What Did the ‘Harry Potter’ Cast Spend Their First Pay Check On? They Were Asked 25 Years Ago
25 years ago, three young kids sat before a room full of cameras and journalists in London, having no idea how much their lives were about to change.
Now, a clip from that very day is going viral — and their answers to one particular question are what’s striking a chord with fans around the world.
The Day We Met Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley
The date was Aug. 23, 2000. Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint were just 11 years old. Emma Watson was 10.
It was at this London event that the trio were officially introduced to the world as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.
The first film in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, was released one year later on Nov. 16, 2001.
During the documentary Creating the World of Harry Potter, Radcliffe confirmed that the press conference was the first time the trio had properly met.
Watson recalled being “terrified” and “so nervous” that she thought she would be sick as she walked into a room full of cameras and journalists.
Radcliffe described Grint as the “really chatty one” in those days, while describing himself as “very quiet.”
The Paycheck Question That Has Fans Emotional
At one point during the press conference, the trio were asked what they would spend their first paycheck on.
Their answers were striking, especially considering they had no idea how much their lives were about to change over the next 25 years and beyond.
“I’m afraid I’m really going to bore you all,” Watson said, “but I’m going to stick it in a bank until I’m 21.”
When asked if he would be a “saver,” Radcliffe — who was struggling to make eye contact with the press — said, “probably.”
“Um, I… No, I don’t have any idea,” Radcliffe added.
Grint provided the most Harry Potter-esque answer of the three.
“Well, speaking as a Wizard, uhm, we’re going to get paid muggle money and I don’t really understand it,” he said into the mic.
Radcliffe was also asked if he bore any resemblance to his Harry Potter character.
“I think I’m a tiny, tiny bit like Harry… because… I’d like to have an owl,” he said before someone else joked that “he can’t fly on a broomstick yet.”
Grint saw a lot of resemblance between him and his character.
“I think I’m a scary bit like my character,” Grint said. “I live in a family of seven, I’ve got a red-headed sister and I live in a burrow.”
What Daniel Radcliffe Has Said About His Harry Potter Fortune
Radcliffe has been open about his wealth since becoming an adult. He reportedly made around $96 million from the Harry Potter franchise, but says he barely touches it.
“I don’t really do anything with my money,” he told The Telegraph in 2016. “I’m very grateful for it, because having money means you don’t have to worry about it, which is very lovely freedom to have. It also gives me immense freedom career-wise.”
In 2012, he told Parade that he almost feels guilty for how much he made off Harry Potter.
“I got paid so well for doing the Harry Potter films, it’s ridiculous. If somebody asked me, ‘Did you think you deserve that money?’ No, of course I didn’t,” he told the outlet.
Parade estimates Radcliffe’s net worth at $110 million, with Watson at $85 million and Grint at $50 million.
Looking back at that 2000 press conference, it’s clear those three kids sitting nervously before the cameras had no way of knowing just how far the journey ahead would take them.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
