Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince Casting

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Tom Felton, Evanna Lynch, Bonnie Wright, Jessie Cave, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Frank Dillane
Director: David Yates

Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

Release Date July 15th 2009

www.halfbloodprince.com.au

ABOUT THE CAST

DANIEL RADCLIFFE has played the title role in all of the blockbuster films based on J.K. Rowling's best selling Harry Potter books. He first starred in the role in 2001's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," continuing through "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." He will complete his portrayal of Harry Potter in the much anticipated two-part film adaptation of the final book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Part 1 is set for release in November 2010 and the final installment of the film franchise will open in summer 2011.

Making his Broadway debut as Alan Strang in Peter Shaffer's play "Equus," Radcliffe won the award for Best Leading Actor at the Annual Theatre Fan Choice Awards, organized by Broadway World, as well as Best Leading Actor and Breakthrough Performance Awards at the annual Broadway.Com Audience Awards. He also received both Drama League and Drama Desk nominations for his performance in the play. Radcliffe had first played the role of Alan in 2007 to critical acclaim in London, which marked his West End Debut. The play was directed by Thea Sharrock and starred his fellow Harry Potter actor and Tony Award winner Richard Griffiths.

Radcliffe's other credits include the Australian independent feature "December Boys," and the role of Jack Kipling in the telefilm "My Boy Jack," which told the story of Rudyard Kipling's 17-year-old son, Jack, who died in World War I and the devastating effect this had on his family. The film also starred Kim Cattrall, Carey Mulligan and David Haig.

Radcliffe has also made a guest appearance as himself in the award-winning BBC/HBO series "Extras," starrring Ricky Gervais.
He first appeared on screen as the young David Copperfield in the BBC/PBS presentation of Charles Dickens' classic novel.


RUPERT GRINT has starred as Ron Weasley, Harry Potter's classmate and loyal best friend in the Harry Potter films, beginning in 2001. He is currently at work on the feature film adaptation of the final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," which will be seen in two full-length parts: the first due out in November 2010 and the conclusion opening in summer 2011.

Grint most recently starred in the independent British film "Cherrybomb," which screened to critical acclaim at film festivals in the U.K. and Europe. He can next be seen in the upcoming comedy "Wild Target," in which he will appear alongside Emily Blunt and Bill Nighy. Directed by Jonathan Lynn, "Wild Target" is based on the 1993 French film "Cible Emouvante" and tells the story of a hitman who tries to retire but gets distracted by a beautiful thief.

Grint made his professional acting debut when he won the role of Ron Weasley in 2001's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." His performance in that film brought him a British Film Critics' Circle Award nomination for Best Newcomer and a Young Artist Award for Most Promising Newcomer. In addition, the U.K.'s leading film magazine, Empire, presented Grint and his Harry Potter co-stars, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, with the prestigious Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of their performances in all of the Harry Potter films.

In 2002, following his work in the first Harry Potter film, Grint starred as a young madcap professor in Peter Hewitt's "Thunderpants," alongside Simon Callow, Stephen Fry and Paul Giamatti. He then returned to the role of Ron Weasley in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." In 2006, Grint appeared opposite Julie Walters and Laura Linney in Jeremy Brock's acclaimed independent feature "Driving Lessons." The following year, he starred as Ron in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

Prior to winning the role of Ron Weasley, Grint performed in school and local theatre, including productions of "Annie," "Peter Pan" and "Rumpelstiltskin."


EMMA WATSON has starred as Hermione Granger, loyal friend to both Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, in each of the Harry Potter films, most recently including "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." She will again star as Hermione in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the two-part film adaptation of the seventh and final Harry Potter book.

Apart from her work in the Harry Potter films, Watson was heard as the voice of Princess Pea in the 2008 animated adventure "The Tale of Despereaux." She also starred opposite Victoria Wood, Richard Griffiths and Emilia Fox in the role of Pauline Fossil in the BBC's television drama "Ballet Shoes".

