The Great Hall in the Harry Potter movies always looked magical, but apparently, the reality on set was quite different, according to some of the actors who filmed there.
James and Oliver Phelps, famous for playing Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter films, recently revisited the original movie set after more than 20 years. They were surprised to find it had a really strong, unpleasant smell. Now, the brothers host Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking on the Food Network, and they agree the show’s kitchen smells much better than the old film set!
Oliver recently told People magazine that filming during hot summer days often smelled like dirty socks due to the mix of scents from the large cast and crew. He explained that despite how stunning the scenes looked and how good the food in the Great Hall appeared, it was mostly created with movie magic. He still catches a whiff of those smells even when watching the scenes today.
Filming scenes in the Great Hall, packed with extras, was always interesting because of all the different smells. Even when I watch those scenes now, I can still distinctly smell things like roasting vegetables or oil – and honestly, it wasn’t a very pleasant aroma.
They stocked up on turkeys for all the holiday meals and celebrations. But honestly, what I mostly remember from those years is the smell of smelly socks! It’s funny, even now, the Great Hall still feels special, though thankfully it smells much nicer these days.
Okay, let me tell you, the sets weren’t exactly pleasant – a bit smelly, to be honest! But despite that, both twins genuinely loved their time filming. Sure, a few scenes stirred up some unpleasant memories, but surprisingly, most of them brought back the good times. What really struck me when talking to James was how vividly he remembers everything from behind the scenes, even after 25 years! It’s amazing how those experiences stick with you.
Like anyone who appears in a film – whether it’s a small independent project or a blockbuster like Harry Potter – watching it back brings back memories of what it was like making the movie. It’s a special feeling to recall details from 25 years ago just by watching a film you were in.
Oliver remembered filming a scene with the late Maggie Smith, who famously played Professor McGonagall. He shared that they had both just come from a music festival and were trying to appear calm and collected.
I recall one scene from the fourth movie being filmed in Oxford – a dance lesson taught by Professor McGonagall, played by Maggie Smith. It was summer, and we’d come straight from a music festival the day before, so trying to look presentable was a challenge! But those moments stick with you – the atmosphere, the people around you, even the way things smelled. I can still vividly remember it all.
New episodes of Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking season 2 premiere on Saturdays at 8 PM Eastern and 5 PM Pacific time on Food Network.
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2025-11-29 03:18