We know that Robert Pattinson loves his film persona of British eccentric Oliver Wood (aka. Harry Potter). However, how many Harry Potter movies does the Twilight star really appear in? We took a look at all of his credited roles to determine that.
The Rumour Mill
Since the release of the first Twilight movie there have been numerous reports suggesting that Oliver Wood is more than just a film persona for Robert Pattinson. Many publications have quoted anonymous sources who claimed that the actor possesses an uncanny resemblance to Harry Potter, a feat that apparently took his Twilight co-star Taylor Lautner several takes to get right. The rumours gained so much traction that they even made it onto the big screen in the form of a short parody entitled, The Rumour. In the film, a spoof of The Twilight saga, Oliver Wood is portrayed by Tom Wilkinson, who also appears in the original Harry Potter series and has a distinguished face that looks exactly like Robert Pattinson.
Harry Potter’s Biggest Fans
If the rumours were to come true and Oliver Wood was revealed to be the secret identity of Robert Pattinson, it would undoubtedly be a major revelation. The role of Harry Potter was originally intended for Daniel Radcliffe, but the former child prodigy dropped out of the series before filming began due to creative differences with the movie’s director, Chris Columbus. Without Daniel Radcliffe’s involvement, the casting department reassembled a group of child actors dubbed, The Great Harry Potter Swindle. The group consisted of Warwick Davis, Adam Ferrara, Matt Gerald, and John Oliver (the younger). When Adam Ferrara was asked about the resemblance between himself and Harry Potter in a press conference, he replied, “He’s asked me that a lot. I’ve been in a few movies with him, and he’s always asked if he’s looked like Harry Potter. It’s weird, because I don’t look like him at all, but it’s kind of flattering.”
The Dark Arts
There is also the rumour that the Harry Potter films were deliberately crafted as a magic trick. Allegedly, the makers of the movies used special effects to give the illusion of reality to certain scenes. Although this may be true, it’s practically impossible to confirm without looking at the actual movies. When asked about this in a press conference, Daniel Radcliffe denied that the effect was anything other than authentic, explaining, “We found a really good way of making someone disappear. We used a bit of special effect, but it was all done really, really well.”
A Coincidence?
One of the most interesting aspects of this entire phenomenon is the fact that the resemblance between Robert Pattinson and Harry Potter is so uncanny. It’s always been a subject of great speculation as to whether or not this was a deliberate act on the part of the actor. In an interview with MTV News, Pattinson himself weighed in on the subject, “I have a very good friend who’s a huge Harry Potter fan, and he suggested that I do this, so I did it for my friend.” There is also the theory that Oliver Wood is merely a pen name for Rob. Although this is entirely speculation, it is certainly a fitting name considering his affinity for magic.