Watson made her professional acting debut in the first Harry Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," winning a Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actress for her performance. She subsequently won two consecutive AOL Awards for Best Supporting Actress, the first for "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" and another for "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."

Watson has also garnered two Critics' Choice Award nominations from the Broadcast Film Critics Association for her work in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." In addition, the readers of Total Film magazine voted her Best New Performer for her role in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban." In addition, Empire, the U.K.'s leading film magazine, honored Watson and her co-stars, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, with the prestigious Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of their work in the Harry Potter films.


JIM BROADBENT stars as Professor Horace Slughorn, who holds vital information about the power of the evil Lord Voldemort.
Broadbent won an Academy Award® and a Golden Globe Award for his performance in Richard Eyre's 2001 biopic "Iris," opposite Judi Dench. Broadbent's portrayal of Iris Murdoch's devoted husband, John Bayley, also brought him a National Board of Review Award, as well as Screen Actors Guild Award® and BAFTA Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. In addition, he won a Los Angeles Film Critics Award for his work in both "Iris" and Baz Luhrmann's groundbreaking musical "Moulin Rouge!," also winning a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for the latter.

Broadbent earlier won a London Film Critics Circle Award and the Best Actor Award at the 1999 Venice Film Festival for his portrayal of W.S. Gilbert, of Gilbert & Sullivan, in Mike Leigh's "Topsy-Turvy." Leigh has also directed Broadbent in the acclaimed films "Life is Sweet" and "Vera Drake."

In 2008, Broadbent co-starred with Harrison Ford in Steven Spielberg's blockbuster "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." His recent credits also include the fantasy adventure "Inkheart," the historical drama "The Young Victoria," the British independent film "The Damned United," and the HBO movie "Einstein and Eddington."

Broadbent's additional film credits include "Hot Fuzz"; "Art School Confidential"; "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"; "Bridget Jones's Diary" and the sequel, "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason"; Mira Nair's "Vanity Fair"; "Bright Young Things," for director Stephen Fry; "Gangs of New York," under the direction of Martin Scorsese; Richard Loncraine's "Richard III"; Woody Allen's "Bullets Over Broadway"; "Enchanted April," directed by Mike Newell; and Neil Jordan's "The Crying Game," to name only a portion. He was also heard in the animated features "Valiant" and "Robots."

Honored for his work on television, Broadbent recently won Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards and garnered an Emmy nomination for Best Actor for the titular role in the telefilm "Longford." He had earlier received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for his performance in the historical HBO movie "The Gathering Storm." He has also appeared in more than 40 other television and cable projects, including miniseries, movies and series.

Broadbent studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and has performed extensively on the stage, most notably with the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.


HELENA BONHAM CARTER returns as Death Eater and Lord Voldemort worshiper Bellatrix Lestrange, having originated the role in the 2007 hit "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." She will also star as Bellatrix in the two-part film that completes the mega-hit franchise, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," based on the final book in the series.

Her upcoming projects also include "Alice in Wonderland," in which she stars as the Red Queen under the direction of Tim Burton, and the BBC television biopic "Enid Blyton," in which she will star as the famous children's author.
Bonham Carter has starred in a wide range of film, television and stage projects both in the United States and in her native England. She most recently appeared in the blockbuster actioner "Terminator Salvation," directed by McG. Last year, Bonham Carter earned a Golden Globe nomination and won an Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actress for her performance as Mrs. Lovett in Tim Burton's screen adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim musical "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," starring Johnny Depp in the title role.

Bonham Carter was previously honored with Oscar®, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award® nominations for her work in the 1997 romantic period drama "The Wings of the Dove," based on the novel by Henry James. Her performance in that film also brought her Best Actress Awards from a number of critics organizations, including the Los Angeles Film Critics, Broadcast Film Critics, National Board of Review and London Film Critics Circle.

