Summary
Jason Isaacs, best known for his role as the sinister Lucius Malfoy in theHarry Potterfilm series, recently made a surprising confession about his experience on set. Despite the franchise’s magical reputation, Isaacs admitted that making theHarry Potterfilms “wasn’t that fun” and, in fact, could be “quite boring.”
TheHarry Potterfranchise is one of the most successful and influential entertainment properties of all time, spanning books, films, theme parks, merchandise, and a dedicated fanbase that continues to grow decades after its debut. The film adaptations, produced by Warner Bros., becameone of the highest-grossing movie franchisesof all time, with the eight films earning over $7.7 billion worldwide. The movies made stars out of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, while also featuring legendary actors like Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, and Ralph Fiennes.
Speaking onBBC’sThe One Show, 61-year-old actor Jason Isaacs reflected on his time filming theblockbuster adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s novels. While he still gets emotional about the franchise’s legacy, he shared that the actual production process lacked excitement due to the heavy reliance on special effects. “Even though I was in the films, when I take nephews and nieces to the tour, and the thing comes up and you’re in the Great Hall, every time I burst out in tears. It’s incredibly moving,” Isaacs explained. “There’s some magic that happens in those books and in those films. But they weren’t that fun to make. It’s quite boring to make these big special effects films.”
Jason Isaacs Admits Filming Harry Potter Was ‘Quite Boring’ Despite Its Lasting Impact
Although the filming process didn’t always thrill him, Isaacs has come to appreciate the impactHarry Potterhas had on fans around the world. He acknowledged that many people have told him the series was life-changing, even life-saving, for them. “The pleasures all come afterwards when I see and meet people for whom their lives were changed by it,” he said. “And still, people are reading it and sharing it with their children. Some people say their lives were saved by it, and I believe them. Something happened, who knows why? But when those ingredients came together and the soufflé rose, it created just love around the world. And a sense of belonging.”
Isaacs also shared a lighthearted exchange withDiversitystar andHarry Pottersuperfan Perri Kiely. When Kiely revealed thatHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Princewas his favorite installment, Isaacs jokingly responded, “The one I’m not in. Brilliant!” Isaacs appeared in six of the eight films in theHarry Pottersaga, missing onlyThe Sorcerer’s StoneandThe Half-Blood Prince.
WithHarry Potterset to be rebooted as an HBO television seriesin 2026, Isaacs playfully joked about his involvement, quipping that he had auditioned for the role of Hermione Granger. While it’s unlikely he’ll reprise his role as Lucius Malfoy, fans are begging for Tom Felton, who played Malfoy’s son, Draco, to take over the role as Lucius.
