Fred and George Weasley actors James and Oliver Phelps have revealed who they would have liked to have played in the Harry Potter films – and which comedy legend could have appeared in the series.
The twins shared behind the scenes secrets from the famous film series on celebrity video platform Cameo, to celebrate World Book Day on March 3, 2022.
Before the hugely successful book series became films, both James and Oliver Phelps were fans of the novels – and one in particular holds fond memories.
In an exclusive video for Harry Potter fans, Fred actor James Phelps explained that his favourite book from the series is Prisoner of Azkaban, as he was reading the third book while auditioning for the films in the Summer of 2000.
He said: "It actually always takes me back so you know the smell that books have? Books have this amazing unique smell right? That smell always takes me back to The Prisoner of Azkaban, no matter what book it is I'm reading.
"That will always take me back to that specific book and that specific summer, when let's face it, my life changed forever.
"And the story is awesome obviously."
Meanwhile, George actor Oliver Phelps said it was difficult to choose a favourite as they were all "fantastic".
However, he explained: "Goblet of Fire was always a really, really good one to read – mainly because when it came out you saw the size of thing and you were like, that's going to take a while to read, but just flying through because it was such an immersive read."
After landing the roles of Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter films, James and Oliver rose to fame across the world as the lovable duo.
However, James has revealed that there is another character from the book that he would have loved to have played, but sadly the character did not make the cut – Peeves the Ghost – saying: "That’s the one character I wish could have been in the movies because he was so awesome in the books."
James chuckled: "I was going to say Hedwig, but Hedwig is kind of an owl so that wouldn't work."
He also revealed that a huge comedy legend was originally in the running to play Peeves, adding: "I know that Rik Mayall was originally down to play him and I was a huge fan of his and all of his comedy so that would have been awesome to have been able to do that."
Despite not playing Peeves, James and Oliver are irreplaceable as the Weasley Twins, delighting fans were their onscreen antics including disrupting OWLs exams and setting up their own shop in Diagon Alley.
Sadly like many fans across the world though, readers and viewers were devastated when Fred Weasley was killed during the Battle of Hogwarts in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows.
Yet in the World Book Day video, James reveals that if the ending could have been re-written, his ending would be "Fred and Peeves save the day, because lets face it, it's not great what happens to Fred in the end, and it would have made sure Peeves was in the film."
But what of George Weasley? Where would he be now years after the Battle Of Hogwarts has ended? Oliver Phelps has given fans an insight.
Oliver revealed that if the story was to continue, he thinks the Weasley family retail empire would continue to grow, saying: "Seeing as George was such an entrepreneur along with Fred in the world of retail, I wouldn't have been surprised if he kept on with it and maybe grown the store to other locations as well, with their unique stuff that they were able to sell.
"They’d be able to branch out as it will obviously be more people than just the wizarding community in the UK that would want such things!"
Despite it being almost 10 years since the last film in the series, the twins signed off their videos in a signature Fred and George way, with James Phelps saying: "Happy World Book Day, I hope you have a great time reading whatever it is that you are reading.
"And always solemnly swear to get up to no good."
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