Perhaps the most popular franchise in Hollywood history, save for maybe Star Wars, the Harry Potter books and movies have captured the imaginations of both children and adults alike.
Spawning toys, clothing, and even a theme park, the magical story of a young boy who faced his greatest nightmare and lived to tell the tale featured a cast chock full of talented, well-adjusted child stars alongside bona fide British acting royalty.
Beginning as adorable ragamuffin child stars, actors such as Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, and Bonnie Wright have grown into talented young performers, and in some cases, fearless activists.
The adult Harry Potter cast was largely made up of seasoned British actors who had won respect and acclaim through their decades in the craft. Many, such as the adorable Maggie Smith and Robbie Coltrane, have continued to churn out notable work through the years.
From the scene-stealing Luke Youngblood as Lee Jordan to the heartbreaking James and Oliver Phelps as Fred and George Weasley, here is What The Cast Of Harry Potter Looked Like In The First Movie Vs Now.
Bonnie Wright
Little Ginny Weasley was a steady presence in all eight of the Harry Potter movies.
Only 10 years old when she made her first appearance in The Philosopher's Stone, the precocious redhead grew up to become a formidable wizard, especially with her punch-packing Bat-Bogey Hexes, and Harry's true love and partner in bad baby names. The smallest Weasley was a tremendous talent, becoming a successful editor and Quidditch player.
Ginny actress Bonnie Wright has co-starred in several emotional thought pieces since her Harry Potter days, including Before I Sleep and After the Dark, which saw a class of seniors attempting to decide who would be worthy of surviving the end of the world.
Wright stars in two upcoming projects currently in post-production, Those Who Wander, a road trip movie that will dive into the complex relationships between its characters, and A Christmas Carol, in which the 27-year-old actress will play Nell.
Luke Youngblood
Luke Youngblood may not have appeared in very many Harry Potter films, he only showed up in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
However, the young actor made a long-lasting impression on the fans with his character, Lee Jordan's, fast-talking, enthusiastic commentary of Hogwarts' high-flying Quidditch matches. The then-15-year-old Youngblood's performance was almost more entertaining than the sport itself.
Youngblood has continued to be a steady presence in the industry, putting in appearances in Community and Galavant.
His latest gig as an assistant to a single father/mortician on The CW's Playing Dead could very well be poised to catapult the 32-year-old actor into superstardom, thanks to the network's unstoppable slate of teen and young adult content.
Devon Murray
Seamus Finnigan was the son of an accomplished witch, but it must have been his Muggle father's genes that caused all his fire-based spells to constantly backfire.
Seamus was always shown exploding things right into his own face. Those pyrotechnic skills paid off in the long run, as he was later tasked with blowing up the Wooden Bridge during the Battle of Hogwarts.
30-year-old Devon Murray has only 14 acting credits to his name, and eight of them are Harry Potter films, along with a ninth credit in the form of voice work for the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II video game.
So, it's not an exaggeration to say that he owes his entire acting career to JK Rowling and his time in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry starting at just 13 years old, despite the many slapsticky mishaps he experienced while enrolled in the prestigious institution.
Emma Watson
Insufferable and quite a bit of a know-it-all, Hermione Granger had the smarts to back up her sometimes condescending attitude. Along with being a total bookworm and Straight A student, Hermione had a hidden heart of gold and warrior's spirit hiding inside.
As one of the youngest in the Harry Potter fold, Emma Watson was 11 years old when she took on the role of Hermione.
Now 27, she has constantly proven herself worthy of her character's grit and perseverance. Like Hermione's fight for the better treatment of House Elves, Watson has become a noteworthy activist, becoming a UN Women Goodwill ambassador and spearheading the HeForShe campaign for women's rights.
Aside from all eight Harry Potter movies, Watson has been seen in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and This is the End and recently starred as Belle Disney's live-action Beuty and the Beast.
Matthew Lewis
Shy and clumsy, Neville Longbottom started out afraid of his own potential, requesting the Sorting Hat place him in Hufflepuff but ultimately being denied as the hat saw too much greatness and bravery in him.
The Sorting Hat was right, Neville grew to become one of the most important figures in the Battle of Hogwarts, destroying the last Horcrux in the fight against Voldemort.
Just like his onscreen counterpart, a lot has changed for actor Matthew Lewis between the ages of 12 and 29. He got hot, for starters.
Countless listicles and articles have pointed out Lewis' rugged good looks in comparison to the big-eared, kinda buck-toothed kid he used to be. The internet went crazy recently after Lewis appeared shirtless in the UK TV show Girlfriends, as seen in the photo above.
Rupert Grint
The sixth in a long line of brothers (with a seventh sibling in sister Ginny) Ron Weasley was goofy, awkward, nervous, and loyal.
Often overlooked by his more successful older brothers, and later by his standout friends, Ron eventually caught the eye of his best friend Hermione, who he would go on to marry despite a short love triangle with Harry.
With a family almost as large as Ron's, actor Rupert Grint was the oldest of five at 13 years old when he took on the role of the adorably outspoken redhead.
Now 29 years old, Grint has established a strong foothold in the world of TV comedy with Sick Note and Snatch. And he can next be found in the upcoming Instruments of Darkness.
Harry Melling
Dudley Dursley was an absolute jerk. Appearing in five of the eight Harry Potter movies, Harry's spoiled cousin was constantly harassing poor Harry and ruining even the smallest of the boy in the cupboard's peaceful moments with his selfishness and never-ending tantrums.
However, honestly, that's just due to the child actor's skillful portrayal of the entitled character. Many interviews featuring the child actor who portrayed Dudley have proven him to be quite shy and sweet, a huge departure from his onscreen counterpart.
