Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Premieres in July
Harry Potter fanatics were more than bummed when it was announced during the fall of 2008 that the release date for The Half-Blood Prince was being moved from November to July 17, 2009. The wait was worth it though -- many critics believed this was the best Potter yet!
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Brothers
Wizard and muggle world unite -- it's time to celebrate Daniel Radcliffe's 20th birthday today!
We've watched him grow from a tiny little tyke in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone when he was just 11 years old into a certified hottie in the uber successful Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that came out last week and has already shattered its own records to be the highest grossing HP movie to date ($159.7 million in the first five days -- whoa!).
Join us in congratulating Dan on an amazing week at the box office... and a super special birthday today!
Fun facts about Dan:
- What does Dan think of the early Harry Potter films? "For me to look back on the old films is an almost entirely destructive thing to do. I just torture myself over it. I mean, I was young. I can't be held accountable for the performance I gave in the first two films: I was 11 and 12. I wasn't like Dakota Fanning ... who could seemingly just do it. It was very much a child's performance." Awww... so modest!
- He has two dogs, Binka and Nugget.
- Dan's ideal of a perfect girl? "To be honest, just somebody who makes me laugh, intelligent a bit. I like somebody who's slightly mad, slightly eccentric."
Post your birthday wishes to Dan below!
And there's still a few days left to enter our exclusive J-14 Twitter Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Twitter Contest to win a Harry Potter signed prize!
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Name: Freddie Stroma
Age: 22
Where to see him: As Quidditch stud Cormac McLaggen in the hottest movie of the summer, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, where he tries to woo Hermione (Emma Watson).
Why we love him: Of course we love Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, but we couldn't take our eyes off Freddie -- we were so jealous of Hermione! Just like Robby P. before him, Freddie is a total scene-stealer and the breakout star of HP6. This British former model is super athletic (he plays rugby) and has a big sweet tooth (see the chocolate scene in the movie!). Unfortunately, this hottie does have a girlfriend, but we still love him anyway and totally think he can become the next heartthrob a la Rob! With those dimples and curly blonde locks, he won't need any spells to make the girls swoon!
He talks about... being a romantic: "I like to think that I'm a romantic type of person, but I'm a realistic romantic. For me it's the sweet gestures like the little things in life that I can do when I am with someone. It's just about constantly reminding them how much they mean to me. Saying the 'L-word' everyday, that's the one that everyone is terrified of, but don't need to be."
Now we want to hear from YOU, J-14ers! Do you think Freddie is HOT or NOT? Let us know in the comments below!
And don't forget to enter our J-14 Exclusive Harry Potter Twitter contest!
-- by Tierney Bricker
Photo: StarTraks
J-14 got a sneak preview of Harry Potter of the Half-Blood Prince on Monday night... and fell in love all over again with Harry, Hermione, and Ron!
To celebrate the movie in theaters now, we're launching another Twitter movie review contest, J-14's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Twitter Contest. One will score a Harry Potter video game slap bracelet signed by none other than the movie's Draco Malfoy, Tom Felton!
Here's how to enter:
Step 1: Go see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Bonnie Wright, Oliver and James Phelps, Freddie Stroma, Evanna Lynch, and Jessie Cave.
Step 2: Follow J-14 on Twitter @j14magazine
Step 3: Tweet @j14magazine #j14harrypotter with your "tweet" review (yes, it needs to be short!)
We'll pick a random winner on July 27, 2009! So what are you waiting for? Get out there and see Harry Potter -- and start following @j14magazine on Twitter!
And spread the word... and get all your friends to sign up for J-14's Twitter -- and get out there and see Harry Potter!
Click here for official rules.
Plus don't forget to check out all our Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince features:
- J-14 Exclusive Video: Harry Potter's Tom Felton
- J-14's Countdown to Harry Potter -- 7 Days to Go!
- J-14's Countdown to Harry Potter -- 6 Days to Go!
- J-14's Countdown to Harry Potter -- 5 Days to Go!
- J-14's Countdown to Harry Potter -- 4 Days to Go!
- J-14's Countdown to Harry Potter -- 3 Days to Go!
- J-14's Countdown to Harry Potter -- 2 Days to Go!
- J-14's Countdown to Harry Potter -- 1 Day to Go!
- J-14's Countdown to Harry Potter -- Day is Here!
- Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince Sneak Preview!
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
It's finally here! Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince opens in theaters right now! Celebs like Dane Cook and Justin Gaston have already Tweeted that they're at midnight showings! We know that you are just as excited as we are and we've had so much fun counting down with you! To celebrate, here's a look into the future of Harry Potter with some exclusive J-14 quotes from Dan, Emma and Rupert themselves!
Daniel Radcliffe on reading the final Harry Potter book: "I was thrilled that I had managed to detach my own life from it and read it as any one else would read it. I thought it was brilliant. What's odd is that I thought, 'That's what I'm probably going to be doing in two or three years.' I also thought that after this, it will be over, which is very strange. It was really interesting to read -- it was a kind of an odd experience as well."
Emma Watson on continuing to play Hermione: "Now that we know what's going to happen in the book with Hermione, it kind of frees me up and I think it's all these details that will make the performance better."
Rupert Grint on the hype over the last Harry Potter book and the end of the final movie: "There was so much hype, especially with the seventh book, about who's going to die. We had sort of heard that quite a few people were going to die, so I was quite keen to see if I survived! I do have to admit, I did do a little sneaky peek at the back to see if my name was still there. I want to see how they are going to do the whole thing at the end when it's 19 years later because they have to make us look older so I look forward to that!"
Ron, Harry, and Hermione look over their shoulders at a depressed Lavender.
Harry looks out to the future!
Now that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is here, what are you most looking forward to in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?
Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Hi there J-14ers!
Yes, I'm just a measly Muggle. And to be perfectly honest, I'm not exactly a big fan of the fantasy genre... yet it's no secret that I'm 109 3/4% (get it? ha!) obsessed (emphasis: OBsessed!) with Harry Potter.
I've crossed borders to buy the original "British English" versions of the books that J.K. Rowling wrote, I own random HP trinkets like a Gryffindor jacket and character gummy candies, and I guarantee you there's no spell that could tear me away from Harry Potter marathons on ABC Family (nope, not even in the library's restricted section's books!).
So this two-year wait between films has been absolutely excruciating, to say the least. I had mixed feelings when the movie got bumped eight months (thank goodness, Twilight took its spot -- I'm just as obsessed with Edward Cullen, but let's save that for another day! ;) ). Needless to say, I was more than grateful that I was one of the "chosen ones" who got to catch an advanced screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on Monday night.
And... drumroll please... dare I say it? Yes, this movie is the best Harry Potter movie to date. No doubt about it.
Why? Five simple reasons...
1- It's hilarious! You'll laugh more than ever about everything from the kids' kooky flirting to Luna Lovegood's crazy ways - check out her lionhead in the photo above!
2-It's nail-biting! The entire fate of the world -- both wizarding and Muggle! -- rests on the bravery of Harry himself!
3-It's dramatic! Your heart will tear apart when you go through Hermione and Harry's jealousy when they see their crushes with other dates!
4-It's swoon-worthy! All the kids have grown out of their awkward phases -- Dan Radcliffe looks cuter and more charming than ever, Rupert Grint's grown from goofy kid into a certified hottie, bad boy Tom Felton's looks like a total rockstar now, and of course there's my newest HP crush Cormac McLaggen played by Freddie Stroma who's totally up there with my first two wizard crushes, Oliver Wood played by Sean Biggerstaff, and Cedric Diggory played by some guy you've never heard of called Rob Pattinson. :)
5-And it's heart-wrenching! No spoilers for those who haven't read the book, but you will need Kleenex. Boxes of it.
Or to put it into Twitter-sized thinking: I laughed, I cried, I screamed, I shrieked, I sweated, I swooned... in short, loved every minute of Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince!
But this is my issue with the films... every time I see a new Harry Potter film, I feel like I've seen it before!
Huh? What do I mean? Well, not long after the movie started, Harry and Dumbledore were in Professor Horace Slughorne's house and I knew I'd be there before. Only I couldn't have... because this was the first time I'd seen the movie and hadn't ever seen any photos of it. I felt the same way in Fred and George's joke shop. And again in the dark cave with Harry and Dumbledore at the end.
