What's Next for Harry, Ron, and Hermoine?

Although production on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has been over for quite some time, it is clear that Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), and Emma Watson (Hermoine Granger), will be able to ride the "Rowling" wave of the eight movie series for quite some time. They stepped into their roles as children and now as young adults, they face their futures in acting or whatever else they choose to do. But of the three, who will have the most success? A lot of that answer depends on how you define success.

Perhaps the hardest to peg is Rupert Grint who played Harry's best friend, Ron Weasley, in the films. Outside of the character of Ron, there really hasn't been a lot of buzz about Grint. He's put out a few films in addition to Harry Potter movies, but none of them did particularly well, and Grint himself seems to have a lackluster attitude about his future as an actor. In his mind, that may ultimately have little to do with a lack of success, but living the life of an ordinary guy with a few toys doesn't put his immediate post- Potter career in the must follow category.

Emma Watson has been somewhat more busy outside of Harry Potter, and much like the character Hermoine that she plays in the films, Watson has appeared to be more concientious of her career choices. She received critical accclaim for her role in the BBC broadcast Ballet Shoes in 2007, her first professional project outside of Harry Potter. Watson also was the voice of Princess Pea in the film adaptation of Kate DiCamillo's Newberry Award Winning book The Tale of Despereaux, and she is also set to play a major role in the upcoming film The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Watson's success is not limited to film however. When out of her Griffendor robes, Emma has become quite a fashion conesieur, earning honors at the 2011 Elle Style awards. She has also appeared on the cover of U.K. Vogue, was in Marie Claire, and has recently signed up to represent Lacome, following in the footsteps of pretty women such as Julia Roberts, Penelope Cruz, Kate Winslet, and Anne Hathaway.

Daniel Radcliffe also has a somewhat limited filmography outside of Harry Potter, the only notable film being the 2007 Australian production, December Boys. But Radcliffe has taken plenty of risks and stretched himself as a performer on the stage. At 17 he was cast in the lead of Equuss, and is most recently playing the lead in the Broadway musical, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying". But Radcliffe is trying, and doing a wonderful job according to those who work with him and repeatedly applaude his incredible work ethic.

Unlike Watson and Grint, Radcliffe was born into the entertainment environment. His mother is a casting agent, and his father is a literary agent. That connection was a definite factor in getting him the Harry Potter audition in the first place, and now it is difficult to imagine another actor playing the chosen boy wizard. With the Harry Potter franchise becoming such a cultural phenomenon, it would have been easy for Radcliffe to stay typecast in that role, but by choosing to play roles that are very different,, as well as taking time to take to the stage rather than spending more time in front of the camera, Radcliffe increases his chances of being considered a serious craftsman of acting, directing, producing, or perhaps even writing in the future.

So what is "success" to a former child actor all grown up? Is it the ability to go back under the radar and resume a "normal" life in some other area? Is it continuing to do movies, and establish yourself as a fashion and style icon? Or is it branching into live theatre, stretching yourself as an actor and earning the respect of your peers? I suspect Grint, Watson, and Radcliffe would all have different answers and no one could argue with any of them.

http://www.rupertgrint.net/

http://www.emmawatson.com/

http://dan-radcliffe.net/