Best and Worst Chemistry in the HP Series

[Richard_G.]

A friend of mine and I were having this discussion the other day, and I don't believe it's been discussed on these boards before - but here goes:

Chemistry is something that really can't be helped between two actors, either you have it or you don't. That being said: Which actors worked very well together, and which just...didn't?

I'm going to start with some of mine:

BEST:

Daniel Radcliffe and Gary Oldman. There was a natural spark of respect, admiration, and love between their Harry and Sirius that spoke volumes about their dynamic without saying a word.

WORST:

Daniel Radcliffe and Bonnie Wright. Nuff said.

[asdfasdf17]

Best: Dan and Emma! They pulled off the brotherly-sisterly friendship really well IMO
Worst: I agree with the Dan and Bonnie pairing

[snapes_witch]

Originally Posted by asdfasdf17

Worst: I agree with the Dan and Bonnie pairing

Unfortunately the writing did nothing to counter the lack of chemistry. Or perhaps it was so bad the writers just gave up--like giving the after-Quidditch kiss to Ron and Lav instead of Harry and Ginny as it was in the book.

[RikuStark]

The worst was definitely Bonnie and Daniel. I wish they had better chemistry, maybe I would like then more.

My favorite chemistry between two actors...I agree with Emma and Daniel or Gary and Daniel. I think the trio as a whole had very good chemistry.

[StarsAndShadows]

Originally Posted by RikuStark

The worst was definitely Bonnie and Daniel. I wish they had better chemistry, maybe I would like then more.

Totally agree!

My favorite chemistry between two actors...I agree with Emma and Daniel or Gary and Daniel. I think the trio as a whole had very good chemistry.

Yes to all of the above. The trio worked very well together.

I didn't think the chemistry was that good between Emma and Rupert either.

[ShadowSonic]

What about between Dan and Rupert? I thought their own chemistry was some of the series' best.

[Richard_G.]

While they didn't have nearly as many scenes together as they should've, I also nominate Mark Williams and Julie Walters. Best husband/wife chemistry in the series, a very believable couple imo.

[Goddess_Clio]

Best:
Dan and Gary - they sparkled with great fatherly/son chemistry and were totally believable

Mark Williams and Julie Walters - agree with Richard_Gambon here, they were a very believable parental unit

Julie Walters and anyone else, really - I thought Julie played well against the kids, being very motherly, as well as against the adults

Dan and Alan - Snape was a very under utilized character in the movies to me but there were some good moments between him and Dan.

Dan and Rupert - teetering on the edge of good and just okay. Sometimes they looked and felt like best friends, other times they looked like actors rehearsing their scenes.

Ralph Fiennes and Michael Gambon - they were awesome when they were up against each other, granted they were up against each other in a magical battle but they looked like believable opponents, they felt electric when they were against each other, they were great.

Dan and Ralph - pretty good.


Worst:

The Trio - sorry, I didn't think they had great chemistry when all three of them were together. They always looked like they were acting to me rather than making me believe that they were really friends. A lot of moments felt really forced but some were kind of okay. The trio teeters on the line between horrible and marginally acceptable to me.

Dan and Bonnie - no explanation needed.

Rupert and Emma - they didn't have romantic chemistry to me at all. Rupert had way more chemistry with the girl who played Lavendar than with Emma.

Dan and Michael Gambon

[Fury]

Daniel Radcliffe and Gary Oldman -- definitely one of the best in the movies. The fact that Daniel looks up to Gary anyway as an actor and mentor plays a big part in it too. Their scenes in OoTP were just beautiful.

Mark Williams and Julie Walters -- agree with this... the BTS of the wedding scene in Deathly Hallows Part 1 shows you exactly how well the two did well together. Definitely made their pairing believable.

Rupert and Emma -- I agree with the ones who say they worked well together. Because they did... they brought out Ron and Hermione's budding romance, from friendship to the sexual tension and obliviousness of the others' feelings for each other, all the way to them finally becoming a couple. Perfectly played out in all the movies.

Dan and Emma -- other than say... the dance (blah!), they did very well working together. That "Is this how you feel watching Ginny and Dean" scene in HBP cemented this... best reason for it. Also the whole last part of POA with them going back in time was also well played out.


Worst:
As much as I love Harry/Ginny pairing -- Dan and Bonnie did not do it much justice at all. Though I will blame this a lot on the scripts too.

