Do you think anyone else could have played the roles of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Gilderoy Lockhart, and Nearly Headless Nick better than the actors who did in the 2002 fantasy film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? The film was a huge hit, earning almost $900 million with a budget of only $100 million. It also got three nominations from the British Academy Film.
That aside, it has been more than 20 years since the film came out, and you might be wondering what the amazing actors such as Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh, and John Cleese are up to now. Well, Richard Harris, Richard Griffiths, Alan Rickman, and Robbie Coltrane died in 2002, 2013, 2016 and 2022, respectively.
Let us give you an update on their lives and careers.
Meet The Cast Of Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
1. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter)
Daniel Radcliffe became a star at 12 years old, thanks to the Harry Potter franchise. He played the titular character in all eight films of the fantasy series, based on the books by J.K. Rowling.
The films were a huge success, both critically and commercially, making him one of the world’s richest actors, with an estimated net worth of $110 million, according to celebritynetworth.com. In addition, he received several awards and nominations for his performance, such as the MTV Movie Award for Best Hero, the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, and the British Academy Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year.
Radcliffe played many different roles after Harry Potter. He was in movies like The Woman in Black (2012), a scary movie; Kill Your Darlings (2013), a movie about writers; Horns (2013), a movie where he has horns; Swiss Army Man I(2016), a movie where he is a dead body; and Guns Akimbo (2019), a movie where he has guns on his hands.
He was also in TV shows like A Young Doctor’s Notebook (2012-13), a funny show about a doctor; The Simpsons (2010-18), a cartoon show where he did voices; Miracle Workers (2019-present), a funny show where he plays different people; and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend (2020), a show where you can choose what happens.
He also acted on stage in plays like Equus (2008-09), a play about a boy and horses; How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2011-12), a musical about a worker; The Cripple of Inishmaan (2013), a play about an Irish boy; and The Lifespan of a Fact (2018), a play about checking facts.
Some of his most recent works include Escape from Pretoria (2020), The Lost City (2022), and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022).
In April 2023, Radcliffe and his longtime girlfriend American actress Erin Darke welcomed a child together.
2. Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley)
With curly and messy hair, and an expressive and friendly face, Rupert Grint acted in school plays as well as a local theater group before making his film debut at the age of 13 in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) as Ron Wesley. After that, he appeared in all subsequent installments of the franchise.
He went on to win several accolades for his performance in the franchise including Young Artist Award, MTV Movie Award, National Movie Award, and People’s Choice Award. Putting in perspective what the English actor has earned from the Harry Potter series and other projects, his net worth is approximately $50 million.
He also did other movies, TV shows, and plays. Some of his movies are Thunderpants (2002), a funny movie about a boy who farts a lot; Driving Lessons (2006), a movie about a shy boy; and Moonwalkers (2015), a movie where he lies about filming the moon landing.
His TV credits include Come Fly with Me (2010), a mockumentary where he plays himself; Sick Note (2017-2018), a comedy where he plays a man who fakes having cancer; Snatch (2017-2018), a crime comedy based on the film of the same name; and Servant (2019-present), a psychological horror where he plays a father who hires a nanny for his doll.
He performed in a couple of stage plays such as Mojo (2013-2014), a dark comedy where he plays a gangster; It’s Only a Play (2014-2015), a comedy where he plays a director; and The Servant of Two Masters (2016), a comedy where he plays a servant who works for two masters.
Outside acting, Grint shares a daughter with his longtime partner, English actress Georgia Groome. Their daughter’s name is Wednesday, and she was born in 2020. He is also involved in philanthropy, donating personal items and raising funds for various charitable courses in the United Kingdom.
3. Emma Watson (Hermoine Granger)
Emma Watson has always charmed the world with her petite and lovely smile whenever she appears on the screen. It all began at 11 when she played Hermione Granger, a smart and brave witch, in the first Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001). She appeared in the other seven Harry Potter movies, as well as other films such as Noah (2014), Beauty and the Beast (2017), and Little Women (2019)
She had a few TV roles in shows such as Ballet Shoes (2007), The Vicar Dibley (2015), and Harry Potter’s 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts (2022).
Apart from acting, Watson is also a model. She launched her modeling career in 2005 with a photo shoot for Teen Vogue. She became the face of Burberry’s 2009 and 2010 campaigns and also modeled for Lancôme. She is an advocate for sustainable fashion and joined the board of Kering, a luxury brand group, in 2020. In 2002, she became the ambassador of Paradoxe, a new perfume by Prada Beauty.
Watson is involved in activism and advocacy for girls and women. She advocates for gender equality, girls’ education, fair trade, and sustainable fashion. She is the face of the HeForShe campaign and the founder of a feminist book club. She uses her social media platforms to raise awareness and inspire action.
Today, Watson is one of the richest actresses in the world with an estimated net worth of $85 million. Most of it came from what she earned in the Harry Potter movies, while the rest came from other films and endorsements.
4. Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart)
Kenneth Branagh, an Irish-born British actor, and Oscar-winning director, has been in the movie industry for more than 4 decades. He has a distinctive mustache that he can style to fit any role. He has directed and starred in numerous projects on stage and screen such as Another Country (1982), Henry V (1989), Thor (2011), Cinderella (2015), Death on the Nile (2022), and A Haunting in Venice (2023).
In 2002, he played Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which was his only role in the franchise.
Branagh was married to English actress Emma Thompson in 1989, but the couple divorced in 1995. He married film art director Lindsay Brunnock in 2003, after meeting her in 2002.
He has earned handsomely from his career as an actor and director and his net worth is approximately $60 million.
5. John Cleese (Nearly Headless Nick)
John Cleese has only appeared in two of Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001), and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) as Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor House.
Before then, he became famous as a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe, which created the sketch show Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969-1974) and the films Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979), and Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983). He also co-created and starred in the sitcom Fawlty Towers (1975-1979), which is considered one of the best British comedies of all time.
He has appeared in many other films and shows, such as A Fish Called Wanda (1988), for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991), and Shrek 2 (2004). So far he has earned an estimated net worth of $20 million from his career.
Clesse has been married four times and divorced three times. His first wife was Connie Booth, an actress and co-writer of Fawlty Towers, and they had a daughter, Cynthia. His second wife was Barbara Trentham, an American actress, and they had a daughter, Camilla. His third wife was Alyce Faye Eichelberger, an American psychotherapist. His fourth and current wife is Jennifer Wade, a British jewelry designer; they married in 2012.
6. Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid)
Robbie Coltrane is well-known for his role as Rubeus Hagrid, the half-giant and gamekeeper of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter film series. He has appeared in all eight films from 2001 to 2011, and received critical acclaim and fan admiration for his performance.
Coltrane is also known for his role as Dr. Eddie Fitzgerald, a criminal psychologist, in the British television series Cracker, which ran from 1993 to 1996 and won him three BAFTA awards. He has also starred in other films and shows, such as Nuns on the Run (1990), GoldenEye (1995), From Hell (2001), Ocean’s Twelve (2004), Brave (2012), and National Treasure (2016).
Sadly, he died of multiple organ failure on October 14, 2022, at the age of 72, leaving behind his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice, and their mother Rhona Gemmell, his ex-wife. He was the fourth cast member of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to die.
7. Warwick Davis (Filius Flitwick)
Despite being born with a rare bone disorder that causes dwarfism, Warwick Davis has proven that height is no obstacle to success. The 3 feet 6 inches tall actor has starred in many popular films and TV shows, showcasing his talent and versatility. He is the perfect definition of “small things come in good packages.”
He is best known for his roles as Professor Filius Flitwick, the head of Ravenclaw House and the Charms teacher at Hogwarts, in the Harry Potter franchise, and as Wicket, the brave and adorable Ewok who helps the rebels in the Star Wars film series.
Today, Davis has over 50 films and 20 TV shows to his name and is not stopping anytime soon. He met his wife, Samantha (nee Burroughs) Davis, on the set of Willow in 1988, where they both played roles in the fantasy adventure. They tied the knot in June 1991 and have two children, Annabelle and Harrison, who are also actors.
8. Richard Griffiths (Vernon Dursley)
Richard Griffiths was in five Harry Potter movies, including Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as Vernon Dursley. The other four were the first, third, fifth, and seventh movies. In his career, he appeared in nearly 30 films, 50 television shows, and 10 plays.
Griffiths gained notoriety for his part in the Harry Potter series, but he has had a number of other well-regarded appearances on television and in the theater. For his work in the stage production The History Boys, he received both the Laurence Olivier Award and the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.
Outside of acting and theater, he was married to Heather Gibson in 1980 after meeting her in 1973. They didn’t share children.
At University Hospital Coventry, Griffiths passed away on March 28, 2013, at the age of 65, as a result of complications from heart surgery. He was the second cast member of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to die.
9. Richard Harris (Albus Dumbledore)
Widely regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest film actors, Richard Harris had a long and varied career in film, stage, and music. He was nominated for two Academy Awards for his roles in This Spring Life (1963), and The Field (1991).
Harris also starred as King Arthur in the musical Camelot (1967) and won a Golden Globe for his performance. He had a shit song with MacArthur Park in 1968, which earned him a Grammy Award.
He had two marriages and two divorces in his life. He married Elizabeth Rees-Williams in 1957 and had three sons, who are all in the film industry: Jared Harris, Jamie Harris, and Damian Harris. He divorced her in 1969 and married an American actress, Ann Turkel, in 1974. They divorced in 1982.
He died after being hospitalized with a chest infection at the age of 72, on October 25, 2002, a few days before the release of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in November 2002.
He was the first Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets cast member to die.
10. Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy)
Jason Isaacs has been gracing the screens with his distinctive voice and charming smile for more than 30 years. He played Lucius Malfoy in 6 of the 8 Harry Potter films and has appeared in several other roles such as William Tavington in The Patriot (2000), Michael D. Steel in Black Hawk Down (2001), and Captain Hook in Peter Pan (2003).
