The Harry Potter movies must have been pretty difficult to shoot, what with all the CGI, action set-pieces, and tongue-twisting spells the actors had to memorise. For Daniel Radcliffe though, one of the most difficult and time-consuming scenes to shoot in the fantasy movie franchise was all about being underwater.
In the fourth instalment in the family movie series, Radcliffe’s Harry Potter character takes part in the tri-wizard tournament where his magical skills are put to the test. So too, is his ability to hold his breath underwater for extended periods of time.
In an interview with GQ reflecting on his career, Radcliffe explained how these scenes were shot and just how difficult the experience was.
“There is so much on Harry Potter that was so intense and crazy you don’t even think about it at the time because you’re just like ‘Yeah they’re building a tank where D stage used to be and they’re going to be filming underwater for six weeks,'” Radcliffe said.
“I had a logbook of all the hours I’d done underwater, it was really cool. I’ve heard that we averaged seven seconds of footage a day or something, like of usable footage. But again, those are one of those things you go ‘I will never do that again,’ and if I do, I’ll be one of the only people who’s done it before. You look back on those moments and realise they’re special,” he added.
It must have all been an incredible experience to be a part of for the young actors involved in the adventure movies, and it’s nice to see anyone from the Harry Potter cast reflect on the time so fondly.
If wizards and witches are your cup of tea, check out our list of the best fantasy series. Or, look ahead to the Fantastic Beasts 4 release date.