‘I Had To Put Blinders On’: Chris Columbus Reveals Key Focus During ‘Harry Potter’ Casting

As a fan who has grown up with the magic of Chris Columbus’ films, I can’t help but admire his wisdom and foresight when it comes to casting child actors. His approach is not just about finding the right kid for the role, but also ensuring they have a stable home environment to support their growth and well-being.


Chris Columbus, the director of Home Alone, has left an enduring impact through his exceptional film work that has become timeless classics. In a conversation with Demi Lovato, he discussed his approach to casting child actors for on-screen roles, and the secret lies in selecting the right parents.

In the documentary about Demi Lovato’s rise as a child star, Columbus openly shared his encounters with Macaulay Culkin following the success of Home Alone, experiences that played a role in securing his part in the subsequent significant role he landed, namely Harry Potter.

He recalled that Culkin garnered huge stardom from Home Alone, which was not expected. Columbus shared that it was nothing like Harry Potter, where one was aware of its probable success. He spoke about coming from a working-class family and having witnessed a couple of times when children suddenly become the breadwinner for their families.

Speaking about the process of casting for Harry Potter, the director shared an experience where he felt like he needed to wear blinders due to the persistent question people asked him everywhere – “Who will play Harry Potter, who will play Harry Potter?” Whether on the street, in a pub, or anywhere else, this question was constantly being asked.

He went on saying, “You pass that information along to the actor and their family: ‘This is going to be quite challenging.'” Columbus always made it a point to ensure child actors, such as those in his famous films like Radcliffe, understood what they were committing to when asked to sign for numerous movies simultaneously.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but share this profound revelation: He spoke about the remaining chapters of the child star’s life, which would forever be etched as their “legacy” – a burden we all learn to bear. The Guardian reports that earlier, he confessed his ignorance about Culkin’s turbulent upbringing, struggles he was silently enduring.

This encounter led him to select children for the movie who had stable homes as a priority. In the documentary, he explained to Lovato that it’s not appropriate to send an actor home to an unstable environment for the sake of the film; it’s not worth the risk. He considered choosing the parents just as crucial as selecting the kids for the roles.

Child Star Documentary is available to be streamed on Hulu.

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2024-09-19 08:23