31 Rupert Grint’s Ice Cream Dream
After his success in the Harry Potter films, Rupert Grint bought a 1974 Mr. Whippy Bedford van to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming an ice cream man. Instead of treating it like a celebrity trophy, he used the van the way he had imagined as a kid. He reportedly drove around local villages giving free ice cream and lollipops to children.
32 Vladimir Putin’s Alleged Dobby Lookalike
In 2003, a group of Russian lawyers reportedly threatened to sue Warner Bros. over Dobby the house-elf in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” They claimed the character looked too similar to Russian president Vladimir Putin, who was already in office when the film reached audiences.
33 Mormon Leaders Defended Harry Potter
Although many Evangelicals opposed the “Harry Potter” series, some prominent leaders of the Latter-day Saints Church took a different view. They recommended the books and spoke of being fans because the stories taught morality and showed good triumphing over evil.
34 Rob Knox Died Protecting Brother
British actor Rob Knox, who played Marcus Belby in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” was stabbed to death outside a bar in London in 2008. The attack happened after he tried to protect his younger brother from two men, one of whom was armed with two knives. Knox was only 18, and his final screen role appeared in the Harry Potter film released after his death.
35 Alice Newton Saved Harry Potter
After several publishers rejected “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” as too long for a children’s book, Bloomsbury chairman Nigel Newton agreed to look at British author J.K. Rowling’s manuscript. He passed the early pages to his 8-year-old daughter, Alice Newton, who read a chapter and immediately wanted more. Her excitement helped convince Bloomsbury that the book had real appeal, and the publisher went on to release it in 1997.
36 J.K. Rowling’s Smarties Prize Streak
J.K. Rowling won the Nestle Smarties Book Prize in 1997, 1998, and 1999 for the first three Harry Potter books. The run made her the first person to win the award three years in a row. When the fourth book came along, Rowling withdrew it from contention so other children’s books could have a fair chance.
37 John Nettleship Inspired Severus Snape
A British chemistry teacher named John Nettleship helped inspire Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter books. Nettleship had taught J.K. Rowling at Wyedean School, and at first he felt upset when people linked him to the cold, intimidating potions master. He later embraced the connection and even wrote a book about his life and his unexpected place in Harry Potter history.
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38 Stephen Fry Couldn’t Pocket It
While recording the audiobook for “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” British actor and narrator Stephen Fry struggled to say the phrase “he pocketed it.” He asked J.K. Rowling to replace the line with different wording, but she refused. Rowling later said she kept putting the phrase into each of the next four Harry Potter books as a private joke.
39 Hedwig’s Orphan Saint Connection
Harry Potter’s owl, Hedwig, was named after Saint Hedwig of Silesia, who is sometimes associated with orphans. In the books, Hedwig dies while protecting Harry during the escape from Privet Drive in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”
40 Voldemort’s Cloak Faded Gradually
Lord Voldemort’s costume in the Harry Potter films reportedly used 7 shades of green, one for each of his 7 horcruxes. As the Horcruxes were destroyed, his cloak gradually lost shades of green and became paler. The costume change helped show visually that Voldemort was weakening and “fading away” as pieces of his soul were destroyed.
RE: Fact #19 (Harry Potter Emptied Oxford’s ER) – Trying to claim causation from simple correlation here is a stretch. Other factors, like bad weather keeping kids indoors, could easily explain the data.
RE: Fact #22 (Mary Pyle’s Potter Psychology PhD) – Because adults want the same things kids do. They want a tight group of friends, a supportive society, and an idyllic setting where everything they need is within walking distance.
Plus, magic being real is the ultimate appeal. Escapism becomes more important as the world moves faster and we’re buried under an endless deluge of information, which is mostly just noise.
That’s pretty much it. I couldn’t care less about Harry Potter personally, but I can totally get into that cozy, British academic vibe.
RE: Fact #28 (J.K. Rowling’s Hundred Million Debut) – The list just gets worse from there, moving on to The Da Vinci Code and 50 Shades of Grey. It’s kind of sad.
RE: Fact #5 (Alan Rickman Chose Snape Instead) – If you want an idea of how that might have sounded, check out King of the Hill season 6, episode 8, “Joust Like a Woman.” He plays a tiny, tyrannical Renaissance festival king. It is a fantastic performance.
