‘Harry Potter’ filming makes British cathedral tourism hotspot

October 6th, 2009 LONDON - Dame Maggie Smith, who plays Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter films, is determined to complete the wizard series even though she suffers from breast cancer. The 74-year-old actress said she wouldn't stop working.

September 26th, 2009 LONDON - Brit actor Matthew Lewis has revealed that the filming of the final two instalments of the Harry Potter films has left an "electric" atmosphere on set. Lewis, 20, who plays student Neville Longbottom, revealed this at the launch of a competition that offers a role in 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'.

September 22nd, 2009 LONDON - Harry Potter star Sir Michael Gambon has admitted he hasn't read any of JK Rowling's hit novels about the young wizard. Gambon, 68, known to millions as Professor Albus Dumbledore from the Harry Potter films, said he prefers not to read books before appearing in their screen adaptations, as it stops him from feeling disappointed about what gets left out, reports The Sun.

July 23rd, 2009 All the magic of Harry Potter could not save his best friend Ron Weasley aka actor Rupert Grint from contracting the dreaded swine flu. Apparently, Rupert got a mild case of swine flu; his publicist confirmed the news "It has just been confirmed that Rupert Grint has taken a few days out of filming due to a mild bout of swine flu," Grint 20; stars as Ron Weasley; Harry Potter’s best friend in the Harry Potter franchise.

July 18th, 2009 NEW YORK - Box office analysts say that young 'Harry Potter' actors, whom the film series has earned a lot of attention, have a major challenge before them - how to keep their careers magical after the franchise ends. Even though the franchise has earned almost 4.5 billion dollars across the world, box office experts say that the franchise's young stars are heading towards a major crossroads.

July 17th, 2009 LONDON - The new Harry Potter film that opened in cinemas across the world this week has set new US and British records for the first day's takings, its distributors said. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" took 4.7 million pounds in ticket sales on its British opening night Wednesday, beating the previous best of three million pounds set by "Harry Potter and the Prisoner Of Azkaban".

July 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Harry Potter has been voted the Best Fantasy Franchise in a new Internet poll. Harry Potter won 73 per cent of votes in the poll, conducted by websites Moviefone and Bebo.

July 16th, 2009 LONDON - Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is looking forward to the wizard film franchise coming to an end so that he can accept other roles. The 19-year-old has played the boy wizard since he was 11 and has turned down other acting ventures to concentrate on the fantasy films.

July 13th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Daniel Radcliffe has said that he does not wish to watch his previous Harry Potter films because he is too self-critical. "I think all actors are (self-critical).

July 11th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Emma Watson is apprehensive about what turn her life will take after the series of Harry Potter flicks end. "It's going to sound dramatic, but I feel my life as I know it will be over.

July 8th, 2009 LONDON - The latest instalment in the Harry Potter film could help make the franchise as one of the most successful franchises of all time, owing to the huge merchandising that comes with it. The first five Harry Potter movies have been a massive source of revenue and profit for Warner Bros.

July 8th, 2009 LONDON - 'Harry Potter' star Jamie Waylett has been charged with illegally growing 10 marijuana plants in his north London home. Waylett, who plays the beefy bully Vincent Crabbe in the 'Harry Potter' movie franchise, was first arrested in April after cops found bags of cannabis in his car, reports the New York Daily News.

July 5th, 2009 LONDON - Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter series, was forced to take a break from filming the latest instalment titled "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" when he was hit by the swine flu. "It has just been confirmed that Rupert Grint has taken a few days out of filming due to a mild bout of swine flu," thesun.co.uk quoted his publicist as saying.

June 28th, 2009 LONDON - Wizard franchise "Harry Potter" has been given the royal seal of approval as British monarch Queen Elizabeth II has allowed the makers to shoot the movie on her property. The cast and crew of the series brought traffic in London to a standstill while filming here earlier this year and now they're moving to the Queen's grounds for the final scenes as the monarch has rented out part of woodland at Windsor Castle in south England for use in the film, reports buzzhollywood.com.

May 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A falconer who provided birds of prey for the filming of the 'Harry Potter' franchise has landed in jail after pleading guilty to neglect. Kenneth Lea was put behind bars for 12 weeks on 17 charges involving more than 51 specialist birds.