Rupert Grint Says Playing Ron Weasley In 'Harry Potter' Franchise Became "Suffocating"

Rupert Grint, who essayed the role of Ron Weasley in 'Harry Potter' franchise for a decade has opened up about his time filming the series. The actor claimed that portraying the infamous character from the age of 11 to 22 "was quite suffocating."

The actor stated the same in an interview with Bustle Magazine. Explaining his reasons, he said, "Potter was so full on - (filming) all year, then we'd promote the rest of the time. It was quite suffocating." He believes that the franchise was completed at the "right time." "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." Weasley stated.

The actor also discussed how as the series moved forward, the distinctions between his off-screen image and his character started to "blur." Grint said that he felt "being overshadowed. "I was feeling the difficulty of being seen, being overshadowed. In the movies, we merged into one. By the end of it, I was playing myself. The lines were blurred," he continued. 

He continued by stating to the magazine that "Ron" is still his "second name" and that he still responds to it when someone calls him by it. 

Grint took part in the HBO Max television special 'Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts' last year, despite initially feeling that not enough time had passed for a reunion and despite not having seen all the movies. The actor feels that it was a rewarding experience altogether. "(Being in Harry Potter) was a really unique experience only us core group really know, so it's nice to see them. It was a good opportunity to reflect on everything and just say how crazy it was. It's always nice to look back."