As reported, numerous cast members from the Harry Potter films, including Michael Gambon, Warwick Davis, Robbie Coltrane, Helen McCrory, Bonnie Wright, James and Oliver Phelps, Freddie Stroma, Natalia Tena, David Thewlis, Evanna Lynch, and producers David Heyman and David Barron participated in a live panel discussion about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and their overall work in the series at the Apple Store in Soho. SnitchSeeker was at the event, and those keeping an eye on our Twitter, saw new photos and highlights from the discussion. The images can be found in our galleries.









During the session, the following was discussed:

• They discussed the technological advances throughout the series, especially in creating the seven Potters sequence for Deathly Hallows: Part I. James and Oliver admitted they weren't sure how it was going to work out, but were impressed.
• David Thewlis said that he played Lupin as gay because Alfonso Cuaron saw him that way, without JK Rowling's knowledge, but he was pleased to get his leading lady in Tonks (Natalia Tena, who sat next to him). He said he had to change his whole performance of Lupin after realising he had married Tonks in the books/movies.
• Their favourite scenes:
--- Michael Gambon loved the scenes of Dumbledore at the Great Hall's dais, giving his speeches and enjoying the power he got from it;
--- Heyman enjoyed the scene of the five boys making animal noises in the Gryffindor common room in Prisoner of Azkaban, and of Harry and Hermione dancing in Deathly Hallows: Part I;
--- Barron liked a scene early in Sorcerer's Stone, where Uncle Vernon pointed out that his best day of the week was Sundays because there was no post that day, much to the dismay of Harry;
--- Robbie Coltrane, because of his young daughter, loved the scene where Hagrid's beard caught fire in the first film given his child's direction;
--- Warwick Davis enjoyed the Goblet of Fire Yule Ball, and stage diving through the crowd, as well as the Tale of the Three Brothers animated sequence;
--- Helen McCrory was rather vague about a sequence from Deathly Hallows: Part II where everyone was present in a fiery Hogwarts scene, and a character brings out his heroism;
--- David Thewlis loved the comedic aspects, especially working with Mark Williams and Julie Walters, Aunt Marge's inflation in Prisoner of Azkaban, and getting to play a werewolf;
--- Natalia Tena loved the animation, the Sorting Hat in the first film, filming the green-screen flying sequences, and Lupin's Boggart in the wardrobe;
--- Bonnie Wright loved the Chamber of Secrets scene water scene, which defined her character, as well as the Deathly Hallows epilogue, at it was a cycle of a generation, and how the young girl who played her daughter Lily reminded her of herself, and the first scene she shot for Sorcerer's Stone ten years previous;
--- Oliver Phelps liked the fight between Fred and George in Goblet of Fire, while James loved shooting the Weasley joke shop and seeing the huge models of themselves outside the store;
--- Evanna Lynch liked the background aspect of Bill and Fleur's wedding, where people are dancing and chatting, and enjoyed the wizard wedding aspect of it, which she thought it was natural
--- Freddie Stroma enjoyed learning to thwart Quaffles for Quidditch training, and accidentally hitting a costume crew member in the back of the head.
• When asked what Hogwarts Houses you would be, Bonnie mentioned she went to a Sorting at a studio in Los Angeles, and was afraid to get sorted in front of a crowd in case it didn't choose her for Gryffindor, so she opted out of it. Oliver and James also were sorted via the same set in LA, where Oliver said the Hat called out 'Another Weasley, eh?' and sorted him in Gryffindor, while James found himself in Ravenclaw.
• Jo Rowling commented that the first set of wands created for the movies, back in Sorcerer's Stone were more ornate than she had imagined, so they went back and made them a lot simpler for the films.
• If the actors could portray another character: James jokingly said George; Bonnie said Hagrid; Warwick said Snape; Natalia, Evanna, and David Barron said Bellatrix; Thewlis said Luna Lovegood; Michael Gambon said Harry; Heyman said Lupin.


Apple will be releasing the video podcast for the panel discussion later today; we will have that as soon as it is online.

The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I Blu-ray and DVD sets, out on April 11, 2011 in the U.K. and April 15, 2011 in the U.S., can be pre-ordered on the WB Shop or Amazon at the links below. A list of international dates for the DVD's release can be found here.

US Deathly Hallows 1-disc DVD | US Deathly Hallows 1-disc Blu-ray | US Deathly Hallows 2-pack collector's set | US Deathly Hallows 2-disc DVD SE | US Deathly Hallows 3-disc Triple Play DVD/Blu-ray
UK Deathly Hallows 2-disc DVD | UK Deathly Hallows 3-disc Triple play DVD/Blu-ray | UK Deathly Hallows 3-disc Limited Edition Triple Play Steelbook