When the Harry Potter movies were being made, JK Rowling had some strict rules. The Harry Potter cast had to be entirely British, and the whole thing had to be filmed in the UK. This decision made things very difficult for Warner Bros, who had to turn away big names like Robin Williams and Steven Spielberg.
These restrictions also made casting the fantasy movie very difficult, most famously when Warners was hunting for the titular Boy Who Lived. The studio saw thousands of young actors while looking for the boy wizard before eventually finding Daniel Radcliffe.
It’s unsurprising then that despite Rowling’s decree that the film be kept an all-British affair, at least one American slipped through the cracks and appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Verne Troyer, who’s probably most famous for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers’ comedy movies, played the goblin Griphook who takes Harry to his family vault in Gringotts. So why was Troyer allowed in when even Robin Williams didn’t make the cut?
Well, while nothing has been officially confirmed, we imagine it’s because Troyer didn’t actually voice Griphook. Instead, Warwick Davis, who played Professor Flitwick, dubbed his lines.
So while Griphook’s body may have been American, his voice was very much British. When Griphook eventually returned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Davies took over the role completely.
Technically there’s one other American in the film. Chris Columbus’ daughter Eleanor played Susan Bones in the first two films, although she doesn’t have any lines, so it doesn’t technically count.
If you love the Wizarding World, check out our guide to the best Harry Potter characters.