"I Want To Be In Your Film, God D--n It": Harry Potter Franchise Star Rejected Director Offer That Would Have Impacted Short Screentime

Jamie Campbell Bower reveals how he insisted to a director that he was ready for anything to maintain his brief appearance as a major Harry Potter villain. The actor is best known for his appearances in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Mortal Instrument: City of Bones, and the Twilight franchise. In 2022, Bower made his Stranger Things debut as Hawkins Lab attendant Henry Creel, who is eventually revealed to be Vecna, the monstrous villain responsible for the events of the series.

As Bower recently appeared in a panel during the Como Fan Event (via ET Online), the actor revealed that his brief appearance as the young dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I was almost cut even shorter had he not insisted on taking on all the responsibilities of the scene. The actor stated that after being brought on to play Grindelwald through a friend, David Yates questioned on the day of shooting if he’d rather have a stunt double perform the window jump, which Bower quickly rejected. Check out Bower’s full recollection below:

I had a lot of friends on Harry Potter. And I think one day somebody just was like, ‘Do you want to just like be in this film?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, all right. Sounds fun. Sounds cool. I remember in Deathly Hallows, the only time you see me is when I’m stealing the Elder Wand and jumping out of the window.

And I remember David Yates coming up to me as we were filming that one scene—that one scene is my one day of work—and David goes, ‘Do you think you want to stunt double?’ And I was like, ‘David, if you have a stunt double, I’m not going to be in your film. So no, I don’t want a stunt double. I want to be in your film, God damn it.’”

What Bower’s Response Reveals About His Harry Potter Role

The Actor Would Be Able To Take Center Stage As A Foe Later On

Bower isn’t exaggerating when he states just how a stunt double would impact his on-screen presence in the Harry Potter movies. While the novels featured a larger role for the dark wizard as Dumbledore’s youth was brought to light, his presence in the movie series is reduced to a brief glimpse of him stealing the Elder Wand from the workshop of wandmaker, Gregorovitch, as well as a pH๏τograph. However, Bower would have the opportunity to reprise the role for a brief appearance in Fantastic Beasts: The Crime of Grindelwald.

While his role as a villain in the Harry Potter franchise may have been cut short, his Stranger Things tenure would allow him to fulfill the opportunity of playing a major antagonist. Upon his debut in Stranger Things, his roles of Henry Creel and Vecna were only hinted towards, making the eventual reveal of the character’s true nature incredibly impactful once viewers were finally subjected to the horrors of Vecna’s plan and the bloody Hawkins Lab mᴀssacre. With Bower set to play Vecna in a cryptic, more humanoid form in Stranger Things season 5, the actor will bring new depth to the character.

Our Thoughts On Bower’s Harry Potter Experience

The Actor Has Proven Himself As A Formidable Villain Actor

Human Henry Creel dressed as an attendant in Stranger Things

Though his earlier villainous role in the Harry Potter franchise may have been brief, Bower’s later roles have fully shown off his true range as a villain. His appearance of Henry Creel in the flashbacks lulled audiences in with his friendly side, only for the later Vecna reveal and his greater presence as the transformed villain, to display how terrifying he could be. While Stranger Things season 5 could likely be Bower’s last opportunity to play the major antagonist, many viewers may be keen to see him take on other major antagonistic roles in the future.

Source: Como Fan Event (via ET Online)

Harry Potter

Created by: J.K. Rowling
First Film: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
First TV Show: Harry Potter
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Alan Rickman, Matthew Lewis, Bonnie Wright, Evanna Lynch, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Richard Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Alfred Enoch, Harry Melling, Gary Oldman, Robert Pattinson, Warwick Davis, Oliver Phelps, James Phelps, David Bradley, David Thewlis, Katie Leung, Jason Isaacs, Imelda Staunton, David Tennant, Jamie Campbell Bower, Timothy Spall, Robbie Coltrane, Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Johnny Depp, Mads Mikkelsen
TV Show(s): Harry Potter