RE: Fact #30 (Expecto Patronum Means Await Protector) – It literally means ‘I await a protector.’ A lot of people mock the spells for being ‘fake Latin, ‘ but then they cite words like Accio or Repello, not realizing those are actual Latin terms used correctly. The fake ones, like Wingardium Leviosa, are obviously just made up.
RE: Fact #41 (Snapeism Turned Snape Into God) – Whoa, that’s just like those people who claim Jackson Galaxy is being mind-controlled by cats to train humanity.
RE: Fact #3 (David Holmes’s Final Potter Stunt) – He really made the best of a bad situation. After his injury, he started driving specially-modified cars on race tracks at 150 mph and launched a production company with two other friends who are also tetraplegic. In 2020, he began a podcast with Daniel Radcliffe called Cunning Stunts to interview other stunt performers and highlight the risks they face.
Cunning Stunts is a classic spoonerism. Metallica even used the name for a release back in the 90s.
This is the first time I’ve come across the word “tetraplegic.” Is it different from “quadriplegic”? Maybe it’s a British versus American English thing?
RE: Fact #27 (Steven Spielberg’s Animated Potter Plan) – By ‘creative differences, ‘ she probably meant she didn’t want Haley Joel Osment and insisted on an all-British cast. They ended up with Chris Columbus directing and John Williams doing the score.
That score is incredible. And honestly, I think they made the right call insisting on a British cast.
Yeah, the casting and the score are basically the only things every fan agrees they nailed.
RE: Fact #7 (Daniel Radcliffe’s Untouched Potter Fortune) – Don’t forget that Rupert Grint actually bought an ice cream truck and would just give out free treats.
The coolest part is that he only drove it around in the winter because he didn’t want to hurt the business of the local ice cream sellers.
Damn, I didn’t even think about that. It is the little details that matter; you don’t want to come off like a jerk even when you’re trying to do something nice.
That fact too is included in this list
RE: Fact #30 (Expecto Patronum Means Await Protector) – I need a hero, I’m holding out for a hero ’til the end of the night, He’s gotta be strong, And he’s gotta be fast, And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight, I need a hero, I’m holding out for a hero ’til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life,
RE: Fact #31 (Rupert Grint’s Ice Cream Dream) – I’m not sure they realize Rupert definitely made enough money to cover the cost of a van.
RE: Fact #12 (Jeremy Silman’s Uncredited Chess Puzzle) – Silman is a brilliant chess writer, too. His books are both practical and theoretical. I always make sure to read them more than once.
What exactly do chess authors write about? Is it just pages and pages of “make this move, then that move, and if your opponent does this, skip to page 212 to see what happens next”?
RE: Fact #48 (Fantastic Beasts Won Potter’s Oscar) – The first film was probably a runner-up for a few, but it had the bad luck of being up against Lord of the Rings. It seems impossible that John Williams didn’t win an Oscar for that score until you remember who he was competing against.
It’s a tough call on which soundtrack is more iconic. LotR is my personal favorite, but the Harry Potter score is basically part of the cultural DNA at this point.
RE: Fact #8 (Jamie Waylett’s London Riot Sentence) – That is actually why the character Blaise Zabini ends up taking Crabbe’s spot in the Deathly Hallows movies. They had to write Crabbe out because the actor went to prison.
RE: Fact #13 (Andrew Wilson’s Ancient Greek Potter) – I used to give excerpts from this to my intermediate Latin and Greek students! It is not great literature in either language, but it is cool to see the choices the translator made.
RE: Fact #7 (Daniel Radcliffe’s Untouched Potter Fortune) – He does not really need to burn through that cash when he has the money from Swiss Army Man.
Between Horns, Now You See Me 2, Frankenstein, and other shows, he has been busy. Plus, he just does not seem like the type to blow his money on stupid stuff.
That movie never gets enough respect. People usually just brush it off whenever I bring it up.
In my experience, almost nobody has even heard of it. I am not even sure how I found it, but I only know one other person who has actually watched it.
It is crazy that such a weird movie could be so powerful. I am glad I gave it a shot; it was probably my favorite film of 2016, even if I get why it is not for everyone.
RE: Fact #22 (Mary Pyle’s Potter Psychology PhD) – Everyone keeps speculating on why Harry Potter is so popular with adults. If only someone had done extensive PhD research on it so we could finally know. The world may never know.