She had made her feature film debut in 1986 in the title role of Trevor Nunn's historical biopic "Lady Jane." She had barely wrapped production on that film when director James Ivory offered her the lead in "A Room with a View," based on the book by E.M. Forster. She went on to receive acclaim in two more screen adaptations of Forster novels: Charles Sturridge's "Where Angels Fear to Tread" and James Ivory's "Howard's End," for which she earned her first BAFTA Award nomination.

Bonham Carter's early film work also includes Franco Zeffirelli's "Hamlet," opposite Mel Gibson; "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh; Woody Allen's "Mighty Aphrodite"; and "Twelfth Night," which reunited her with Trevor Nunn. She went on to star in David Fincher's "Fight Club," with Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, as well as the Tim Burton-directed films "Big Fish," "Planet of the Apes" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." In addition, she has starred in such independent features as "Carnivale," "Novocaine," "The Heart of Me," "Till Human Voices Wake Us" and "Conversations with Other Women."

In 2005, Bonham Carter lent her voice to two animated features: Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride," in which she played the title role; and the Oscar®-winning "Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit."

On the small screen, Bonham Carter earned Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations for her performances in the telefilm "Live from Baghdad" and the miniseries "Merlin," and a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of Marina Oswald in the miniseries "Fatal Deception: Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald." She also starred as Anne Boleyn in the British miniseries "Henry VIII," and as the mother of seven children, including four autistic sons, in the BBC telefilm "Magnificent 7."

Bonham Carter's stage credits include productions of "The Woman in White," "The Chalk Garden," "The House of Bernarda Alba" and "Trelawny of the Wells," to name a few.


ROBBIE COLTRANE again appears as Hogwarts' beloved caretaker Rubeus Hagrid, who looks after all creatures, great and small. Coltrane originated the part of Hagrid in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," for which he earned BAFTA and Los Angeles Film Critics Circle Award nominations. He reprised his role in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." He will play Hagrid for the last time in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the two-part film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's seventh and final Harry Potter book.

Coltrane most recently starred in the critically acclaimed independent film "The Brothers Bloom," which screened at a number of film festivals and opened in limited release this May. In addition, his voice was heard in the animated adventure "The Tale of Despereaux." His long list of film credits also includes "Ocean's Twelve," for director Steven Soderbergh; the Stephen Sommers-directed films "Van Helsing" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"; the Hughes brothers' "From Hell," with Johnny Depp; the James Bond films "The World is Not Enough" and "Goldeneye"; Luis Mandoki's "Message in a Bottle"; "Buddy"; "The Pope Must Die"; "Nuns on the Run," for which he won The Peter Sellers Comedy Award at the 1991 Evening Standard British Film Awards; Kenneth Branagh's "Henry V"; "Let It Ride"; Carl Reiner's "Bert Rigby, You're a Fool"; "Mona Lisa," directed by Neil Jordan; "Absolute Beginners"; and "Defense of the Realm," among others.

Coltrane is perhaps best known for his work in the award-winning and internationally popular television series "Cracker," which has also spawned several television movies, the latest airing in Fall 2006. His portrayal of the tough, wisecracking police psychologist Dr. Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald has brought Coltrane numerous acting honors, including three consecutive BAFTA Awards for Best Television Actor in 1994, 1995 and 1996; the Broadcasting Press Guilds Award for Best Television Actor in 1993; a Silver Nymph Award for Best Actor at the 1994 Monte Carlo Television Festival; the Royal Television Society Award for Best Male Performer in 1994; FIPA's Best Actor Award; and a Cable ACE Award for Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries.

Coltrane first gained popularity in the early 1980s for his comedy appearances on such shows as "Alfresco," "Kick Up the Eighties," "Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee" and "Saturday Night Live." He went on to star in 13 "Comic Strip" productions and numerous television shows, including "Blackadder the Third" and "Blackadder's Christmas Carol." He received a BAFTA Award nomination for his portrayal of Danny McGlone in the series "Tutti Frutti." Coltrane's more recent television credits include the telefilms "The Ebb-Tide," "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Planman," which he also executive produced. He also guest starred on the final episode of the series "Frasier."

Coltrane was awarded the OBE in the 2006 New Year's Honours List for his Services to Drama.


