- Hello friends, wizards, witches, and Muggles.
Welcome back to my channel.
I hope you're all doing really well.
I am here at the Harry Potter
Photographic Exhibition in London
and I am joined with the lovely James and Oliver Phelps,
who you may recognise as Fred and George
from the "Harry Potter" films.
Firstly, I want to start with, how are you both?
- Very good, thanks.
Nice to meet you.
(Cherry laughing)
- We're doing very well, thank you.
- Cool, well I thought I would start
with a little ice breaker
because you don't know me,
but I know you guys very briefly,
because I thought you might want to see
this photograph of what I'm wearing.
- No way! - Really?
- Yeah, we went to the same - - And what house is that?
- Gloucester. - Gloucester.
What house were you, eh?
- Everyone else isn't gonna know
what the hell we're on about.
- Yeah, so, we have houses in schools in Britain.
A lot of Americans don't believe that that's a thing,
but we went to the same school.
I think you were four years above me.
And I remember when there was a lot of hype about you guys
cause you'd just got your part in "Harry Potter".
And I remember you in your grey sixth form sweatshirts.
So, I thought that was a bit of fun trivia.
It's a small world, it's a very very small world.
But, let's get to the questions.
So, I have been asked many things,
so these are the burning questions
from my magical online family.
And I think I'm gonna start with ...
Now, obviously as the Weasley twins,
you were both Gryffindors.
Have you actually done the sorting ceremony
on the official "Harry Potter" fan club app?
And if so, what Hogwarts house are you?
- I've got to be honest, right?
I cheated.
- [Cherry] You cheated? - I cheated.
- [Cherry] I'm not sure that's allowed.
- Well, they ...
- Surely that puts you into a house, if he cheated.
- Slytherin.
(Cherry laughing)
- I was literally there going, "Not Slytherin."
Anyway, I ended up getting Gryffindor,
so I was happy with that one. - [Cherry] Okay.
Well, that's good, what about you?
- I'm a Hufflepuff.
- [Cherry] You're a Hufflepuff, I love Hufflepuffs,
they're great. - Yep.
- Okay. - Good taste.
- So, what traits do you think that you share
with your characters, Fred and George?
- I think we are -
- I like that we - - Friendly?
- [Cherry] Are you mischievous?
- We're definitely mischievous.
- We like to have a laugh, that's definitely one of them.
We like to,
I suppose, make an environment
a bit comfortable.
- So, you felt quite comfortable playing
Fred and George? - Yeah, definitely.
- Cause it wasn't too far from who you are?
- Not originally. - [Cherry] No?
- Not initially.
The first year, the first film, I was very shy.
- [Cherry] Okay.
- I was very happy to be one of the crowd,
at the back. - [Cherry] Yeah.
- But then playing a character like Fred
really made me become outgoing -
- [Cherry] Come out of your shell.
- Yeah, exactly, and then, here we are.
- So, what was the worst and best thing
about working together as siblings on a set?
- Best thing would be
knowing when you had lines.
- [Cherry] Right.
- That's probably one of the better ones because ...
- Oh, cheers.
- Yeah, have you got lines there?
Okay, I've got this.
(Cherry chuckling)
And worse thing is,
for some reason, there's always ...
I remember there was this one driver in particular
who would always just ...
You'd say, "How you doing?"
"How's your brother?"
It would always be that.
Not, "How are you?"
(Cherry chuckling)
- Always "How's your twin?" - Yeah, "How's your brother?"
Scarred. - It's quite sad.
(everyone laughing)
- Maybe he just knew that I was -
- Well, yeah all right.
- Okay, so I think I might know the answer to this already,
but this was asked a lot
and it was, did you ever switch places
without the crew knowing and play each other's parts?
- No, is the short answer.
Basically, as you will see
if you've came to the Photographic Exhibition here
in Covent Garden, London.
- Yep. - Just wanted to say that.
You'll see how many members of the crew were there.
- Massive family.
- Exactly, so there was,
I think in the last film
there is 18 minutes worth of credits.
And if you're the one person that's messing around,
that means that a lot of those people
have to work another day, or another hour,
do you know what I mean?
- So, it would be an expensive prank.
- Exactly, and you probably wouldn't work again.
So, we did it once in rehearsal
in the Great Hall.