And if only there was a journalist who wrote a story about that research and could have given us at least a summary.
RE: Fact #12 (Jeremy Silman’s Uncredited Chess Puzzle) – Jeremy Silman shared a blog post about this. He wrote: Q: Why isn’t your name in the credits? A: Sigh… I was hoping nobody would notice that. If you watch the credits, you will see everyone from the hairdressers to the donut delivery boy getting thanked for their part in the film. The omission of the “chess guy” shows just how far down the food chain we really are!
Maybe he should have pushed for a producer credit. It feels like people get those for almost anything these days. It is a shame, though. Silman was fantastic at making chess accessible for beginners through his books and articles when I used to play. I hope he is doing well.
I am not in the movie industry, but I suspect it is because there is no “chess guy” union. Those other roles probably have a requirement to be listed in the credits.
That is not true. I am in a union, and plenty of set dressers and grips who build the sets don’t get credits, while a teenage production assistant just standing around gets one.
To jump in on the top comment: the delivery person and the hairdressers were likely working with the cast and crew from start to finish. Those professions are essential to the filming process, which is why you see them credited on almost every movie. Does Silman really think working on a chess puzzle for a week makes him more important than them?
RE: Fact #23 (Maggie Smith Filmed Through Chemotherapy) – “I knew it was going to be a major commitment when I started, but it turned out to be 10 years. That’s a lot of time with one character!” She was perfect. Thank you, Dame Maggie Smith.
RE: Fact #34 (Rob Knox Died Protecting Brother) – “The only potion my dad says is worth having is a stiff one at the end of the day.” RIP to that minor character, taken way too young, but he died a hero.
RE: Fact #26 (J.K. Rowling’s Stolen Potter Prequel) – Does Rowling actually write by hand? If she wanted this turned into a screenplay, wouldn’t she just keep a digital copy?
It was just a fun short story written for charity. I wouldn’t call it a manuscript, it was just about some trouble Sirius and James got into as kids.
RE: Fact #44 (Nintendo Wanted Harry Potter Rights) – The amount of detail they would have put into those games would have been incredible. Instead, we ended up with that garbage PS1 game featuring that troll-tossing minigame that dragged on forever.
RE: Fact #34 (Rob Knox Died Protecting Brother) – I seem to remember Fenrir Greyback passed away while trying to hike solo through Death Valley. Any other tragic “too-soon” moments linked to this franchise?
RE: Fact #25 (Dobby’s Welsh Sock Grave) – People leaving socks are just trashing the coast. The National Trust has repeatedly asked everyone to stop.
RE: Fact #18 (Richard Harris’s Granddaughter Forced Dumbledore) – I love Richard Harris! If you’re a fan of his Dumbledore, definitely check out the 1960s film ‘Camelot’ where he plays King Arthur. It’s based on the T.H. White novel ‘The Once and Future King, ‘ which is one of the best books you’ll ever read.
After Harris passed away, my brother and I were talking about who should replace him as Dumbledore. We both agreed the actor who played the cellmate at Chateau D’If in ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ would be perfect. I looked it up on IMDb, and it turned out to be Richard Harris.
RE: Fact #36 (J.K. Rowling’s Smarties Prize Streak) – Is this award actually a big deal or what? Smarties are my favorite candy, but I don’t really see the literary value there.
RE: Fact #24 (Daniel Radcliffe’s Voice Broke Mid-Film) – What a fantastic name. Joe Sowerbutts. I hope he’s doing well.
RE: Fact #2 (Natalie McDonald’s Gryffindor Tribute) – I had leukemia when I was a kid, and my Make-A-Wish was to be in the Harry Potter films. They couldn’t do it because of union rules, but they brought me to the set for a tour, which was amazing. J.K. Rowling also sent me a lovely letter that I’ll always remember.
That’s a really cool story, and I’m glad you came out the other side of that so much stronger. Have a good day, friend, you’re awesome!