MICHAEL GAMBON reprises his role as Professor Albus Dumbledore, the wise and respected headmaster of Hogwarts School. He also starred as Dumbledore in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

Gambon has been honored for his work on the stage, screen and television over the course of his career, spanning more than four decades. He shared in both a Screen Actors Guild Award® and a Critics' Choice Award as part of the ensemble cast of Robert Altman's "Gosford Park." He has also won four BAFTA TV Awards for his performances in the longform projects "Perfect Strangers"; "Longitude"; "Wives and Daughters," for which he also won a Royal Television Society (RTS) Award; and "The Singing Detective," also winning RTS and Broadcast Press Guild Awards for his work in the title role. Gambon also received Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations for his portrayal of President Lyndon Baines Johnson in the HBO movie "The Path to War." In 1998, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to theatre.

Gambon more recently appeared in the independent feature "Brideshead Revisited." He will next be seen in the post-apocalyptic drama "The Book of Eli," in which he stars with Denzel Washington under the direction of Albert and Allen Hughes. The film is due out in early 2010.
Gambon's many film credits also include Jake Paltrow's "The Good Night," Robert De Niro's drama "The Good Shepherd," the remake of "The Omen," Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic," "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow," "Sylvia," "Open Range," "The Insider," Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow," "The Last September," "Dancing at Lughnasa," "The Gambler," "The Wings of the Dove" and "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover."

On the small screen, he appeared in HBO's award-winning miniseries "Angels in America," directed by Mike Nichols; the BBC miniseries "Masterpiece Theatre: Cranford"; and the HBO movie "Joe's Palace." Later this year, he will be seen in the BBC series "Emma."

A native of Ireland, Gambon began his career with the Edwards-MacLiammoir Gate Theatre in Dublin. In 1963, he was one of the original members of the National Theatre Company at the Old Vic under Laurence Olivier. He later joined Birmingham Rep, where he played "Othello." His extensive theatre repertoire also encompasses numerous productions in London's West End, including Simon Gray's "Otherwise Engaged"; the London premieres of three plays by Alan Ayckbourn, "The Norman Conquests," "Just Between Ourselves" and "Man of the Moment"; "Alice's Boys"; Harold Pinter's "Old Times"; the title role in "Uncle Vanya"; and "Veterans Day" with Jack Lemmon, to name only a portion. In 1987, he won numerous awards, including an Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in the London revival of Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge."

With the Royal National Theatre (RNT), Gambon had major roles in the premieres of Harold Pinter's "Betrayal" and "Mountain Language"; Simon Gray's "Close of Play"; Christopher Hampton's "Tales from Hollywood"; three more plays by Alan Ayckbourn, "Sisterly Feelings" "A Chorus of Disapproval," for which he won an Olivier Award, and "A Small Family Business"; and David Hare's "Skylight," which moved on to the West End and Broadway. Also with the RNT, Gambon did "Endgame," with Lee Evans, and played Falstaff in "Henry IV, Parts I and II." His more recent stage work includes lead roles in "Volpone," for which he won an Evening Standard Award; Nicholas Hytner's production of "Cressida," at the Almeida; Patrick Marber's production of "Caretaker" in the West End; and Stephen Daldry's production of "A Number" at The Royal Court Theatre.


ALAN RICKMAN plays Hogwarts' enigmatic Professor Severus Snape, having starred as Snape in all of the Harry Potter movies to date.Rickman recently starred as Judge Turpin in Tim Burton's screen version of the Stephen Sondheim musical "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." He reunited with Burton to star in the director's upcoming fantasy adventure "Alice in Wonderland," due out in Spring 2010.

Rickman was already an award-winning stage actor in his native England when he made his feature film debut in the 1988 action blockbuster "Die Hard." He has since been repeatedly honored for his work in films and on television.