And the Great Hall scenes shots
where there's like 300 people in the shot,
so when we're rehearsing that we could get away with it.
But we said that once in an interview
and ever since then it went viral.
"Yes, they switched roles
and they had to re-shoot the movie."
- Redo the whole last movie and all this rubbish, yeah.
Elaboration, elaboration.
- Okay.
So, are you still in touch
with any of the other Weasleys in real life?
- Yeah. - Yeah.
- Yeah, we are, actually, yeah, quite good.
We were actually talking with
Bonnie the day.
Obviously, Rupert, we were chatting with him.
I think when you've got that
I suppose just filming so much together for a long time.
It's like people you went to school with
or went to university with.
Although you may not do things together,
in terms of work environments or anything like that,
you still keep in contact.
- And I've guess you've got such a massive shared experience
on something, on such an epic scale.
- I think so.
It's still funny,
when you say we were chatting to Bonnie,
but it's still, "Hi sis", "Hey bro."
It's funny, it's not like it's ...
I don't even know why that is, but I think it's just -
- It started once, I think one of us said it as a joke
and it's just kind of stuck.
- So, I would love to know
what your favourite lines that you had ...
If you could pick one favourite
that you had from the movies, what would it be?
- One line.
- Oh, "Mischief managed."
- That's a classic.
- Everyone can say that. - Yeah.
- It's iconic.
I'll accept that answer.
- I was in a bar once in, somewhere in LA.
And someone had graffiti'd "Mischief Managed"
above where I was sitting. - And I'm sure loads of people
have got it tattooed to themselves.
- Yeah, they do. - Does that feel really weird?
- When I try and think back to when we were doing that scene
on the third film
and saying those lines,
I didn't think that anyone would take it that much.
- [Cherry] That far?
- My granddad always said, "That'll be a big scene
for your characters," type of thing,
but I never thought we'd see people have it
as wedding vows -
- Of course, yeah. - As graduation stuff,
do you know what I mean?
Like, all these things, say, tattoos.
So, it's taken on a life of its own, which is really cool.
- That's so awesome.
Another one that I really want to know
is what was your favourite memory from filming
any of the "Harry Potter" films?
It can be behind the scenes.
Is there anything that kind of sticks out in your mind
that you're like, "Yeah".
- There's a few.
- There's a few
because we were filming them for 10 years.
- 10 years, yeah, a whole decade.
- So ...
- [Cherry] Yeah, so, it's eight films, 10 years.
- Eight films, 10 years. - I mean there was one
where we were ...
So, we had, where the studio tour now is,
that used to be just empty space.
So, it's basically just like wasteland pretty much.
And we had a bit of AstroTurf
and we would hit golf balls to it.
And we realised that it was 230 yards to the fence,
300 yards to clear,
310 to where they're building
the new BT call centre offices.
So, we realised downwind, driver, you can clear that.
And are they really gonna listen
if they call the police and say,
"Yeah, the Weasleys are smashing golf balls"?
- I was about to say,
it sounds very Fred and George behaviour.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
- I was gonna say, it sounds really silly,
but learning to do the waltz.
- Yes, there's a lot of steps.
- But I'd have no reason to ever do that.
At that time, I would go to the rock clubs
and things like that,
so the end of the Yule Ball was fantastic
cause there was a proper rock concert as well.
In fact, our direction from Mike Newell, the director,
was, "I want you to start a mosh pit."
- [Cherry] Easy, got it down. - Okay done, so
we got to learn some ballroom dance
and then have an amazing rock concert at the end.
So, the Yule Ball, that whole two weeks of filming,
that was a lot of fun.
- That sounds pretty epic.
So, I'm a collector,
I've got a massive "Harry Potter" collection at home.
I've got an entire wall.
And I want to know,
was there an item in particular
that you'd wished that you'd be able to keep from the films?
Or, maybe you snuck something off set
and you've still got it?
- Yeah, there's two things which I wish I could've kept.
One would definitely be the wand.
- You didn't get to keep your wand?
- No, we had to give them all back,
which I was gutted about.
I really thought the last day of filming -
- Have you got some of the replica ones
from Nobel Collection?
- Yeah, but they're not -
- [Cherry] They're not as good?
- Well, no, they are but
you want the real thing.
- You want the authentic one
that you used on the set. - Yeah, exactly.
When it's got "trademark" on the other side,
it's not really ...