RE: Fact #21 (Philosopher’s Stone Needed Double Takes) – Ah, yes, the American versions: 1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 2. Harry Potter and the Big Room of Secrets 3. Harry Potter and the Felon of Azkaban 4. Harry Potter and the Big Gold Cup of Fire 5. Harry Potter and the Gathering of the Fire Bird 6. Harry Potter and the Prince with Parents of Different Ethnicity, Except in This Case it’s an Allegory for Magical Racism 7. Harry Potter and the Dangerous Objects that Only Exist in a Children’s Story, But They’re Actually Totally Real and Harry Sorta Needs Them but Not Really
No. 6 really reminds me of that Bo Burnham poem, The Squares. “The Squares lived happily, in their square houses, in their square yards, in their square town. One day, a family of Circles moved in from the west. ‘Get out of here, roundies!’ shouted one of the Squares. ‘Why?’ asked one of the Circles. ‘Because this is a metaphor for racism!'”
I need to see this as one of those meme formats where you start with a clear picture and then keep making worse and worse drawings with each step.
And the soundtrack starts with John Williams’ original score, then slowly devolves until it’s just someone playing a kazoo.
The Big Gold Cup of Fire was probably my favorite book, but the Dangerous Objects that Only Exist in a Children’s Story, But They’re Actually Totally Real and Harry Sorta Needs Them but Not Really was my favorite movie.
But which one is actually better? Dangerous Objects that Only Exist in a Children’s Story, But They’re Actually Totally Real and Harry Sorta Needs Them but Not Really Part 1? Or Part 2?
RE: Fact #15 (Rupert Grint And Emma’s Awkward Kiss) – Emma: ‘It’s going to be so weird kissing you, we’re basically siblings.’ Rupert: ‘Yeah, definitely gross.’
I was thinking the same thing. This story definitely originated from her side, and it’s not like he’s going to contradict her. Classic white lie.
RE: Fact #33 (Mormon Leaders Defended Harry Potter) – For all the grief they get, the Mormons I’ve actually met have been pretty kind and wholesome.
You should check out that South Park episode about them if you haven’t. It nails it. Some of the beliefs are hard to wrap your head around, but they’re generally really nice people.
RE: Fact #13 (Andrew Wilson’s Ancient Greek Potter) – I have a copy of Harry Potter in Scots. It is fun to read out loud with my girlfriend, even though neither of us is a native speaker or has the accent yet. “Dear Mr Dumbiedykes, Gied Harry his letter. Takin him tae buy his things the morra. Weather’s minging. Hope ye’re weel. Hagrid”
RE: Fact #12 (Jeremy Silman’s Uncredited Chess Puzzle) – Is it not strange that the first book made such a huge deal about Ron being a chess master, and then it was basically never mentioned again?
They do play chess occasionally throughout the books, but I don’t see how it could have been worked into the plot more often in a logical way.
Well, how often are chess skills going to save the world? It would have been hard to write that into the plot naturally.
RE: Fact #1 (Daniel Radcliffe’s Allergic Potter Glasses) – His allergies are also why he couldn’t wear contact lenses. Harry was supposed to have green eyes according to the books, but he found he couldn’t handle the lenses, which is why his eye color ended up being different on screen.
I never understood why they didn’t just cast a girl with blue eyes to play Lily in those Snape flashbacks, especially since everyone spent the whole series talking about how he had her eyes.
It matters more that their eyes matched each other than that they were specifically green. I don’t know why they couldn’t have cast actresses for Lily to match the lead actor’s eyes. Lots of people talk about CGI for his eyes, but matching the actresses would have been cheaper, easier, and would have fixed the main issue.
Or they could have just digitally changed the eye color. It’s not like that tech wasn’t available back in 2001.
RE: Fact #40 (Voldemort’s Cloak Faded Gradually) – It’s a shame they totally ruined the last movie and ending. It was full of people who didn’t read the books and clearly didn’t understand the significance of Harry calling him Tom or beating him with a simple spell instead of a killing curse. They just went for, “Oh look, shiny things!” It looked cool, but it made the lore completely wrong. The director was clueless and it wrecked the finale.
RE: Fact #18 (Richard Harris’s Granddaughter Forced Dumbledore) – It’s a shame he passed away before finishing the series, he was a fantastic actor who really nailed the character from the books. Gambon just acted like he was losing his mind, and his accent shifted constantly.
RE: Fact #28 (J.K. Rowling’s Hundred Million Debut) – The first book sold millions more than the others. That’s a huge number of people who decided not to continue with the series.
