Deathly Hallows - Post articles/pictures here! - Page 12

'Harry Potter' romance heats up

By KEVIN WILLIAMSON, QMI Agency

Last Updated: November 15, 2010 2:51pm

LONDON -- As Harry Potter sequels have multiplied, so has all the snogging.

No longer primarily intended for grade-school muggles, the franchise has broadened with romantic rivalries, adolescent emotion and grown-up gloom. Still, it's obvious its stars would rather be casting spells than locking lips.

"It was the weirdest thing ever," says Emma Watson of the semi-nude love scene she shares with Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part I, opening Friday.

It's not the first time the 21-year-old Radcliffe has stripped for a job. He bared all in the 2007 play Equus. But for Watson, the experience was new -- and understandably "bizarre." Case in point: Because of the supernatural nature of the sequence between Harry (Radcliffe) and Hermione (Watson), it required special effects and make-up.

"They only told us about the silver body paint the day before," says Watson, 20, in a suite at the Claridges Hotel. "'Oh, and PS, we hope you don't mind that we'd like both of you to be topless and covered in silver paint.' OK, as if it wasn't weird enough before. Luckily, Dan is very funny and talkative and we could just have a laugh about it."

Furthermore, Watson also shares a kiss with her other long-time co-star, Rupert Grint, who plays Potter's best pal Ron Weasley. How did the two romantic moments compare? "Kissing Rupert, he's slightly more quiet so it's like, 'What's he thinking?' Whereas the whole time with Daniel, I knew exactly the whole time what he was thinking, so that helped."

And Radcliffe has continued to keep gabbing. Recently he caught her by surprise when he told interviewers how aggressive she was during the filming of their love scene.

"I don't know what to say," Watson says, laughing. "Apparently he even called me an animal. So yeah, I guess I was so worried about it coming across as awkward as I felt it was inside, I wanted to make it as real as I could, so I guess I just went for it."

The moment occurs midway through Deathly Hallows. In the story, a demon torments Ron by conjuring images of Harry and Hermione in a naked embrace. If the sexiness might upset unsuspecting parents, it nevertheless illustrates how the series has matured along with its characters. Deathly Hallows is the darkest, most intense Potter to date. Still, London-based director David Yates acknowledges there were concerns about how graphic the scene would be.

"I didn't want Dan and Emma to completely strip down because it's uncomfortable, so we had them in jeans. The studio was a bit nervous about it and the ratings guys came back and said, 'We're going to have to slap a sensuality notice on top of the film.' The studio requested we put in more smoke to cover them up, which I tried. But it just looked like they were in a sauna. So we stuck with a slightly more sensual version."

Additionally, Deathly Hallows breaks from form by separating Harry, Ron and Hermione from the rest of the cast as they flee -- and plot to defeat -- Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).

"I just had such a bigger role it gave me a better chance to develop it and get into it. I felt like I had so much more room," Watson says. "It felt like we were making a different movie, which is nice. It didn't feel like it was boring after making six of them. It was nice to have something a bit fresh."

As for the Harry/Hermione clinch, Yates hints that an even racier version may some day be available. "There is one more version that is even naughtier -- that even we thought was too much, which was very suggestive."

He adds with a chuckle, "DVD!"

Rowling to revisit 'Potter' in future?

Has Harry Potter really wielded his wnd for the last time? It's a question being asked a lot these days since -- while Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was billed as the final installment -- author J.K. Rowling is now suggesting she may revisit the character in the future.

For instance, at the movie's world premiere in London's Leicester Square last week, she told journalists she is leaving the door open to more Potter books.

Rowling's statements have startled the actors who have starred in the film adaptations for the past decade -- and have expressed conflicted feelings about returning to the series.

"I'm still coming to terms with putting this to bed," Emma Watson says. "So being asked about whether I would consider doing another series, I can't think about it. I don't know. Never say never. But I think maybe playing her for 10 years is enough. But never say never."

kevin.williamson@sunmedia.ca

Must have been so awkward for them to romance each other since they've been friends for years and grown up together lol. 😆