‘Harry Potter’ star Rupert Grint recalls 'suffocating' feeling of working on franchise for a decade https://ift.tt/UIySCFH

After working on the popular "Harry Potter" franchise, Rupert Grint admitted he felt suffocated during the height of his career.

Grint, who famously played Ron Weasley in the film series based on the novels by J.K. Rowling, got candid about his role and how it impacted his life for 10 years. 

"Potter was so full on — [filming] all year, then we’d promote the rest of the time. It was quite suffocating," he said during an interview with Bustle.

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"I wanted a break, to reflect on everything... It was an out-of-body experience for a while, but I think we finished at the right time. If we continued, it could’ve gone downhill."

The now 34-year-old English actor was only 11 years old when he was cast to play Ron Weasley. He was 22 years old when the franchise ended.

He continued to express the challenges he faced while playing the lovable redheaded wizard.

"I was feeling the difficulty of being seen, being overshadowed," Grint detailed to the media outlet.

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"In the movies, we merged into one. By the end of it, I was playing myself. The lines were blurred."

Following his role in the "Harry Potter" franchise, Grint went on to perform in theater and indie films. He acted with Lindsay Lohan in the series "Sick Note" and has been featured in all four seasons of M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological thriller "Servant."

Grint added that he was always "fighting against" the child star stereotype of going "off the rails" after his success in "Harry Potter." 

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Another obstacle he brought up was attempting to avoid the "competitive element" that the media pinned on Grint and his co-stars, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. He pointed out people would constantly compare their careers. 

Despite the highs and lows of starring in the magical franchise, Grint remains grateful for the opportunity of being Ron Weasley. 

"I answer to it, if someone calls me Ron… It’s my second name," he joked.

Earlier this week, he spoke about he and his co-stars, Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter, and Watson, who stole fans hearts as Hermione Granger, unique situation in an interview with GQ Hype.

"We're still trying to figure out what life looks like on the other side of this massive cultural thing," Grint confessed.