RE: Fact #50 (Harry Potter Ukranian Orphanage Translation) – As a Ukrainian, I can tell you this is nonsense. Check out the boarding school wiki page and look for the word “интернат” to see what I mean. There might be some random translations out there that use the word “orphanage, ” but every official translation I’ve ever seen got it right.
RE: Fact #26 (J.K. Rowling’s Stolen Potter Prequel) – A Harry Potter prequel would basically just be a movie about child abuse at the Dursley house.
That would be the most depressing film ever. Even if it focused on Harry’s parents, it would be pretty grim.
Just 102 pages of Aunt Petunia beating the living daylights out of Harry with household objects.
RE: Fact #15 (Rupert Grint And Emma’s Awkward Kiss) – It’s the Westermarck effect, which explains why normal people don’t usually feel that way about family.
It’s a weird dynamic. My mom had a huge family, so I grew up around a few of my cousins. Now that I’m older, those ones feel like siblings and are just blank slates to me. It’s not that I’m attracted to my other cousins, they’re still family, but I don’t have that same ‘they could walk around in their underwear and it wouldn’t phase me’ feeling with the ones I didn’t grow up with.
I looked it up, and it’s just a psychological hypothesis, so nothing is settled. I was surprised to see the person who came up with it was Finnish.
RE: Fact #25 (Dobby’s Welsh Sock Grave) – It’s amazing how popular he was in the films, especially considering they cut about 90% of his story.
I feel like, unlike Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones where maybe fewer than 50% read the books before the adaptations, most Harry Potter fans, I’d bet 70-80%, had already read the books. So the fandom started with the books and poured into the movies.
RE: Fact #17 (Harry Potter’s Rational Fanfic Religion) – I’ve read it twice. It’s incredibly nerdy but actually very good. The first chunk is basically ‘what if you analyzed magic scientifically?’, but it develops into a great plot with genuine mystery and stakes. It’s essentially ‘hard fantasy’ where the lead uses cleverness to solve impossible problems. If you’re a fan of ‘The Martian’ or ‘Ender’s Game’, I highly recommend it.
Thanks for the context. I like science, but I was worried this would be boring and suck the fun out of the magic. I’ll probably check it out now.
Have you checked out Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series? One of the subplots involves the protagonist trying to introduce science to the wizarding world. Those books are fantastic overall.
RE: Fact #4 (Tom Riddle’s Translation Nightmare) – Except in Chinese, where they just used a footnote to explain what an anagram is to English readers.
Japanese and Vietnamese also couldn’t be translated properly.
That’s interesting, especially given how names in Japan can have so many different meanings and readings.
I’ve hated footnotes since I started reading the original Dragon Ball. Every joke or play on words had an explanation at the bottom because the humor didn’t translate from Japanese to French or English.
You should check out Yakitate Japan. Almost every joke is a pun, including the show’s title, and the translation I saw had subtitles explaining half of them.
This is my favorite footnote. The book is Monkey, which is a translation of Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en.
RE: Fact #7 (Daniel Radcliffe’s Untouched Potter Fortune) – I saw him perform live once and he was great. He has done a solid job moving past his Harry Potter role.
Even so, he always handles questions about Harry Potter with a smile in interviews. Imagine having to talk about something you did as a kid for your entire adult life. Most people would get annoyed, but he stays cool about it.
He seems like a really grounded guy who understands that the role made his career. He was fine in the films, and he has definitely improved as an actor since then. It helps that his parents kept him protected while he was growing up. He seems very self-aware about it all.
He might still play Harry again, who knows? Adult Harry as the head Auror would be a fun concept if Rowling ever wrote a story about the workplace dynamics there.
RE: Fact #9 (Mattel’s Infamous Vibrating Potter Broomstick) – Ha, I actually owned that broom. Honestly, nobody even noticed that feature at the time. If there was any real backlash, it was just typical puritanical pearl-clutching.
RE: Fact #24 (Daniel Radcliffe’s Voice Broke Mid-Film) – I could tell his voice was changing when he yelled “YOU LIAR!!” at Quirrel in front of the mirror.
RE: Fact #19 (Harry Potter Emptied Oxford’s ER) – The Harry Potter book releases are some of my favorite childhood memories. I started reading them with Azkaban, so Goblet of Fire was the first midnight launch I experienced. That was a huge event, but by the time Order of the Phoenix dropped, the craze had completely exploded. My local bookstore hosted a midnight release party with probably 600 people there; it was insanely popular. The next two were just as big.