And then it clicked. I realized I HAD been to all these places before. But it was only in my head when I read the books! And suddenly, I realized the beauty of the Harry Potter movies and books is that J.K. Rowling writes every minute detail so vividly and clearly and the filmmakers have kept to her word so faithfully that what I saw on screen was literally what I'd pictured in my imagination while I was reading the books! It's like they reached into MY memory and bottled it up and poured it only the big screen. :)
Well, I'd need a time-turner to keep writing everything I have to say about this BEST Harry Potter movie EVER, so I'll leave it at that... and I cannot wait to hear what all of you guys think after you see the movie tomorrow! Do tell!
Mugglely Yours,
Ra-"Cho Chang" (ha!)
J-14 Editor
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
The time is almost here! Tomorrow the highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince finally hits theaters and in celebration of the cinematic return of our favorite wizard trio, J-14's providing you with photos of the juiciest scenes and exclusive quotes straight from the stars!
Daniel Radcliffe on filming Harry and Ginny's first kiss: " I think maybe Bonnie was maybe a bit nervous and I think I probably was too, but it was fine. It's one of the things where it is very much the case that it's nowhere near as exciting to film those scenes as people would imagine it to be, unfortunately. I hate to disillusion everyone. It is sort of like any other scene in a way and you just sort of get on with it. But it was fun and I think Bonnie was great, but hopefully I didn't exasperate her! It's a really good sweet scene!"
Emma Watson on the end of the Harry Potter book series: "I was really happy with it. I absolutely really loved it. I really did. It made me cry a couple of times and I'm really happy that... well, the one thing that I always said was that I really wanted Ron and Hermione to end up together. I kind of joked that it would happen, but then it literally did. I was really enthused!"
Rupert Grint on his upcoming kiss with Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: "It's going to be very weird. I'm not really looking forward to it, if I'm honest. I knew it was going to happen since it was pretty largely in the book. It's strange because I've known Emma for so long -- it's going to be eight years now -- and she's sort of like a sister really! But I'm sure it will be fun after the first few!"
Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley fight evil together -- and fall in love!
Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger's mutual crushes on each other lead to some of the funniest scenes of the movie!
Who would you vote for as the cutest couple in Hogwarts?
Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Hey there J-14ers!
So how many of you are wishing that you will wake up and it will magically be July 15th so that you won't have to wait a moment longer to finally see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince? I know that I absolutely can't wait to see it and I don't think I could think of a better way to celebrate the release of the newest Harry Potter movie than to hang out with one of the Harry Potter stars themselves!
That's right, I got to hang out with Tom Felton, who plays Draco Malfoy in the movies, on Friday night during his book signing at Hot Topic! I was so excited to meet Tom because Draco Malfoy is one of my favorite Harry Potter characters!
Tons of fans came out to support Tom and I don't see why they wouldn't because Tom is one of the nicest guys ever! He was so sweet and I think I got weak in the knees when he mentioned that he took his girlfriend to Venice for her birthday! Is that not one of the most romantic things you've ever heard?!
If you haven't already seen it, you definitely need to watch our exclusive video interview with Tom because he shared lots of stories and secrets with us! It's a must see for any true Harry Potter fan!
So while we're all anxiously waiting for July 15th to come around (only two more days!), I want to hear from you guys. What do you love most about Draco Malfoy/Tom Felton? I can't wait to hear from you guys!
Love your J-14 intern,
Katie <3
In just TWO days the long-awaited Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will finally hits theaters. To help you pass the time (we wish there was a spell for that!) until the premiere, we're providing you with photos of the juiciest scenes and exclusive J-14 quotes straight from the film's famous trio!
Daniel Radcliffe on his reaction to Rupert's first HP kissing scene: "There was lots of teasing! I was a bit gutted actually because they filmed the actual kiss after I got home one day. So I couldn't watch it and laugh at it, which is deeply annoying. But I wouldn't offer advice to Rupert, I'm sure he did very, very well. But I can't wait to see it in the film."
Emma Watson on her similarities to Hermione: "I definitely think I have smiliar traits to her. I really enjoy school. I really enjoy learning like she does. Not quite as much, but I do! She's quite perceptive about people. She's quite feminine. She's quite competitive."
Rupert Grint on the casting of his love interest, Lavender Brown: "I went to some of the auditions of the final stages of auditions and met a few Lavenders and it was really cool to be involved in that side of it -- not that I really had any sort of say really, it was just for me to be there. There were some really good girls. We didn't do the kiss. We didn't actually even talk about the kiss until the day we actually did it. It was quite nerve-wracking!"