- But you can still see them at the studio tour in London.
- That's why, that's why we didn't get them,
cause they're all in the studio tour.
And another one, I know it sounds really
ostentatious, I suppose,
but the massive head outside Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
- Yes.
- I don't know where I'd put it.
- At least you get to go see it at the studio tour.
- Yeah, and the cool thing is, like,
Diagon Alley is exactly like it was when we filmed in it,
in terms of how close it is and everything like that.
- It's one of my favourite parts of the studio tour.
So, obviously you're not natural redheads, I'm guessing.
- Yeah.
- Do you miss having red hair?
- I can't say I miss or don't miss it.
It's just, it was part of -
- [Cherry] Just part of the role.
- Part of what we did.
But I don't miss having to dye it every three weeks.
- You know what?
I actually had my hair bright Weasley orange
probably about a year ago.
It's very high maintenance, so I feel you.
- At the very most, it's like every three weeks.
- Yes.
- Yeah, you need to do it.
- Especially when you've got this much hair.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
- So, I'd also like to know
who were you closest to on the sets of "Harry Potter"?
Was there anyone in particular
that you were best friends with the most,
or was it kind of a bit of everyone?
Crew, cast?
- Yeah, I mean, cast-wise,
we're all pretty tight as it were.
I mean, Luke Youngblood who played Lee Jordan
in the first two,
ironically, he's still one of our best mates,
and the character is the best mate
of Fred and George as well -
- [Cherry] Oh, that's nice. - That's quite fun.
- [Cherry] It's kind of carried on.
- Yeah, so,
obviously Luke.
And then all the other usual suspects
you would imagine from the cast.
- [Cherry] Yeah.
- And then crew-wise.
So, Anthony, who was Rupert's double,
he was my best man at my wedding.
- [Cherry] Ohh, that's cute. - As well as Oliver.
But then, yeah, just like different crew members,
which, again, going back to the photos
of people in this exhibition.
You can see how many people worked on it.
So, I've already sent quite a few photos to these people
cause they're all obviously working
so they look a bit serious.
- Well, I've just walked,
had a little walk through the exhibition,
and it's so nice to see all the behind-the-scenes
and to kind of put a shining spotlight
on people that aren't just the cast.
Because you've got the hair makeup,
visual effects, special effects -
- Yeah, exactly, yeah.
- Directors, camera ops, and everything.
So, it's really nice to see that, as a fan.
I think that's pretty special
and I can't wait to have a proper look at everything.
Okay, so, how did it feel
when you guys wrapped for the final time
after 10 years together on that set with everyone
that you worked for?
Or worked with.
- It was all right, to be honest with you.
We knew it was happening.
And it was literally like last day of school.
- The reaction was exactly like last day of school
because some people were crying.
- [Cherry] Yeah.
- When it was their final day.
We were like, okay.
Well, not shrug your shoulders.
It was like we knew it was coming,
so, it was like, "This is cool."
Our final scene that we ever shot was
when Fred and George are looking over the battlements.
And that was the last thing we ever shot
as Fred and George.
But the outside ...
So, they knocked down the studios
and rebuilt the state of the art one, which is there now.
So, literally, there were literally bulldozers outside,
not manned and ready to go.
They were there ready,
because they knew that we were the last shot to be filmed
in that stage, and they were gonna bulldoze it.
So, we knew we weren't coming back because we couldn't.
- It was pretty final.
But the weirdest part I noticed is,
cause we actually lived in a hotel when we were filming,
and it was checking out at the hotel for the last time.
That's when it got me.
Not emotional, I wasn't crying while I was checking out.
- I guess it was your home.
- I suddenly found myself taking in the environment
of the place, you know?
But then, had I been told at the time,
well, you'll be doing stuff, quite often,
to do with the films.
Be it the studio tour,
be it the Wizarding World in America, the theme parks.
Be it premieres, be it stuff like this going on as well.
And so, it still keeps us in and around it.
- Yeah, you're still very submerged in the magical world,
even today, which is awesome.
- Which is cool, and I think it's great though,
because we always thought the films were finished being made
at the right time.
That they left on the peak of their popularity, pretty much.
And I think because it didn't dwindle or anything like that,
it finished at the very peak,
people still hold it in such high regard
and they bring their kids up on it.
Or teachers teach it at school and loosely bring it round.