RE: Fact #16 (J.K. Rowling’s First Marriage Collapse) – ‘Fortunately, ‘ he said, ‘I found another girl for the rest of my holiday, but it upset me that when I was leaving, she would not let me see Jessica.’ Sounds like a real gem.
RE: Fact #37 (John Nettleship Inspired Severus Snape) – Nettleship is already such a “Harry Potter” kind of name. He could easily have taught Herbology.
This man’s existence explains pretty much everything about how she comes up with names.
RE: Fact #4 (Tom Riddle’s Translation Nightmare) – The way his name changed in different languages is wild. In Spanish it became “Tom Sorvolo Ryddle” for “Soy Lord Voldemort, ” while French turned it into “Tom Elvis Jedusor” to get “Je suis Voldemort.” Dutch used “Marten Asmodom Vilijn” for “Mijn naam is Voldemort, ” Turkish went with “Tom Marvoldo Riddle” for “Adim Lord Voldemort, ” and Brazilian Portuguese used “Tom Servolo Riddle” for “Eis Lord Voldemort.” Danish used “Romeo G. Detlev Jr.” for “Jeg er Voldemort, ” and Italian used “Tom Orvoloson Riddle” for “Son io Lord Voldemort.”
LOL. That sounds exactly like the name of a character from a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighting game.
It varies so much by language. Icelandic used Trevor Delgome, Finnish went with Tom Lomen Valedro, and Norwegian used Tom Dredolo Venster. Swedish used Tom Gus Mervolo Dolder, while Danish used Romeo G. Detlev Jr., where the G actually stands for Gåde, which means Riddle. Ukrainian opted for Tom Yarvolod Redl. In Hungarian, it became Tom Rowle Denem, which actually caused a name conflict with another character later in the series, so they had to tweak it to Rovel of Thorfinn. The Arabic version just skipped the anagram entirely and had him write out the name directly.
RE: Fact #24 (Daniel Radcliffe’s Voice Broke Mid-Film) – Since the series is about growing up, I’m kind of disappointed they didn’t just roll with it. A puberty-squeaky Parseltongue would have been hilarious.
It’s probably because they shot the movie out of sequence. If they hadn’t dubbed it, his voice would be cracking in the middle of a scene and then fine in the next one.
Hagrid: You’re a wizard Harry… Harry: “gravelly voice” Oi mate, I’m wot?
RE: Fact #6 (Daniel Radcliffe’s Parents Refused Harry) – I would definitely choose a two-film contract over a massive six-film commitment any day. Six movies is such a huge chunk of your life to lock in early on. It makes sense why actors like Chris Evans were so hesitant to sign on for the Captain America role.
That story is not true. Both of his parents were casting agents who really pushed for him to get the part. It was supposed to be a Steven Spielberg project and was a massive opportunity, so they pulled every string they could.
Daniel himself mentioned in an interview with J.K. Rowling that his parents were against him auditioning. They were in the industry and knew the pressure it puts on kids. They were asked by a friend to bring him to an audition, but they were resisting. Then they happened to see a producer at a play who they knew was interested in Daniel. They tried to leave early, but eventually decided to take it as a sign and let him try out.
Also, J.K. Rowling was the one who insisted on filming in London. She never would have allowed them to move production to the US.
RE: Fact #20 (Eva Ibbotson’s Platform Potter Parallels) – I went to a book signing with Anthony Horowitz once, and during the Q&A, someone asked him about the comparisons between his Groosham Grange and Harry Potter. He handled it so gracefully, basically saying that inspiration is everywhere and that if his book had been as brilliantly written as Rowling’s, it would have seen the same level of success. He was very complimentary of her work. It was fascinating to see the audience get more worked up about the similarities than the author himself. Also, he’s a genuinely interesting guy.
I love Horowitz! Alex Rider was my favorite series growing up, though the movie adaptation was a total letdown.
Terry Pratchett put it pretty well when he said, “Look, we are all fishing from the same stream.”
RE: Fact #45 (Thomas Taylor’s Random Cover Wizard) – It’s pretty tough to predict when something is going to be a massive success, so I don’t blame him.
