Exclusive: How Harry Potter's Ginny Nailed Her Audition with Unforgettable Dialogue

Summary

Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter movies, reveals she had to read Hermione's lines for her audition.

Ginny initially had no dialogue in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, but her one and only line of wishing Harry good luck was inserted during the filming process.

The depiction of Ginny in the Harry Potter movies was underwhelming and failed to capture the essence of her character, which started from her auditions.

Harry Potter actress Bonnie Wright initially had to audition for the role of Ginny Weasley in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone using someone else's dialogue. In the movie, Ginny's character is introduced when Harry spots the Weasley family while looking for Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Ginny only has a brief appearance as she watches her older brothers and Harry pass through the barrier to board the Hogwarts Express. It is not until the second movie, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, that Ginny's character becomes more prominent.

During an interview on the Inside of You podcast, Wright disclosed that during her audition for the role of Ginny, there were no specific lines written for her character. Instead, she had to perform with lines from another character. Ultimately, in the movie directed by Christopher Columbus, Ginny only has one line. In the original source material, Ginny has multiple lines in the scene at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Wright's remarks on the matter can be found below.

Ginny did not have any lines in the first film. The first line I had in the film, which was just one line, was given to me on the day by Columbus. He thought I needed a line, so he gave me the "good luck" line to say to Harry. Since there were no other scenes for me to read, I actually read Hermione's lines. They told me that I would have to read this character since there were no other options.

Ginny Weasley Wasn't Done Justice In The Films

Wright's audition hinted at the disappointment that would define Ginny's portrayal in the Harry Potter films. Unfortunately, Ginny was consistently treated as an afterthought throughout the franchise, with her lines and character development overlooked. In the first book, Ginny's enthusiasm for attending Hogwarts and her admiration for Harry were disregarded, as she only wished him luck before he crossed the platform. Retaining her original lines could have showcased Ginny's spirited nature and her interest in Harry.

While Ginny had a more prominent role in the Chamber of Secrets adaptation due to her possession by Tom Riddle's diary, subsequent films failed to do justice to her character. The crucial aspects of Ginny's personality, such as her humor, chemistry with other characters, and determination to stand up for what's right, were largely neglected. Instead, she was mostly portrayed as Ron Weasley's sister and Harry's love interest, overlooking her well-developed, fierce, and likeable persona depicted in the books.

Ginny's character in the movies never progressed beyond being portrayed as a timid and infatuated girl from the first two films. This not only hindered Ginny's personal growth but also affected her relationship with Harry. In the books, their relationship developed gradually and it felt fulfilling and deserved when they started dating towards the end of Half-Blood Prince. However, in the films, the development of their relationship seemed rushed, forced, and ultimately unsatisfying. Despite being generally well-crafted adaptations, the Harry Potter films failed to give Ginny Weasley the treatment she deserved right from the start.