastic has released a stream of the event.

The video will only be available free of charge for two days and beginning on Saturday until the end of the month, highlights will be available on demand.

You can read HPANA's live accounts of the event here and here and read a transcript of the highlights here.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

2007 'Potter' Calendars Now Available

The 2007 Harry Potter calendars are now available from Amazon. Each of the calendars includes images from the first four films, with descriptions as well as spotlights on the characters from the movies.

The calendars, published by the Andrews McMeel Publishing company, can be ordered from Amazon:

Wall Calendar: Each monthly spread features a movie poster from one of the four incredibly popular Harry Potter films.

Mini Wall Calendar: One of the movie franchise's larger-than-life characters is spotlighted in multiple photos each month in this calendar spanning all four films.

Day-to-Day Calendar: The most thrilling images from all four films have been chosen for the daily pages of this retrospective calendar. Each photo is captioned and identified by movie.

2007 Desk Calendar: The weekly spreads of this hardcover calendar with concealed spiral binding contain photos from the four movies in the Harry Potter series.

None of the 2007 calendars include any images from the upcoming Order of the Phoenix.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Grint Signed for Unspecified Project for ITV

Rupert Grint who plays Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies has signed on on for an unspecified project for UK television station ITV.

ITV, wishing to 'revitalize' their ratings, will announce their new program schedule at the Edinburgh Television Festival, which takes place from August 25 to 27.

No additional information is available about the project. Fellow Potter actors Robbie Coltrane and Julie Walters are also scheduled to appear on the channel.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Clemence Poesy to Appear in War and Peace

Clemence Poesy, who was Fleur Delacour in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, will play Natasha Rostova in a new production for television of Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace, which will be filming in six countries, including Italy and Russia. [more...]

(SOURCE: WIZARD NEWS)

Jason Isaacs Praises Dan, Emma, and Rupert

Jason Isaacs, who plays Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies, today praised Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint for their down-to-earth and affable personalities. Starpulse reports:

Isaacs admits he could forgive them for being brats because they're often treated like "the second coming of Christ" by Potter fans.

But, instead, the trio remain pleasant and accessible to their fans. Isaacs says, "They are the same enthusiastic people that they were when I first started. I bring my friends' kids and my kids on set because they're all dying to visit Hogwarts (fictitious Potter school).

"Obviously they're desperate for a minute with Daniel, Emma and Rupert, and they always find the time. You can only put it down to their nature. Initially, it was their parents' guidance.

(SOURCE: VERITASERUM)

Happy Birthday, Katie Leung!

A Butterbeer toast, to actress Katie Leung (Cho Chang), who celebrates her 19th birthday today! Happy Birthday, Katie!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Harry Potter was Here....and Here....and Here....

Historic Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England, was the location for many scenes from the first two Harry Potter movies. So, during the past two years, the owners of the castle have been running Harry Spotter tours, led by "look-alike" Harry Potter characters. [more...]

(SOURCE: WIZARD NEWS)

Michael Gambon Starts Filming on New CIA Drama

Michael Gambon, Albus Dumbledore in the recent Harry Potter movies, begins filming this week on The Good Shepherd, a new espionage starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie and Robert De Niro. Filming will take place in New York City, Washington D.C., London and the Dominican Republic. [more...]

(SOURCE: WIZARD NEWS)

Confirmed Release Date for 'HBP'

Last week we mentioned that many entertainment sites had posted a release date for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Warner Bros. has confirmed for HPANA that the movie will be released on November 21, 2008, 16 months after Order of the Phoenix.

Even though this is the earliest fans have been given news about an upcoming Potter movie, please note that no additional information has been released - which means no director, no cast and certainly no composer.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Julie Walters Talks About Driving Lessons, Harry Potter, and More

Actress Julie Walters (Molly Weasley) was interviewed recently on the Irish radio program "Rattlebag." In the nearly 40-minute interview, Ms. Walters talked about her career, her family, working as a nurse, and (of course) Driving Lessons and Harry Potter. She says that in Driving Lessons, Rupert Grint's acting will take him "to a new level," and briefly mentions her return to the Harry Potter films for Phoenix after not appearing in GoF.

Go to this page and click on "Listen to the Latest Show" to hear the full interview (it comes on after a short recap blurb).

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Daniel Radcliffe Britain's Highest Paid Teenager

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who just turned 17, conjured up more than $11 million in earnings last year, and reportedly is pocketing an estimated $15 million more for filming the next movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. [more...]

(SOURCE: WIZARD NEWS)