In 1992, he won a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the Sheriff of Nottingham in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves." Also that year, he garnered both the Evening Standard British Film Award and the London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor for his work in that film, as well as in Anthony Minghella's "Truly, Madly, Deeply" and Stephen Poliakoff's "Close My Eyes," with the London Film Critics Circle adding his performance in "Quigley Down Under" for good measure. He later earned BAFTA Award nominations for his performances in Ang Lee's "Sense and Sensibility" and Neil Jordan's "Michael Collins."

In 1997, Rickman won Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards® for his performance in the title role of the HBO movie "Rasputin." He more recently received an Emmy nomination for his starring role in the acclaimed HBO movie "Something the Lord Made."

Rickman's additional film credits include "Bottle Shock," for which he won Best Actor at the 2008 Seattle Film Festival; "Nobel Son"; "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer"; "Snow Cake"; "Love Actually"; "Blow Dry"; "Galaxy Quest"; "Dogma"; "Judas Kiss"; and "Mesmer," for which he was named Best Actor at the 1994 Montreal Film Festival.

In 1997, Rickman made his feature film directorial debut with "The Winter Guest," starring Emma Thompson, which he also scripted with Sharman Macdonald, based on Macdonald's original play. An official selection at the Venice Film Festival, the film was nominated for a Golden Lion and won two other awards, and it was later named Best Film when it screened at the Chicago Film Festival. Rickman also directed the play for the stage at both the West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Almeida Theatre in London. In addition, he directed "My Name is Rachel Corrie" at The Royal Court in the West End, winning Best New Play and Best Director at the Theatregoers' Choice Awards before the production transferred to New York. He recently directed Strindberg's "Creditors" at the Donmar Warehouse, which will be seen at the Brooklyn Academy in New York in 2010.

Rickman studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) for two seasons. In 1985, he created the role of the Vicomte de Valmont in "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" and, in 1987, he earned a Tony Award nomination when he reprised the role on Broadway. Rickman more recently starred in the acclaimed West End production of Noel Coward's "Private Lives," winning a Variety Club Award and earning Olivier and Evening Standard Award nominations for Best Actor. The play then moved to Broadway, where Rickman received his second Tony Award nomination for Best Actor.


MAGGIE SMITH reprises the role of Hogwarts professor Minerva McGonagall, the role she has played in all of the Harry Potter films.Smith next stars in Julian Fellowes' supernatural adventure "From Time to Time," planned for release later this year.

One of the entertainment industry's most esteemed actresses, Smith has been honored numerous times for her work on the stage, screen and television. A two-time Academy Award® winner, Smith won her first Oscar® for her unforgettable performance in the title role of 1969's "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," for which she also won a BAFTA Award and earned a Golden Globe Award nomination. A decade later, she won her second Oscar®, as well as Golden Globe and Evening Standard Awards and a BAFTA Award nomination, for her role in "California Suite." More recently, Smith garnered Oscar®, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations for her performance in Robert Altman's "Gosford Park," also winning Critics' Choice and Screen Actors Guild Awards® as part of the ensemble cast.

Smith's myriad film acting honors also include Oscar® nominations for "Othello," "Travels with My Aunt" and "A Room with a View," for which she also won BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards; and BAFTA Awards for "A Private Function" and "The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne," also winning an Evening Standard Film Award for the latter. She more recently won an Emmy Award for her performance in the HBO movie "My House in Umbria."

Smith started acting on the stage in 1952 with the Oxford University Drama Society, and made her professional debut in New York in "The New Faces of 1956 Revue." Three years later, she joined the Old Vic Company, where she won the 1962 Evening Standard's Best Actress Award for her roles in "The Private Ear" and "The Public Eye." Joining the National Theatre in 1963, Smith played Desdemona to Laurence Olivier's "Othello." Her other notable National Theatre productions include "Black Comedy," "Miss Julie," "The Country Wife," "The Beaux Stratagem," "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Hedda Gabler."

