SINGAPORE – The last Harry Potter movie was released more than 10 years ago, but British actors James and Oliver Phelps still get recognised on the street for playing the Wesley twins.
The 38-year-old identical twins, who arrived in Singapore on Nov 17, were recognised at a hawker centre that very evening.
Oliver, who is 13 minutes older than James, said: “Getting recognised is so surreal. But it is so cool when fans have this connection with our characters.”
The two are happy to entertain requests for photos and chats. Oliver told The Straits Times on Nov 18: “We have been to Singapore a number of times, and imagined in our younger days how we also looked up to others and went up to speak to them. We would like to give fans the same experience.
“It’s not that hard for us to say ‘Hi’ and ‘Lovely to meet you’.”
The duo were in town to promote the Harry Potter: Visions Of Magic interactive art experience, which opens at Resorts World Sentosa on Nov 22.
They also promoted the experience when it opened in Cologne, Germany, in 2023, and Brussels, Belgium, in July. The version for Singapore is twice the size of those in Europe, they noted.
Oliver said: “It blows my mind how big this is. It is more immersive than when we were filming the movies. Here, you cast a spell and things light up, walls move, fireplaces come alive.”
James, whose favourite room is The Chamber Of Secrets, added: “We never filmed in that room, so to go and check it out was really cool. The door to enter is so well done.”
The England-based actors feel lucky to be associated with Harry Potter, as it has taken them around the world.
James said: “We know anything which involves Harry Potter is going to be the best – the movies, theme parks, experiences.”
Among their latest projects is hosting the reality television series Harry Potter: Wizards Of Baking (2024). On it, professional bakers compete to create spellbinding edible showpieces on the actual sets of the Harry Potter films.
James was initially surprised at the concept of a Harry Potter-themed baking show. He recalled: “For one contestant in the first episode, popcorn reminded him of watching the first movie. So he incorporated popcorn into his dish and it got people talking.”
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