He has also won several awards for his performances, such as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film for The State Within (2006) and the Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film for Case Histories (2011-13).
Financially, the English actor’s estimated net worth is put at $8 million, earned from his nearly 4 decades-old career.
Isaacs married Emma Hewitt, his long-time girlfriend, in 2001. They met at the Central School of Speech and Drama, where they both studied acting. They have two daughters, Lily, born in 2002, and Ruby, born in 2005.
He also battled with drug and alcohol addiction for more than 20 years. He became sober in 2020.
11. Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall)
Maggie Smith is not only one of the oldest cast members to appear in the Harry Potter series but also one of the most accomplished. She has been acting for over seven decades, and has won numerous awards for her performances on stage, screen, and television. She is one of the few actors who have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting, which means she has won an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and an Emmy Award.
Smith has played a variety of roles throughout her career, from comedy to drama, from historical to fantasy. She has also starred in some of the most popular films and shows of all time, such as The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), A Room with a View (1985), Gosford Park (2001), and Downton Abbey (2010). She has also been honored with the Order of the British Empire, the Companion of Honour, and the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Moving to her personal life, Smith was first married to actor Robert Stephens in June 1967 and had two sons, both actors, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens. She divorced him in April 1975, and married playwright Beverly Cross in June 1975, and remained his wife until his passing in March 1998.
Health-wise, the English actress battled Grave’s disease and also recovered from breast cancer.
In terms of wealth, she has an estimated net worth of $20 million.
12. Gemma Jones (Madam Pomfrey)
Gemma Jones is a legend in her own right and a treasure to the world of entertainment. This is not surprising considering the fact that she has been active in the theater, film, and television for over 5 decades and doesn’t seem to be tired.
Jones began her career in the 1960s, performing in regional theaters and appearing in the stage production of Alfie. She gained recognition on TV for her roles as Queen Elizabeth 1 in Kenilworth (1967), and Fleda Vetch in The Spoils of Poynton.
She joined the National Theater and Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1970s, playing various classical and contemporary roles, such as Empress Frederick in Fall of Eagles, and Louisa Trotter in The Duchess of Duke Street.
Over the next three decades, she appeared in several roles on TV, film, and stage, including The Real Thing, Merchant of Venice, Sense and Sensibility, Jane Eyre, and Marvellous‘ She also won a couple of awards, including a Tony Award, and a BAFTA TV Award.
13. Alan Rickman (Severus Snape)
Alan Rickman is the fourth cast member of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to die. He died of pancreatic cancer on January 14, 2016, at the age of 69.
Rickman is fondly remembered for his distinctive deep, methodical voice and versatile roles in theater, film, and TV. But most importantly, people would not forget in a hurry how he played the role of Severus Snape, the complex and conflicted potions master in the Harry Potter series.
He was not only a talented actor, but also a recipient of several prestigious awards for his performances. He won a BAFTA Award, which is one of the highest honors in British film and television, for his role as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. He also won a Tony Award, which is the highest honor in American theatre, for his role as Henry in The Real Thing.
14. Fiona Shaw (Petunia Dursley)
Fiona Shaw is a celebrated Irish actress who has been praised for her work in theatre, film, and television. She has received several awards and recognition for her performances, including two Olivier Awards, and two BAFTA TV Awards. She was also listed in the Irish Times list of the country’s greatest film actors in 2020, which is a testament to her talent and versatility.
Shaw is well-known for her roles in My Left Foot (1989), As You Like It, The Good Person of Szechwan (1990), Machinal (1994), and Enola Holmes (2020). In addition, she played Putinia Dursley in the Harry Potter franchise from 2001 to 2010.
Moving to her personal life, Shaw is married to Sri Lankan economist Sonali Deraniyagala in 2018. She previously dated English actress Saffron Burrows.
15. Julie Walters (Molly Weasley)
Julie Walters shared her ability and personality with the world on TV, film, and stage for five decades. Her contributions to the arts were not unappreciated, as she received four British Academy Television Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a Laurence Olivier Award. She was also nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.
She launched her eating career in the early 1970s but rose to fame in the 1980s with her role in Educating Rita (1983). On TV, she appeared in Wood and Walters (1981), Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV (1985-87), and Pat and Margaret (1994).
Walters played Molly Weasley in 7 films of the Harry Potter series, excluding Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. That role earned her the “second-best screen mother” from the BBC in 2003.
She married Grant Roffey in 1997 after meeting and sparking a romance with him in 1986. They share a daughter named Maisie Mae, who was born in 1988.
Health-wise, Walters has faced some challenges in recent years. She was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer in 2018, which means the cancer had spread to nearby lymph nodes. She had surgery to remove part of her colon and chemotherapy to treat the cancer. She has since recovered from the cancer and has been given the all-clear by her doctor.
However, she has also faced some setbacks due to her health issues. She had to quit the cast of the Channel 4 drama Truelove due to severe back pain in early 2023.