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Harry Melling (actor)

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Harry Melling
Born
Harry Edward Melling

(1989-03-17) 17 March 1989 (age 35)
London, England
EducationHendon School
Mill Hill School
Alma materLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
OccupationActor
Years active2001–present
ParentJoanna Troughton
RelativesPatrick Troughton (grandfather)
David Troughton (uncle)
Michael Troughton (uncle)
Jim Troughton (cousin)
Sam Troughton (cousin)

Harry Edward Melling (born 17 March 1989)[1] is an English actor, best known for playing Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films.

Early life

Melling attended Hendon School and then Mill Hill School. He was a member of the National Youth Theatre. He trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and starred in productions such as The Provoked Wife, King John, Antigone, Plenty and Sisterhood.

Career

Melling appeared in five of the Harry Potter films as Harry Potter's bullying and spoiled cousin Dudley Dursley. In 2009, Melling made his stage debut in a revival of Mother Courage and her Children at the Royal National Theatre. He appeared in an episode of the BBC series Merlin entitled "The Sorcerer's Shadow", playing a young warlock named Gilli who intends to use magic to help him win Camelot's legendary tournament. Melling also played Robert Brown in the BBC series Just William.

In October 2009, it was announced that Melling had lost so much weight since his last appearance in Harry Potter that he was now "unrecognisable". His role as Dudley Dursley was almost recast for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, but Melling reprised the role by wearing a fat suit. He commented positively about the change: "I can now shed the child actor thing, like the fat, and start a new career, because no one sees me as Dudley."[2]

Personal life

Melling comes from an athletic and theatrical family: he is the grandson of Patrick Troughton (through his daughter Joanna), best known as the Second Doctor in the science fiction series Doctor Who, thus nephew of distinguished siblings David Troughton and Michael Troughton, and the first cousin of cricketer Jim Troughton and actor Sam Troughton.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role
2001 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Dudley Dursley
2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Dudley Dursley
2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Dudley Dursley
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Dudley Dursley
2010 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Dudley Dursley

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2005 Friends and Crocodiles Young Oliver
2010 Merlin Gilli Episode: "The Sorcerer's Shadow"
2010 Just William Robert
2011 Garrow's Law George Pinnock Series 3

Stage

Year Title Role Venue
2009 Mother Courage and her Children Swiss Cheese Royal National Theatre
2010 Bedroom, Dens and Other Forms of Magic Theatre 503
2010 Women Beware Women Young Ward Royal National Theatre
2011 The School for Scandal Sir Benjamin Backbite Barbican Centre
2011 When Did You Last See My Mother? Ian Trafalgar Studios
2012 I Am a Camera Christopher Isherwood Southwark Playhouse
2013 Smack Family Robinson Sean Robinson Rose Theatre, Kingston
2013 The Hothouse Lamb Trafalgar Studios
2013 King Lear Fool Minerva Theatre, Chichester
2014 King Lear Fool Brooklyn Academy of Music
2014 Peddling Boy HighTide Festival/59E59
2014 The Angry Brigade Morris/Commander/Prophet/Snitch/Manager/Jim Theatre Royal, Plymouth / Oxford Playhouse / Warwick Arts Centre / Watford Palace Theatre
2016 Hand To God (play) Jason / Tyrone Vaudeville Theatre, London

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Dudley Dursley Voice

References

  1. ^ "Harry Melling shares his thoughts with MuggleNet on the black comedy "Smack Family Robinson" in an exclusive interview".
  2. ^ Jardine, Cassandra. "Harry Potter star: My life after Dudley Dursley". The Telegraph. 6 October 2009