The Harry Potter actor who became a Hollywood star when franchise ended after small role
Harry Potter actor Domhnall Gleeson only starred in the two final movies in the franchise – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part one and two – but he clearly made an impact on the industry as he went on to star in many famous films and TV shows. After Harry Potter, he went on to work opposite Hollywood royalty including Leonardo DiCaprio and Rachel McAdams.
The actor, 38, is from a family of actors including his dad, Brendan and brother, Brian Gleeson. He starred in the last two Harry Potter movies as one of the older Weasley brothers – Bill Weasley – and his dad Brendan even played the role of Mad-Eye Moody in the same franchise. While the two never shared a scene together, there’s a small crossover when Bill Weasley announces that Mad-Eye Moody has died.
Domhnall starred in the movies in 2010 and 2011 and – both in between and after the two movies – went on to break Hollywood, including a role as General Hux in the Star Wars franchise. In 2010, the same year Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released, Domhnall also starred in True Grit, which earned breakout star Hailee Steinfeld her first Oscar nomination aged 14.
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After the release of the final Harry Potter movie, Domhnall went on to star as Levin in Joe Wright’s 2012 adaptation of Anna Karenina, opposite Alicia Vikander and Kiera Knightley; as Tim in About Time with Rachel McAdams; as Caleb in Ex Machina, also opposite Alicia Vikander; and as Jim Farrell in Brooklyn, opposite Saoirse Ronan. Alicia and Saoirse both have Oscars, so Domhnall has worked with some of the industry’s best actors.
If that wasn’t impressive enough, he also played the role of Captain Andrew Henry in 2015’s The Revenant – the movie that earned Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar win. He was also in Star Wars movies The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker opposite Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac.
Aside from this, Domhnall was also in an episode of Black Mirror where he played the role of Ash. More recently, he is starring in Frank of Ireland, a TV series where he plays the role of Doofus. He is acting in the series alongside his brother, Brian.