Harry shares a romantic moment with his BFF Ron's little sister, Ginny.
Hermione and Ron with their classmates -- including Lavender Brown.
Which Harry Potter character do you think is most kiss-worthy?
Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
J-14 was the only magazine on the scene as 750 Harry Potter fans lined up at the Hot Topic at Garden State Plaza in Paramus, NJ, to meet the movie's Draco Malfoy, Tom Felton!
And he may play Harry's archenemy -- but there's not one ounce of evil in Tom! Check out our exclusive video interview where we chatted with him about everything from McDonald's Chicken Nuggets and Twitter to Twilight rumors -- and who he thinks would win a battle between Draco and Edward Cullen!
Do you agree with Tom about who would win the Edward Cullen vs. Draco Malfoy battle?! Tell us!
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hits theaters in just 3 measley-Weasley (ha!) days and we're providing you with photos of the juiciest scenes and our favorite quotes exclusive J-14 quotes leading up to the movie's long-awaited premiere!
Daniel Radcliffe on how Harry's evovled: "There's moments where he really has to exploit all the tragedy in his past to get information out of people. And now, he's much more aware of what's at stake in terms of what Dumbledore is trying to achieve in fighting Voldemort. I think that leads him to do things that he wouldn't have done before."
Emma Watson on her table tennis skills: "My parents play and they're really competitive. They never used to let me win, so I just got quite good. I just really improved quickly. They were quite taken aback."
Rupert Grint on life after Harry Potter: "Every year, it's been this sort of routine, so it'll be nice to just do nothing. It's quite weird, but there's still quite a long way to go. It's going to be sad when it's all over because I've really enjoyed doing all this. It's been a massive part of my life."
The pressures of romance -- and saving the world -- haunt Harry.
Snow doesn't stop Harry, Hermione, and Ron from anything.
Which book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter book series is your favorite?
Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Can you believe Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince finally hits theaters in just 4 days?! In honor of the long-awaited film's premiere, we're providing you with photos of the juiciest scenes and our favorite exclusive J-14 quotes straight from the stars!
Daniel Radcliffe on how he and Rupert bond on set: "All me and Rupert do really is either sit around and read or watch films or DVDs or really bad English daytime TV. It's terrible! I wouldn't like to name one, but there is one that I hate so much -- and I watch it everyday because it gives me energy for the afternoon!"
Emma Watson on being left out of Quidditch "I feel really left out! Especially since everyone's having such a good time! They're all on like trampolines and stuff and flying around. I'm actually really jealous!"
Rupert Grint on which character he'd recast himself as: "I suppose Malfoy would be quite cool because he's just totally different. Snape as well was always one of my favorites. He always made me laugh. One of the darker characters would be cool."
Hermione is the only one of the trio who doesn't play Quidditch.
The magic reaches a whole new level in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
If you could play any character in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, who would you play?
Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Only five days until the highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hits theaters and J-14's providing you with photos of the juiciest scenes and our exclusive quotes from our favorite Wizards every day leading up to the movie's premiere!
Daniel Radcliffe on the trio's uncontrollable laughter: "I had watched a show over here called, Never Mind the Buzzcock, which is sort of a music-based quiz show and it's very, very funny. And there had been a piece of film footage at one point of a monkey riding a bicycle in a little uniform and I was thinking about that and that made me laugh a lot. Then I shared that thought with Rupert, which was a terrible thing to do and then he started laughing for the rest of the day, and then Emma just joined in because we were both in hysterics. I think she just thought, If you can't beat 'em join 'em!"
Emma Watson on how Hermione's growing up: "She's becoming much more aware of herself and how she feels, particularly about Ron. She feels these emotions that she's never felt before and I think she really doesn't want to push him away."
Rupert Grint on having a character named Rupert in the sixth book: "It's pretty cool. I didn't really notice it at first, but then someone pointed it out. It's weird. It's quite cool, but I suppose our name's are quite similar in a way really because they both begin with R!"
Harry and Hermione with their Gryffindor housemates.
Ron gets showered with spirit!
Which character from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is your favorite?
Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Get in the face of evil today... here's your chance to meet Harry Potter's arch enemy, Draco Malfoy! New Jersey-area fans can meet and greet actor Tom Felton tonight at the Hot Topic store at the Garden State Plaza in Paramus, NJ starting at 7 p.m.
In the exact same spot where J-14 hung out with Kristen Stewart and Nikki Reed while they signed autographs for fans before the opening of Twilight last November, Tom will be autographing a special-edition Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince poster for the first 750 fans, just a few days before the movie opens on July 15.
The first 750 fans to purchase a Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Draco shirt at the Hot Topic will get a wristband to get access to the store to meet Tom!
And the special HP6 shirt isn't the only magical merchandise available. At all Hot Topic stores across the U.S., there's a huge collection of Harry Potter wallets, messenger bags, accessories, and goodies that will make you feel like you're shopping at Diagon Alley!
The movie hits theaters next Wednesday... and don't miss out on J-14's official countdown to the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince release:
- J-14's Countdown to Harry Potter -- 7 Days to Go!
- J-14's Countdown to Harry Potter -- 6 Days to Go!
- J-14's Countdown to Harry Potter -- 5 Days to Go!
What do you guys think of Tom Felton and his character Draco Malfoy?
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Only six days until the highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hits theaters and J-14's providing you with some photos of the juiciest scenes and our favorite quotes from our exclusive interviews with the cast to make the almost unbearable wait just a bit easier!
Daniel Radcliffe on table tennis on set: "We've started playing a lot of table tennis, which Rupert's very good at. And strikingly, Emma is brilliant at. Neither me nor Rupert have ever beaten her and it is really irritating because she's a girl! And that's not the way it's supposed to happen."
Emma Watson on Hermione's wardrobe: "I used to get really upset about the clothes that I had to wear and the image that was projected of me because I was terrified that everyone would think that I was like that in real life. Now, I'm much more dedicated to putting across Hermione as best as I possibly can."
Rupert Grint on playing Quidditch for the first time: "It's something I've never done yet. I always sort of missed out on that. I'd heard from Dan that I shouldn't really look forward to it 'cause it's quite painful and it is quite uncomfortable, but I'm really enjoying it. It's quite fun!"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione find even more trouble brewing.
Ron hops on the broom and takes his turn at Quidditch!
What scene are you most looking forward to seeing in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?
Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
The countdown is officially on! Exactly one week from today, the long-awaited Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hits theaters... and J-14's kicking off our official countdown with some photos of the juiciest scenes and our favorite quotes.
Daniel Radcliffe on which Hogwarts house he'd be in: "I'd like to think Gryffindor, but I did a test once at my friends' house. His little sister had a magazine and it had a test in it about which house you'd fit. I did actually turn up in Slytherin, which is slightly disconcerting!"
Emma Watson on her favorite thing about Hermione: "I love that she's a bit of a feminist -- it's normally her who's dragging the guys off to do whatever. She's kind of the brains behind the project, whatever mischief they're getting up to, which I really like. She takes control!"
Rupert Grint on Ron's trouble with girls: "Ron had some nasty experiences. I find it really sort of hard to ask them out. I can probably relate that to that a little bit."
In Hogwarts' Great Hall, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny deal with relationship troubles -- and major matters of life and death.
Harry and Ginny play for Quidditch for Gryffindor.
J-14 wants to know: Are you planning on going to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?
Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Just a week and a half before Rupert Grint's long awaited movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, hits theaters on July 15, his reps confirmed that the 20-year-old actor who plays Ron Weasley has a "mild bout" of the swine flu.
But don't fear... Rupert is recovering and is back to work on the seventh film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. He had to take a few days off, but is officially not contagious anymore.
He's also well enough to attend the London premiere of his movie on Tuesday along with his costars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson.
J-14 hopes Rupert gets 100% well soon. Post your "Get Well" messages to Rupert below!
Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
The Twilight stars won't be the only ones showing an exclusive clip of their upcoming flick at the 2009 MTV Movie Awards on May 31! J-14 just found out that Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint will be showing the first sneak peak from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at this year's show! Megan Fox will also be there to unveil a never-before-seen clip of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
Click here to see the list of nominees for the 2009 MTV Movie Awards!
Between New Moon, Harry Potter, and Transformers, what movie clip are you most excited to see? What are your favorite movies and movie stars of the past year? Who are you most excited to see on the MTV Movie Awards this year?
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
