The Phelps twins still get recognised for their roles in Harry Potter

The last Harry Potter movie was released more than 10 years ago, but British actors James and Oliver Phelps still get recognised on the street for playing the Weasley twins.

The 38-year-old identical twins, who arrived in Singapore on Nov 17, were recognised at a hawker centre that evening.

Oliver, who is 13 minutes older than James, said: “Getting recognised is so surreal. But it is so cool when fans have this connection with our characters.”

The two are happy to entertain requests for photos and chats. Oliver told The Straits Times on Nov 18: “We have been to Singapore a number of times, and imagined in our younger days how we also looked up to others and went up to speak to them. We would like to give fans the same experience.

“It’s not that hard for us to say ‘Hi’ and ‘Lovely to meet you’.”

The duo were in town to promote the Harry Potter: Visions Of Magic interactive art experience, which opens at Resorts World Sentosa on Nov 22.

They also promoted the experience when it opened in Cologne, Germany, in 2023, and Brussels, Belgium, in July. The Singapore version is twice the size of those in Europe, they noted.

Oliver said: “It blows my mind how big this is. It is more immersive than when we were filming the movies. Here, you cast a spell and things light up, walls move, fireplaces come alive.”

James, whose favourite room is the Chamber Of Secrets, added: “We never filmed in that room, so to go and check it out was really cool. The door to enter is so well done.”

The England-based actors feel lucky to be associated with Harry Potter, as it has taken them around the world.

James said: “We know anything which involves Harry Potter is going to be the best – the movies, theme parks and experiences.”

Among their latest projects is hosting the reality television series Harry Potter: Wizards Of Baking (2024). On it, professional bakers compete to create spellbinding edible showpieces on the sets of the Harry Potter films.

James was initially surprised at the concept of a Harry Potter-themed baking show. He recalled: “For one contestant in the first episode, popcorn reminded him of watching the first movie. So, he incorporated popcorn into his dish and it got people talking.”

Might their association with the brand be a double-edged sword for the actors?

James said: “Perhaps it is like a sword with a blunt edge and a sharp one. People forget that acting is a hard gig and there are many actors who are not acting all the time. We are lucky Harry Potter has opened up different avenues for us.”

Another plus is getting to travel the world with his sibling, he added.

While years have passed since the release of the original eight films from 2001 to 2011, the fervour for Harry Potter remains. There are spin-offs such as the Fantastic Beasts film series (2016 to 2022) and the hit play Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, which has been running since 2016.

A Harry Potter television series is reportedly in the works and set for a 2026 premiere. Asked about these new projects, James said: “Harry Potter is a timeless story and can be made for any generation. I think people secretly like to think there is a wizarding world and how cool it would be.”

Oliver, who has two daughters, has never shown them the films. When his seven-year-old visited the studios of Harry Potter: Wizards Of Baking, she was more excited about the baking than the film sets, he said.

Even when he pointed to a photo of himself and James from the Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (2005) movie, she did not know it was him.

“But my kids will definitely get into it when they are a little bit older. Her friends at school are already massive Harry Potter fans and have Harry Potter birthday parties. It just shows the creativity of the writing and films, that it can appeal to a whole new generation,” Oliver added.

Harry Potter: Visions Of Magic

Where: Forum, Level B1 Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway
When: Nov 22 to March 31, 2025, 11am to 10pm daily
Admission: $39 for kids aged four to 12 and $49 for adults (from age 13) from harrypottervisionsofmagic.com/sg and Ticketmaster

This article was originally published in The Straits Times.