Hogwarts’ next generation

The friends who filled out Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s inner circle have aged into steady, varied careers of their own. Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, has bounced between blockbusters and indies since the franchise ended and even returned to the wizarding world on stage, playing Lucius Malfoy in a production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) has kept a lower profile with television work, including a stint on All Creatures Great and Small. Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) competed on Dancing with the Stars, remains an outspoken animal-rights and eating-disorder-recovery advocate, and got married this year.

Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley) has moved into directing and still makes the rounds of fan conventions, including recent appearances promoting anniversary events. The three still cross paths regularly, Watson, Felton, Lynch, Wright, and Lewis have been photographed together at reunions for years, and Felton and Watson in particular have remained close friends since filming.

Still commanding the screen

Hogwarts’ faculty was stacked with acting stars, and most of them never slowed down. Ralph Fiennes, who brought Voldemort to life, remains one of Britain’s most respected actors, staying busy across film, television, and the stage.

Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) has enjoyed a late-career surge thanks to a memorable turn on “The White Lotus.” Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) continues films, following the same career bump Isaacs got. Gary Oldman (Sirius Black) has kept working steadily since Potter, including his Oscar-winning turn as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. Imelda Staunton (Dolores Umbridge) has remained a fixture of British television and theater, including a widely praised run playing Queen Elizabeth II.

Remembering those we’ve lost

Part of any 25th-anniversary retrospective has to reckon with loss, the Potter ensemble has said goodbye to several towering figures. Alan Rickman, whose Severus Snape became one of the series’ most beloved and complicated characters, died of pancreatic cancer in January 2016 at 69.

Richard Harris, the original Dumbledore, died in 2002, shortly after the first film’s release; Michael Gambon, who took over the role for the remaining six films, died in 2023 following a bout of pneumonia.

Robbie Coltrane, forever Hagrid to a generation of fans, died in 2022 at 72. And Dame Maggie Smith, the formidable Professor McGonagall, died in September 2024 at 89, closing out a storied career that spanned both stage and screen. And Richard Griffiths, who played Harry’s blustering Muggle uncle Vernon Dursley, died in 2013 at 65 following complications from heart surgery, his final film, ‘About Time,’ was released just months later. Their absence has been felt keenly at every reunion since.

Lakshana is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist with over a decade of experience. She covers a wide range of stories—from community and health to mental health and inspiring people features.

A passionate K-pop enthusiast, she also enjoys exploring the cultural impact of music and fandoms through her writing.