What The Potter Kids Should Do Next

With The Half-Blood Prince out this week, and Deathly Hallows filming, the sand has nearly run out of Harry Potter's hourglass.

So what will the various young actors and actresses do next? We took a look at a few from various movies and tried to predict their future...

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In The Future? Considering Equus was a hit for Anthony Hopkins on stage back in the 1970s and Richard Burton took the role in the film version, Radcliffe could do worse than try to emulate their careers.

And since his turn in the theatre was so well received, he could tie that in to Hollywood’s love of remakes and play his character – Alan Strang – in a new cinematic take on the story, as a solid first step.

It’d be a huge leap away from his Potter years and firmly establish him as a mature actor. Just don't let him do a cowboy film. Too many horses.

Next: Emma Watson

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Emma Watson

Role: Hermione Granger

Off-Potter Work: Watson hasn’t attempted quite as much as her male co-stars, but she’s picked up a few roles here and there.

You might recognise her as the voice of Princess Pea in The Tale Of Despereaux, and she also cropped up in TV drama Ballet Shoes.

She’s been spiky and funny on chat shows both sides of the pond, but she hasn’t exactly done a lot – besides some partying – to seek out roles that are different from Hermione.

In The Future? She's pausing from her acting career to go to America to study, but has hinted she'll back to acting afterward.

The next Keira Knightley, then? She'll have to hurry up – she’s got competition from the likes of Carey Mulligan for hot young new starlet.

Romantic comedies seem to be more her thing, having expressed an interest in doing something light-heartened after the darkness of Potter.

Until, of course, she agrees to be the new Moneypenny once the re-invigorated Bond franchise finally finds a way to incorporate the character that works with the current style.

Next: Rupert Grint

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Rupert Grint

Role: Ron Weasley

Off-Potter Work: Of the three leads, Grint is the one who’s been doing the most between films (partly because he doesn’t ever get as much to do on-screen as the others and has more time off).

Early on, he made Thunderpants (he was young, he, um, needed the money?) and when not shooting Potter pics, he’s won good critical responses for his roles in Driving Lessons and really broken out of the Ron mould with Cherrybomb.

It’s a sweary, sweaty, sleazy, truly grown up role, a million miles away from the slapdash scaredy cat redhead.

In The Future? Cherry Bomb looks like his way to a brighter, meatier future will be with acting roles that really stretch him.

We’re not sure we see him becoming the new Ralph Fiennes or anything, but he’s a likeable, charismatic sort, so maybe a Colin Farrell-style route is better for him.

Not sure about him becoming a sex symbol, but we bet he’ll seek out some interesting indies, though.

Next: Tom Felton

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Tom Felton

Role: Draco Malfoy

Off-Potter Work: He hasn’t exactly done a lot – one horror movie (little-seen Greg Wise pic The Disappeared), and he’s got another one (13Hrs) juddering away in post-production.

Oh, and since becoming Malfoy, he’s taken on a couple of small TV roles.

Mostly he’s become known as the girls’ favourite, since a lot of Potter fandom sees him as the attractive bad boy (at least when he’s sneering and mocking Harry and co).

In The Future? Since he plays Jason Isaacs’ son, and Isaacs tends to take him under his wing when he’s on the Potter set, we see him following in the man’s footsteps and building on that love-to-hate attitude.

He could forge a decent career as a bad boy in several movies, perhaps even emulating Isaacs further by hooking up with a genre director who casts him habitually.

It might not be a star-making move, but you don’t see Isaacs complaining – he’s worked steadily for years and has a huge cult following.

He’s also sought out some more enjoyable character parts, splitting his time between TV (the likes of American shows such as Brotherhood and The West Wing) and movies.

Let’s have Isaacs introduce Felton to Paul Greengrass and see where it leads…

Next: Matthew Lewis

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Matthew Lewis

Role: Neville Longbottom

Off-Potter Work: His part as the nervy, shy and comic relief-laden Neville hasn’t exactly had casting directors beating a path to his door.

He’s mostly appeared in the Potter movies and made the most of the small amount of fame it’s brought him.

Which is a shame, since he had a decent TV guest-starring career going before Potter. Perhaps he’s too identified with Nev?

In The Future? Time to strike out and make the most of the fact that he’s matured from the stumbling, big-toothed child into a bloke with decent looks (and the ability to charm the ladies, if the arm-candy he sports at premieres is anything to go by.

Looking deep into the mists of the future, we see him perhaps taking more of a Paddy Considine role – indie pics and some solid character work to establish himself beyond the franchise.

Next: Bonnie Wright

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Bonnie Wright

Role: Ginny Weasley

Off-Potter Work: Since joining the franchise with the first film as Ron’s winsome younger sister, Wright’s acting life has mostly been confined to the magical world.

She nabbed a small voice role in Disney ‘toon series The Replacements, and played the young Agatha Christie in a TV movie.

But that’s been about it.

In The Future? She’s on record as saying that she wants to continue acting and also to study the craft at university.

With that in mind, she could do worse than to look at Natalie Portman for guidance, who has struck a good balance between studying and some satisfying roles. She's even started directing.

And crucially, she needs to find a character that isn't just known as the 'ginger one's little sister'.

Next: Robert Pattinson

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Robert Pattinson

Role: Cedric Diggory

Off-Potter Work: He only had the small role in two of the Potter pics – Goblet Of Fire and Order Of The Phoenix as the heroic Cedric, so it's not like he's forever shackled to it.

We just hope he doesn't go plumping for a part where millions of people - girls, let's say - will end up adoring him.

In The Future? No idea. Doesn’t seem like he’s done a lot since Potter.

He starred in How To Be, but that didn’t set the box office alight. He also played Salvador Dali. Oh, and something about vampires?

So… porn, maybe?

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James White is a freelance journalist who has been covering film and TV for over two decades. In that time, James has written for a wide variety of publications including Total Film and SFX. He has also worked for BAFTA and on ODEON's in-cinema magazine.