But it was in 1969 that Smith came to screen stardom with her Oscar®-winning performance in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie." Today's film audiences know Smith best for her work in the "Harry Potter" movies, as well as her roles in such films as "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood," "The First Wives Club," "Sister Act," "The Secret Garden" and Steven Spielberg's "Hook." Her additional film credits include "Becoming Jane," "Ladies in Lavender," "The Last September," "Washington Square," "Richard III," "The Missionary," "Death on the Nile," "Murder by Death" and "The Honey Pot."

Throughout her career Smith has continued to appear on the stages of London and New York. She won a Tony Award for her performance in "Lettice and Lovage," and had earlier received Tony Award nominations for "Night and Day" and "Private Lives." She has also won Evening Standard Drama Awards for her performances in "Virginia" and "Three Tall Women."

On television, Smith has earned Emmy nominations for her roles in the telefilms "Suddenly, Last Summer" and "David Copperfield," for which she also received a BAFTA TV Award nomination. Additionally, she earned BAFTA TV Award nominations for the television movies "Memento Mori" and "Mrs. Silly," as well as the miniseries "Talking Heads," winning a Royal Television Society Award for the last.

She became a Dame in 1990 when she received the DBE. Smith is also a Fellow of the British Film Institute and was awarded a Silver BAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993.


TOM FELTON returns in the role of Harry Potter's arch-enemy and Slytherin leader Draco Malfoy, who is charged with a pivotal task in the plans of Lord Voldemort. Felton, who has portrayed Draco in all of the Harry Potter films, will complete the role in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the two-part film adaptation of the final book in the series.

Felton has been acting professionally since the age of eight, when he starred as Peagreen Clock in Peter Hewitt's fantastical tale "The Borrowers." The role brought him to the attention of director Andy Tennant, who cast him in the epic feature "Anna and the King." Felton, who was then just eleven years old, played the role of Anna's son, Louis Lenowens, opposite Jodie Foster in the title role of Anna.

On television, Felton has appeared in a number of series in the U.K., including "Bugs," in which he played James, and "Second Sight," opposite Clive Owen. He has also starred in two BBC Radio 4 plays, "The Wizard of Earthsea" and "Here's to Everyone." He has also been featured in several top television commercials.


EVANNA LYNCH made her acting debut in the role of Luna Lovegood in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."
A native of Ireland, Lynch was already a dedicated Harry Potter fan when she won the role of Luna over 15,000 other young hopefuls through an open casting call in early 2006. Lynch's affinity for the offbeat character caused her to stand out among the thousands of other girls and she ultimately landed the coveted role.

She will again play Harry Potter's free-spirited friend in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Parts 1 and 2."


BONNIE WRIGHT has grown up in the role of Ginny Weasley, the youngest of the Weasley siblings, in all of the Harry Potter films, taking her character from Ron's baby sister to Harry Potter's love interest. Wright will return as Ginny in both parts of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," which brings the film franchise to a close.

Wright's additional acting credits include several television productions. She played a young Agatha Christie in the BBC telefilm "Agatha Christie: A Life in Pictures," and also appeared in the adventure drama "Stranded," a Hallmark production that aired in the U.S. and U.K. She more recently lent her voice to an episode of the Disney Channel animated series "The Replacements."

Apart from her acting work, Wright also has an affinity for music and plays both the guitar and saxophone.


JESSIE CAVE joins the cast of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" as Lavender Brown, Ron Weasley's overzealous and affectionate first girlfriend.

Cave studied Illustration and Animation at Kingston University, London, and worked backstage at various theatres before deciding to pursue an acting career. She made her professional acting debut in the role of Stella in the British telefilm "Summerhill," based on the controversial and bohemian school in Suffolk.Cave also gained a place at the prestigious Oxford School of Drama, but before she could attend she learned she won the coveted role of Lavender and decided to postpone her enrollment.

In her spare time, Cave writes and draws and has a passion for illustration.


HERO FIENNES TIFFIN plays the role of the 11-year-old Tom Riddle, an orphan who is already discovering that he has the power to do things other people can't.
Fiennes Tiffin, who will turn 12 in November, made his feature film debut last year in the critically acclaimed British independent film "Bigga Than Ben," playing a young pickpocket.

