The shaggy red hair will get this 18-year-old recognized for years to come, thanks to his wizard friend Harry Potter, who does battle against a guy we shouldn’t name. But Rupert Grint is shaking the role of Ron Weasley (just temporarily, I promise) to star in his first leading role. Grint’s new film, "Driving Lessons," which just opened in the area, features him as Ben, a quiet boy with an overbearing mother (Laura Linney). Die-hard Harry Potter fans also will recognize Grint’s co-star Julie Walters. She stars as Mrs. Weasley in the Potter films, but here she’s Evie, an out-of-work actress who hires Ben to assist her in her daily life, which includes driving.
A road trip ensues, which sends Ben on a trip to find out who he is and how he’ll deal with his mother, while Evie simply is a handful to keep track of. Jeremy Brock (writer of “Last King of Scotland”) is the first-time director who brought "Driving Lessons" to the screen.
Grint sat down with Bayer at the Ritz Carlton to talk about the new film, the Potter thing and how he wants Ron Weasley to finish up the films.
Bayer: I would assume your life is different from Ben’s (his character)? Grint: You sort of distance yourself from everything. I suppose I could relate to a few things, since we’re about the same age. Just the teenage awkwardness.
Bayer: Do you have your license? Grint: Yeah, I just got it last week.
Bayer: So, when filming, you didn’t have your license? Grint: No, I was only 16. In England, you can’t drive then. I drove on private roads and they had the car on a trailer. They’ve got all sorts of tricks to do stuff like that. It was good, though; I mean that car was crazy.
Bayer: In this cast, was there anyone who stood out from whom you learned? Grint: I think it was good that Julie Walters was in it. She’s really funny, and it was good having her there ‘cause I was a bit nervous, ‘cause this is my first thing outside [of the Harry Potter films]. It was nice having someone I knew.
Bayer: Do you feel like “Driving Lessons” is a chance to prove yourself? Grint: I don’t see it that way. It was just sort of something to do, really. I just wanted to do something different. I was doing the fourth one (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”) and that took about 11 months. It was really nice to do something much smaller as well. It only took six weeks and was just a really different way of working.
Bayer: Is there the worry that 40 years from now, you are going to be doing a convention as Ron Weasley? Grint: I suppose you do think about it, but there’s still a few of these films to go and I’d like to do them as well. I’m really enjoying them and we have a good time and we know what to do now. I’ll definitely do the next ones (“Order of the Phoenix” is almost done being filmed).
Bayer: Who helps you choose a role? Grint: It’s just my sense, really. I liked the script on [“Driving Lessons”]. I met Jeremy and he was really cool, and I found out Julie was going to be in it. It seemed like a really good thing to get involved in.
Bayer: Are you allowed to cut your hair? Grint: No. They pretty much own my hair.
Bayer: When you read the Harry Potter books, does Ron look like you? Grint: I don’t know. … Yeah, I do … it’s weird. Especially when you know you’re going to do the film, and you sort of think about what you’re going to do. It’s quite weird.
Bayer: Do you ever find yourself talking with Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) about the books? Like a little book club? Grint: No, we don’t really go into detail, don’t really need to. We’re doing it, all day, every day.
Bayer: Do you get into the idea of what is going to happen next in the series? Grint: Yeah, you do wonder, especially with the seventh one. There areca lot of rumors going around with that one … who’s going to die? Are Ron and Hermione going to get together? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Bayer: The word “brilliant” — I’ve heard you say it in the Harry Potter films and I heard you say it in “Driving Lessons.” Is it scripted or is that your improv? Grint: I’ve never really thought about it, but that’s good. It’s there usually; I’ve never felt the need to add it. It’s a good point, though; it has come up a lot.
Bayer: In the film “Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix,” quidditch will not be in it. As an actor, is that a good thing for you? Grint: I’ve never filmed them before. It is all on blue screen. I doubt it would be all that much fun, but it would have been quite good to fly around.
Bayer: At 18, what do you do for fun? Grint: I started golf; I started about two years ago. Some of my mates played, so I got into it. I like to draw.
Bayer: Do you see yourself acting the rest of your life? Grint: Yeah, I suppose. I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it. I’m going to just do the next Harry Potter films, see if I can do anything like “Driving Lessons” in between, and it is good fun. I do enjoy it.
Bayer: How do you hope the Harry Potter films end up? Grint: A death scene wouldn’t be that bad. I mean, it’s the last one … it doesn’t really matter. It’d be cool. It’s got to be really cool though.
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