This is why I sort of forgive J.K. Rowling for how nonsensical and awful Quidditch is. She had no clue that her first book would turn into one of the biggest sellers ever.
RE: Fact #26 (J.K. Rowling’s Stolen Potter Prequel) – I’m convinced Voldemort killed Harry’s parents. There’s plenty of evidence for it if you actually go through the books.
Actually, it was Dumbledore. He used polyjuice potion to frame poor Lord Voldemort. Voldemort was just trying to save a child by disguising himself as Lily Potter, and after the murder, the real Lily took on the name Voldemort to stop Dumbledore.
RE: Fact #4 (Tom Riddle’s Translation Nightmare) – Tom Marvolo Riddle: Immortal Love Rodd Mr. Tom, a Dildo Lover I Am Lord Voldemort
It’s a little-known fact that Voldemort tried to use an anagram of just his first and last name when he started practicing dark magic. Unfortunately, “Dildemort” led to too many jokes about wands and broomsticks, so he had to pick a different name and make it punishable by death to say it out loud.
RE: Fact #49 (Dursleys’ Cruelty Horcrux Theory) – That’s not right. As soon as Ron got away from the horcrux, he felt better. If this theory held up, Vernon would have rethought how he treated Harry every time he went to work. Also, there were four roommates who spent at least as much time with Harry as the Dursleys did for seven years, and they didn’t turn into monsters. While some people claim Dudley getting better proves the horcrux influence was wearing off, Vernon didn’t change a bit. There are just way too many holes in the idea.
I thought the books already explained this: Harry’s aunt was always jealous of her sister’s magical ability, and magic in general just terrified the Dursleys, which is why they were so awful to Harry.
RE: Fact #10 (John Williams’s Potter Star Wars Mix-Up) – The scores for Gladiator and Pirates of the Caribbean, which were both done by Hans Zimmer, also have sections that sound incredibly similar.
Plenty of composers, not just Zimmer, have a habit of repeating themselves or recycling old work. I remember Giacchino using a motif from Secret Weapons Over Normandy in Super 8, Horner’s Aliens score is very reminiscent of The Wrath of Khan, and David Arnold reused a theme from Godzilla for a Narnia film. It happens all the time.
James Horner is definitely the worst for this, he has been recycling his Titanic score for the last 25 years.
It is like Alan Silvestri and his horn sections. I love his work, he is one of my favorites, but you can identify a Silvestri track in seconds because he always uses those cascading horns behind bells or xylophones. He found that sound in Back to the Future and just stuck with it.
The first Pirates of the Caribbean was actually composed by Klaus Badelt. Zimmer oversaw it and wrote some of the music, but he wasn’t credited. Apparently, Badelt also did some uncredited writing for Gladiator.
RE: Fact #31 (Rupert Grint’s Ice Cream Dream) – Does he get involved in those turf wars over drugs and stolen goods that are apparently a tradition for ice cream trucks in the UK?
RE: Fact #37 (John Nettleship Inspired Severus Snape) – He looks exactly like how he’s written in the books! Also, a chemistry teacher is basically just the muggle version of a Potions Master.
RE: Fact #32 (Vladimir Putin’s Alleged Dobby Lookalike) – This passage is what really set them off: “Dobby” was born on 7 October 1952, in Leningrad, Soviet Union, to parents Vladimir Spiridonovich Dobby and Maria Ivanovna Dobby. His mother was a factory-elf, and his father was a ship-elf in the Soviet Navy, where he served in the submarine fleet in the early 1930s.
That’s actually the same birthday as Putin, so I’ll be honest, the accusation had a point.
RE: Fact #41 (Snapeism Turned Snape Into God) – I was super obsessed with Harry Potter as a kid. I actually cried when I didn’t get a Hogwarts letter on my 11th birthday back in 2001, right at the peak of the craze. I’m honestly glad I didn’t know about this stuff back then, because my dumb younger self probably would’ve fallen for it.
RE: Fact #2 (Natalie McDonald’s Gryffindor Tribute) – George R.R. Martin once lost a football bet to a guy named Patrick St. Denis, so he wrote him into the books as a minor character called Ser Patrek. Since Patrick is a big Dallas Cowboys fan, Martin made the character’s sigil a silver star on a white field. And because Martin is a huge Giants fan, he had the character ripped apart by a giant.