From the film: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Bonnie Wright, Tom Felton, director David Yates and producers David Heyman and David Barron. Other celebrity guests to be announced shortly.
There is another person you all know attending the premiere, but I don’t know if I can say yet, I need to ask permission 😉
UPDATE: I can say who else is going, ME! I’ll be on the red carpet! woot!
Guardian.co.uk has a new article about Harry Potter that includes a new photo from the Half-Blood Prince filming. The article shows us a behind the scenes view of Harry Potter filming. The article has interviews with Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Bonnie Wright, Jim Broadbent, David Yates, David Heyman, and David Barron. See the photo here in the gallery.
It is indeed fascinating to watch the young cast grow up on screen – have a look at early interviews on YouTube and you’ll notice their feet dangling above the ground – and Yates has also got around the potential problem of being lumbered with an existing cast by giving cameos to older actors with whom he’s previously worked. One of the best things about the Potter films has always been the appearance of national acting treasures such as Timothy Spall, Imelda Staunton, David Thewlis and, in The Half-Blood Prince, Jim Broadbent.
I ask Broadbent about his experience of playing Horace Slughorn, Potions Master and head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts, and it seems that he, too, has been bitten by the Harry bug. “It was an extraordinary thing to be part of. The main sets feel so permanent, having been there since the start, which means it’s very easy to get drawn into the world of Hogwarts. It was rather daunting turning up on set with all these young actors; it could so easily have been a nightmare, given that the five films have had such huge success. But the kids turned out to be terrific. There was no brattish behaviour or starry, Fame Academy behaviour; they just get on with it.”
And perhaps this is the key to the success of the films: producers David Heyman and David Barron have created what the latter describes as “our reality”. The young cast have never been allowed to develop attitude. Each new director has had to stay within the perimeters of the world so carefully set up at Leavesden; accordingly, there’s no room for an individual director to take off on a flight of fancy. And the continuity of cast and crew is impressive, too; although Radcliffe initially signed on for the first two films and seriously debated doing three and four, he did finally sign up till the end.
Canal 5 is having a contest for a fan to win a trip to the Deathly Hallows set in England. Starting June 21st, Canal 5 will begin airing the first four Harry Potter films; during commercials they will ask three questions about the Harry Potter series. If 12 questions are answered correctly, there is a final test to be passed. Of those winners, one will be chosen as a guest on the Deathly Hallows lot later this year.
Film critics should stick to critiquing an actor’s performance: some of them are far too obsessed with the superficial – with people’s appearance – and there’s nothing worse than a critic being [cranky]. Some can be really unkind, and it’s just not fun to read, especially if it’s you they’re writing about. Even if you have 10 really good reviews, it’s the one bad one that sticks in your mind.
A critic really has to know their stuff. If you’re writing about film, see as many movies as you can. Making comparisons with other films helps the reader build a mental picture of what this new film is like. Have an open, varied taste, and be receptive to new creative ideas.
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are scheduled to appear on Australia’s Rove Sunday, July 5, 2009. It is not known if they will be in the studio or talk via satellite.
If anyone is able to capture the show please send it in! Thanks to SS!
Belgium’s Jommeke newspaper visited the Half-Blood Prince set early last year, where they spoke to Jim Broadbent (Slughorn) and Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), and watched a scene being filmed for the sixth movie.  You can see scans here.
• The Belgium premiere for Half-Blood Prince will take place on Saturday, July 11, which Bonnie Wright and Evanna Lynch will be attending.
• Although not confirmed yet, it appears that Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson will only attend the UK premiere for the sixth movie (on July 7th), and no other because of their busy Deathly Hallows film schedule. [THIS IS FALSE, all three will be at the NYC premiere, thanks Jo]
• Jim Broadbent talks about how pleased his grandchildren are that he has taken a role in the Harry Potter films, playing Slughorn. He discusses his character, stating that he is not really bad, just a weak person. Slughorn has a wall of photos with himself and celebrated students; the Potions professor also finds it a treat to teach the famous Harry Potter.
• Robbie Coltrane jokes about his three young co-stars, Dan, Rupert and Emma, where he proudly states that fame and fortune has not go to their head, and that they don’t believe they are any better than anyone else on set.
• The tour guide, Amy, explains how Quidditch in the sixth film will be bigger than it previously has been; she also shows the reporters around Dumbledore’s office and tells them that the famed Astronomy Tower scene took place a week before their arrival.
• The reporters describe the scene they are privileged to watch, which includes Dan, Rupert and Emma, heavily layered in clothing as they walk down a snowy path to Hagrid. Emma and Dan point out the mistakes they make during their takes, of which there are nine before the scene is complete. Between takes, however, Dan and Rupert are noted to throw off their coats as the set is hot, and are eager to go back to Rupert’s dressing room and play a game of ping pong. A comment from Dan is published at the end, where he says that filming can get tiring, and that it will be strange to no longer play Harry after Deathly Hallows has completed.
— 