Harry Potter cast scandals : With buzz swirling around the upcoming Harry Potter TV reboot, it’s the perfect time to revisit some of the controversies that have followed the original young cast — from ventures into OnlyFans to bold Playboy photo shoots.
The beloved film series launched the careers of several child actors who rose to Hollywood stardom, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson.
Now, over a decade after the release of Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the magical world of Hogwarts is making a comeback in an HBO series.
The new cast was announced earlier this week, with John Lithgow stepping into the role of Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Paapa Essiedu portraying Severus Snape.
While these actors face the challenge of stepping into iconic roles, they also inherit a legacy of youthful rebellion — remember those rumors of Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint being caught on camera at cannabis-fueled parties?
Several other stars from the Harry Potter franchise have faced controversies that could rival even the darkest deeds of Slytherin.
From jail time to bold Playboy photo shoots, we’re diving into the most jaw-dropping scandals that have followed the cast beyond the halls of Hogwarts.
Jamie Waylett
Jamie Waylett, now 35, portrayed Hogwarts bully Vincent Crabbe and Draco Malfoy’s sidekick in six Harry Potter films between 2001 and 2009.
However, he was dropped from the final two movies after an April 2009 incident in which police pulled over his car and discovered a knife along with eight bags of cannabis.
He was arrested, and a follow-up search revealed cannabis plants valued at around £2,000 growing in his family home.
Two years later, in 2011, Jamie found himself in trouble again—this time during the London riots. He was convicted of violent disorder and sentenced to two years in prison.
Photos from the incident showed him clutching a petrol bomb and drinking from a stolen bottle of champagne, with accusations also surfacing that he had looted a pharmacy.
Since his release, Waylett hasn’t returned to acting. Instead, he’s taken to selling personalised video messages on Cameo and now refers to himself as a ‘rapper.’
Josh Herdman, 38, who portrayed Gregory Goyle in the Harry Potter films, later appeared in the 2018 film Robin Hood alongside Jamie Foxx and Jamie Dornan.
In 2016, after dedicating five years to jujitsu, he made the unexpected leap into the world of MMA fighting.
But his off-screen antics have raised eyebrows. In 2018, he made headlines for launching a profanity-laced tirade at a super-fan on Instagram, as reported by The Sun.
Then in 2020, CCTV footage allegedly captured him vandalising a pub in Scotland during a night out with former co-star and fellow Slytherin, Jamie Waylett.
The duo had been in town for a magic-themed event — and clearly still carry a bit of that dark wizard energy with them.
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe, best known for his role as Harry Potter, has openly discussed his struggles with alcoholism, revealing that he turned to drinking to handle the pressures of fame.
In an interview with Hearst magazines, he shared, “I showed up to work still drunk, though I never actually drank on set. There are plenty of scenes where I look completely out of it—just empty behind the eyes.”
Radcliffe has been sober since 2010.
He also spoke about losing virginity at 16 to “a much older woman” and said his dream would be to play a ‘cross-dresser’ because “it would be an excuse to wear loads of eye make-up.
When he was 17, Daniel stripped naked for his role in London’s West End play Equus and caused a fan frenzy – making a name for himself in the theatre world.
His character also had to perform grotesque crimes against horses during the play.
Nicholas Read
Nicholas Read, known for playing a goblin in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, ran into legal issues in 2011 when he was given a 20-week suspended sentence after being arrested for indecent exposure on a train involving a teenage girl.
According to the BBC, the incident took place in October 2010, when Read was found guilty of performing a sexual act beneath a juggler’s hat while sitting next to a 17-year-old girl, who later said she felt trapped and unable to leave.
He also had previous convictions for making explicit and unsolicited phone calls to women from a hotel room, despite having no prior connection to them.
Devon Murray
Devon Murray, who portrayed Seamus Finnigan—the Irish half-blood wizard—in the Harry Potter films, faced legal and financial troubles in 2016 when he and his parents were sued by his former agent.
The agent claimed Murray owed over £230,000 (approx. A$477,000) in unpaid commission. The court ultimately ordered him to pay £210,000 (around A$436,000) to Neil Brooks.
Following the ruling, Murray tweeted, “It’s amazing how one man can destroy mine and my parents’ life so easily. Never been as mad, crazy, scared in all my life.”
During the trial, his mother testified that he had spent nearly a million on partying, dating, and cars, saying, “that is what teenage boys do.”
Murray has since said his perspective shifted after becoming a father in 2021.
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes portrayed the dark wizard Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Order of the Phoenix, The Half-Blood Prince, and The Deathly Hallows – Parts 1 and 2.
In 2007, the Oscar-winning actor made headlines when he was accused of having a sexual encounter with flight attendant Lisa Robertson during a Qantas flight from Darwin to Mumbai.
The alleged mile-high incident sparked controversy and conflicting accounts. Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Lisa said, “I
know some people will think it’s disgusting, and I’m not proud of it—it was inappropriate behavior. But I don’t regret it. Ralph is gorgeous, and the chemistry was incredible. Who wouldn’t want to be with him? These things happen—just not usually with a Hollywood star at 35,000 feet.”
Fiennes has had a colorful romantic history. He left his first wife, actress Alex Kingston, for Francesca Annis in 1997. Their relationship ended 11 years later amid speculation that he had been unfaithful with Romanian singer Cornelia Crisan.
Scarlett Byrne
Scarlett Byrne portrayed Slytherin student Pansy Parkinson in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as well as The Deathly Hallows: Parts 1 and 2.
She later took the name Scarlett Hefner after marrying Cooper Hefner, son of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, in 2019.
Before joining the Hefner family, Scarlett posed nude for Playboy and was featured on the cover of the magazine’s March/April 2017 issue.
Since their marriage, the couple has welcomed twins. Scarlett previously expressed gratitude to her husband for the chance to appear on the cover, tagging her Instagram post with #NakedIsNormal.
Jessie Cave
Jessie Cave, 37, who played Lavender Brown, a pure-blood Gryffindor witch in the Harry Potter films, revealed earlier this year that she launched an OnlyFans account to help pay off her debts.
She clarified that her content wouldn’t be sexual but would focus on creating high-quality hair-related videos—featuring soothing hair sounds and “sensual” styling—to cater to those with a hair fetish.
“It’s a fetish,” she explained. “But fetish doesn’t always mean sexual.”
Jessie also shared that she plans to use the earnings to renovate her home.
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