Only 12 years old when he first took on the role of Dudley, actor Harry Melling has gone on to film multiple short movies and has co-starred in several TV shows including Just William and Garrow's Law.
The 29-year-old actor can be seen next in the mini-series The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and Trautmann, both currently in post-production.
Robbie Coltrane
One of the most beloved characters in the entire Harry Potter franchise, the gentle giant Hagrid was a source of sweetness and understanding throughout the movies.
The man who rescued Harry from his life of boredom under the stairs was a constant guide and confidant for the youth of Hogwarts, making him a fan favorite from the very beginning.
Despite being 51 years old when The Philosopher's Stone released, Hagrid actor Robbie Coltrane showed no signs of slowing down. He was frequently filming short movies and performing voice-over work between Harry Potter movies.
Coltrane was also featured in two different mini-series in his downtime, including Murderland and National Treasure. The soon-to-be 67-year-old actor has also worked as a director, producer, and writer in several of his the short films he starred in.
Richard Harris
Gentle and wise, Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore's heart and brain were as big as his mouthful of a name.
A constant source of much-needed advice and support, Professor Dumbledore became such an important role model in Harry's life that he named his second child, Albus Severus Potter, after him and his former Potions teacher, Severus Snape.
Richard Harris only appeared as Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films and was replaced by Michael Gambon in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban following his death in 2002 at the age of 72.
Harris didn't have many acting credits after his appearance of Dumbledore, his death was a shock to his castmates, but he had previously starred in many famous projects such as Gladiator and Unforgiven.
Maggie Smith
The brainy, strict (but a softy at heart), brave to the bitter end Professor Minerva McGonagall was a source of great intimidation for the students of Hogwarts, but they were all compelled to look up to her nonetheless.
Perfectly suited to both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, McGonagall's fierceness and impressive wisdom made her a valuable asset in the Battle of Hogwarts.
At 83 years old, McGonagall actress Maggie Smith shows no signs of slowing down.
As a childhood staple of multiple generations thanks to her work as Granny Wendy in Hook and Mrs. Medlock in The Secret Garden, along with all but one of the Harry Potter movies, Smith will bring her grandmotherly voice to a new set of young moviegoers March 23 as Lady Blueberry in Sherlock Gnomes.
Gary Oldman
The one and only Gryffindor in a family full of Slytherins, it was Sirius Black who taught Harry Potter fans that a person's deeds reveal who they truly were inside.
Able to transform into a large, black dog, Snuffles was a loyal friend to Harry's father, James Potter, leading him to become Harry's godfather. In another first, Sirius became the only known person to escape from Azkaban after 12 years of being imprisoned there.
Sirius actor Gary Oldman did not appear in the Harry Potter films until the third installment, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and appearing twice more in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, but he immediately became a beloved character to the audience.
Oldman has also had prominent roles in iconic franchises like Christopher Nolan's Batman movies and the rebooted Planet of the Apes series.
Alfred Enoch
Poor Dean Thomas had a rather rough life. His father was murdered by Death Eaters, he was pursued by hugely discriminatory Muggle-Born Registration Commission and forced to miss his seventh year of schooling, and he fought in the deadly Battle of Hogwarts (and thankfully survived)
. He may not have been a starring character, but Dean went through about seven Heroe's Journeys in his young life.
13 years old at the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and appearing in all the films save for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Dean Thomas actor Alfred Enoch (formerly credited as Alfie) has made quite a name for himself.
Now 30 years old, Enoch has won prominent roles in well-known television series such as How to Get Away with Murder and Troy: Fall of a City.
Tom Felton
Draco Malfoy's smug face and condescending attitude made him a super unpopular character amongst Harry Potter fans, but that's really just a testament to the tremendous acting talent of Tom Felton, who was only 14 years old when The Philosopher's Stone premiered.
Felton continued to cash in on his ability to create characters that audiences loved to hate. He played the obnoxiously cruel Dodge Landon who was murdered by the super smart gorillas during an attempted torture session in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Recently guest starred on The CW's The Flash as the socially awkward, painfully blunt lab assistant Julian Albert. Fans of Julian were surprised to learn Felton would not be returning for season 4, as the character had grown from unwelcome presence to an awkward but important member of Team Flash.
The 31-year-old actor can next be seen in Whaling, currently in post-production.
James and Oliver Phelps
Best friends Fred and George Weasley were charming scene-stealers whose carefree childhoods and tragic endings tugged at the heartstrings of their devoted fans.
The twin brothers were quite mischievous, but put their prankster ways to good use, opening a gag gift and joke shop at an early age. Sadly, Fred was killed in the final battle at Hogwarts, causing George to name a son after him.
Fifteen years old at the time The Philosopher's Stone was released, Fred and George actors James and Oliver Phelps are also twins. However, unlike their characters, George was played by Oliver, who is actually 13 minutes older than James, who played the younger Fred.
Now 32 years old, the brothers have gone their separate ways several times on movies, but can be seen together in the TV movie Danny and the Human Zoo and the upcoming film Own Worst Enemy.
Daniel Radcliffe
The Boy Who Lived, the one destined to face off against He Who Shall Not Be Named, the titular hero. Harry Potter was a legend before he was even old enough to drive (though he still took that joyride with Ron in the Weasley family's flying car).
He was under immense pressure to live up to his name, and despite a rough start thanks to jealous classmates and overly strict Potions professor, Harry quickly proved himself to be an adept wizard and a good friend.
Daniel Radcliffe has grown a lot between the ages of 12 and 28. He's been careful to choose well-written roles that break the child actor mold following his Harry Potter stint.
Radcliffe has made a name for himself as a truly talented actor by giving outstanding performances in risky roles in projects such as Equus, The Woman in Black, and Swiss Army Man.
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What do you think? What Harry Potter cast member do you miss most? Let us know in the comments!