<P> Several actors of the United Kingdom and Ireland have voiced or portrayed characters appearing in the Harry Potter film series based on the book series by J.K. Rowling . Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have played Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger in all the films . When they were cast only Radcliffe had previously acted in a film . Complementing them on screen are such actors as Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Richard Griffiths, Richard Harris, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Miriam Margolyes, Helen McCrory, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, Imelda Staunton, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, and Julie Walters, among others . Thirteen actors have appeared as the same character in all eight films of the series . </P> <P> Some well - known British actors, who have not appeared in the series, were asked in jest why they had not been cast . When David Yates was directing the fifth film, Bill Nighy (who knew Yates personally) said that he hoped the director would cast him in Harry Potter . "But nobody called", Nighy added . However, in 2009, Yates cast Nighy as Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour in the seventh film . Nighy said, "I am no longer the only English actor not to be in Harry Potter and I am very pleased ." Jude Law once quipped, "Nobody's asked me . I was a bit too old for Harry ." When a reporter compared Potions professor Horace Slughorn's obsession with famous names to the series' connection to "every notable British actor" in 2009, Jim Broadbent (who plays Slughorn) said, "Well, not every actor gets invited . I know some who are still waiting ." </P>

Who plays harry potter in the harry potter movies