Apart from his acting, Fiennes Tiffin loves sports, soccer in particular. He plays for the Lambeth All Stars, an under-12 team in London. On a professional level, his favorite club is West Ham United.


FRANK DILLANE, now 18 years old, plays the teenage Tom Riddle in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."
Dillane is currently in school, where he is taking his A levels and working in a pub in order to help fund his plans to go traveling in his gap year.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

DAVID YATES (Director) recently directed the blockbuster "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," for which he won an Empire Award for Best Director. He is currently helming the much-anticipated "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the two-part film adaptation of the final book in the best-selling series.

An award-winning television director, Yates won his first BAFTA TV Award for his work on the BBC miniseries "The Way We Live Now," a period drama starring Matthew Macfadyen and Miranda Otto. In 2003, he directed the drama series "State of Play," for which he received a BAFTA TV Award nomination and won the Directors Guild of Great Britain (DGGB) Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement. The project also won the Broadcasting Press Guild Award, the Royal Television Society (RTS) Award, and Banff Television Festival's Rockie Award for Best Series.

The following year, Yates directed the gritty two-part drama "Sex Traffic," for which he won another BAFTA TV Award and earned his second DGGB Award nomination. The unflinching look at sex trafficking also won a number of international awards, including eight BAFTA TV and four RTS Awards, both including Best Drama, as well as the Jury Prize for Best Miniseries at the Reims International Television Festival, and a Golden Nymph at the Monte Carlo Television Festival.

Yates earned an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special for his work on the 2005 HBO movie "The Girl in the Café," a love story starring Bill Nighy and Kelly Macdonald. His other television credits include the telefilm "The Young Visiters," starring Jim Broadbent and Hugh Laurie, and the miniseries "The Sins," starring Pete Postlethwaite and Geraldine James.

Yates grew up in St. Helens, Merseyside, and studied Politics at the University of Essex and at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He began his directing career with the short film "When I Was a Girl," which he also wrote. The film brought him the prize for Best European Short Film at the Cork International Film Festival in Ireland and a Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco Film Festival. It also assured his entrance into the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, England.

His graduation film, "Good Looks," won a Silver Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival. In 1998, Yates made his feature film directorial debut with "The Tichborne Claimant," starring Stephen Fry and John Gielgud. His most recent short film, 2002's "Rank," was nominated for a BAFTA Award.


DAVID HEYMAN (Producer) is the producer behind all of the film adaptations of J.K Rowling's hugely successful Harry Potter books. The much-`anticipated adaptation of the seventh and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, commenced production in February of this year and will be released in two parts, in November 2010 and in the summer of 2011.

Heyman's other recent productions include the comedy "Yes Man," starring Jim Carrey; Francis Lawrence's hit science fiction thriller "I Am Legend," starring Will Smith; Mark Herman's acclaimed drama "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas," starring Vera Farmiga and David Thewlis; and, most recently, the independent drama "Is Anybody There?," directed by John Crowley and starring Michael Caine.

Educated in England and the United States, Heyman began his career as a production runner on Milos Forman's "Ragtime" and David Lean's "A Passage to India." In 1986, Heyman went to Los Angeles to become a creative executive at Warner Bros., where he worked on such films as "Gorillas in the Mist" and "Goodfellas." He moved on to become a Vice President at United Artists in the late 1980s.

Heyman subsequently embarked on a career as an independent producer, making several films, including Ernest Dickerson's "Juice," starring Tupac Shakur and Omar Epps, and the low-budget classic "The Daytrippers," directed by Greg Mottola and starring Liev Schreiber, Parker Posey, Hope Davis, Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott.

Having spent many years working in the States, Heyman returned to the U.K. in 1996 to set up Heyday Films, with the intention of building on his unique relationships in the U.S. and Europe to produce international films and television programs.

Heyman won ShoWest's Producer of the Year Award in 2003, becoming the first British producer to have ever been honored with this accolade.