- I mean, it's gonna be going on for decades.
I think it's gonna become a pretty iconic classic.
I mean, it kind of already is.
- Which is your favourite one?
- Book?
- Both.
- Book and film. - Oh, and film?
Oooh.
See, I've always said "The Philosopher's Stone"
because that's where the magic begins
and that's where you're kind of introduced to it.
But, I also really like "The Prisoner of Azkaban".
Book, I am gonna stick with "The Philosopher's Stone"
because that's where it starts
and I've re-read that more times than I can count.
- Oh wow.
- I always think with "The Prisoner" ...
Sorry, I'm completely ruining your interview.
- Oh no, go for it.
- You know how a book smells? - [Cherry] Yep.
- It has that smell.
"The Prisoner of Azkaban" was what I was reading
when we went for the first audition.
- No way.
- So, that smell of a book always reminds me of
the summer of 2000 when we went for that first audition.
- That's insane.
That's so sweet, though.
Okay, so we are here
at the Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition today.
And I'm keen to know
what is your favourite part that you've seen
so far today here?
- Here today, I think,
one is when you walk in as well.
I honestly thought, when we were going to see it,
it would literally be some pictures in a big white gallery.
- [Cherry] Yeah, it's huge here.
- And it's totally different than that.
It's really immersive as you walk in.
And it navigates you round
and you've got ...
It's not just like, right, here's the first film,
here's the second film.
It's all over the place,
so you can see the differences in it,
and you've got the different directors on there,
and you've got different people doing it.
And I think just all of that in one, really,
just being able to walk around.
And you see a picture and that takes me back to that moment.
- Oh, it must be so surreal walking and seeing everything
for you guys - - It is, it is.
It is for us, but I bet there'll be fans who turn up
and see it and they'll say, "I remember that one,
I went to see that with my brother or my sister,
or whoever, I went to see that film with them."
So, it could take them back as well.
- But I guess for you guys, it's like,
you're looking around, you're like,
"Oh, that was a massive part of my actual life."
Must be quite cool. - I think so, yeah.
I don't really think about it like that.
- I don't think of it as a 10-year block of filming,
I think of it as the individual moments
when we were filming, even just specific scenes.
So, things we were doing while they were being shot.
So, like there's a photo of The Burrow.
And I remember when we filmed the second movie,
we were all just hanging out in the living room
of The Burrow. - [Cherry] Very jealous.
- Without filming, because they were filming in the kitchen
and cause it was quite a tight space,
we all had to move out of there.
So, instead of going off the stage,
we all just went into -
- I've always wanted the Weasley family clock.
- Yep. - Yeah.
- Very, very cool,
it's one of my favourite pieces from The Burrow.
- Well, there is a bit of a nugget on that one,
when you watch the second movie.
- [Cherry] Oh?
- So, you know when the hands moving
and they tell you where people are?
Bill and Charlie were actually the guys
who played our doubles.
So, there's two sets of twins.
- Well, that's a sneaky little fact.
Exclusive.
(everyone chuckling)
- Is that known?
- It is now.
- It is now!
Okay, so I'm gonna leave on one more question.
And that is, we're sitting in
London's only Butterbeer bar right now,
which is absolutely beautiful.
I mean, I'm assuming that's Butterbeer in there.
- Yep.
- Are you fans of Butterbeer?
- I am.
- And have you had one today?
- We've had more than one today, yeah.
- Oh, how many Butterbeers have you had?
- I'm three and you're about ...
- Four and a half.
- It's non-alcoholic, so anyone can have it.
- [Cherry] Yes, they can.
- [Oliver] But, yeah, I mean, as you say,
the thing about the whole place here,
again, going back to that immersive environment,
is that they've made it look like a genuine bar.
They've got the cross-work piping going all over the shop.
- [Cherry] Yeah, it's really cool.
- [Oliver] It's just really, really well thought out.
- It's very magical.
And I can't wait to have a bit of a snoop after this,
but, that's it.
Thank you very much for both of your time.
- Thank you very much. - Thank you.
- If you enjoyed this video,
don't forget to give it a magical thumbs up
and I will leave your links down below.
- Thank you. - You've got Instagram.
I follow you.
- Thank you.
- But yeah, thanks for watching, guys,
And I hope you enjoyed the video
and I'll see you in the next one.
Bye.
(curious classical music)