Return to Hogwarts: Harry Potter cast recalls first kisses, horrible haircuts, and other moments

‘Every part of my life is connected to Potter and to Leavesden,’ Daniel Radcliffe says

The Harry Potter cast members will discuss first kisses, horrible haircuts, and other moments in the forthcoming one-off special, Return to Hogwarts.

Clips released on Monday (27 December), show Daniel Radcliffe, who played the lead role in the franchise, revealing that every “part of his life is connected to Leavesden”.

The set of Harry Potter is based in Leavesden, which was home to all of the Harry Potter films, from 2001’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in 2011.

“Every part of my life is connected to Potter and to Leavesden,” Radcliffe says in one moment. “My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here... It all spirals out from the Potter set somewhere.”

The 32-year-old actor also recalled the time when he and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) were told to grow their hair for an unkempt look in the films.

Emma Watson and Rupert Grint in Harry Potter Reunion special trailer (HBO Max)

“We’re like, ‘No, no, no, no, no. You’re not leaving us like this? We’re supposed to be becoming teenagers and dating girls in this film!” the actor said. “That’s not what it’s going to be, is it?’ So, I think we were pretty devastated as we realised that it was.”

Radcliffe, Grint, and Emma Watson are returning to reminisce on their time working together on the franchise, which ran for 10 years.

They’ll be joined by many of their other former co-stars who appeared in the film series, with a trailer teasing the reveal of previously unknown details and secrets about the films.

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts will be streamed exclusively on Sky and will be available to watch on NOW from the morning of New Year’s Day (1 January).

It will be available to stream on the same day in the US on HBO Max, and on Amazon Prime in India.