[Verena]

Originally Posted by Goddess_Clio

Worst:

The Trio - sorry, I didn't think they had great chemistry when all three of them were together. They always looked like they were acting to me rather than making me believe that they were really friends. A lot of moments felt really forced but some were kind of okay. The trio teeters on the line between horrible and marginally acceptable to me.

Dan and Bonnie - no explanation needed.

I agree. Especially in the most dramatic scenes where they should demonstrate as they care about each other they show the utter lack of interest instead. In those moments it’s clear that they are Dan, Rupert and Emma and not Harry, Ron and Hermione.

And, obviously, I agree also about Dan and Bonnie.

[StarsAndShadows]

IMO the Trio's chemistry was better in the first movies, when they were kids, than later on. It wasn't as good later on, but I can't agree with the "they were terrible, just acting" opinion. I agree that Dan and Emma in PoA, especially the going back in time part, were pretty good.

Rupert and Emma without Harry: I see good chemistry between them as friends, but I couldn't feel any romantic attraction at all. Maybe it's just me, but I thought the pairing with Krum (I forget the actor's name) was more believable.

Dan and Gary, Mark and Julie: Yes, spot on!

Dan and Bonnie: a disaster. Dan and Katie Leung were better.

[Richard_G.]

Perhaps this goes without saying, but the Phelps twins. And include Rupert, the three were quite convincing as real siblings, especially in OoTP.

Also, Robert Hardy and Michael Gambon. The tension between Fudge and Dumbledore was mighty and I loved it.

[StarsAndShadows]

Originally Posted by Richard_Gambon

Perhaps this goes without saying, but the Phelps twins. And include Rupert, the three were quite convincing as real siblings, especially in OoTP.

You're right, it's so obvious that I didn't think of the twins. I agree about Rupert and the Phelps brothers.

Also, Robert Hardy and Michael Gambon. The tension between Fudge and Dumbledore was mighty and I loved it.

I'm afraid I missed that. Didn't pay too much attention to fudge.

[Lillielle]

Well...on worst, I have to agree with Dan and Bonnie. I wasn't keen on their pairing anyway, but they just don't really have chemistry together at all. And I feel the same about Emma and Rupert, although I think they had the friendship part down better, but not the romantic chemistry.

On best...Emma and Dan were pretty amazing sometimes, they were wonderful as friends, and I loved some of the scenes in PoA, especially the time travel. Also loved Dan and Alan playing off each other, I thought it was brilliant.

[Goddess_Clio]

Originally Posted by StarsAndShadows

IMO the Trio's chemistry was better in the first movies, when they were kids, than later on. It wasn't as good later on

I'll agree with this. The early movies were actually okay in terms of chemistry between the trio but it started to take a nose dive after POA for me. 95% of the good chemistry examples I can think of with the trio come from the first three movies. The problem is that after POA there were still five movies...

[ShadowSonic]

I the problems after POA were that they started altering the characters themselves by giving Hermione Ron's better moments and lines, downplaying her moments of weakness, etc. They tried to turn Ron into the 5th Wheel in favor of a Harry/Hermione duo.

[darklordspal]

Originally Posted by ShadowSonic

I the problems after POA were that they started altering the characters themselves by giving Hermione Ron's better moments and lines, downplaying her moments of weakness, etc. They tried to turn Ron into the 5th Wheel in favor of a Harry/Hermione duo.

I agree with this.

Some of the awkwardness btw Hermione and Ron was b\c of their latent romantic feelings between the characters. I found them very believable as a couple from the the first movie (which is part of the reason I started reading HP in the first place).

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Harry and Lupin in POA. I thought it was really the only good part of the movie.

And Harry and Ginny was just pretty bad .

[Fawkesfan1]

Originally Posted by Goddess_Clio

Best:
Dan and Gary - they sparkled with great fatherly/son chemistry and were totally believable

Mark Williams and Julie Walters - agree with Richard_Gambon here, they were a very believable parental unit

Julie Walters and anyone else, really - I thought Julie played well against the kids, being very motherly, as well as against the adults

Dan and Alan - Snape was a very under utilized character in the movies to me but there were some good moments between him and Dan.

Dan and Rupert - teetering on the edge of good and just okay. Sometimes they looked and felt like best friends, other times they looked like actors rehearsing their scenes.

Ralph Fiennes and Michael Gambon - they were awesome when they were up against each other, granted they were up against each other in a magical battle but they looked like believable opponents, they felt electric when they were against each other, they were great.

Dan and Ralph - pretty good.


Worst:

The Trio - sorry, I didn't think they had great chemistry when all three of them were together. They always looked like they were acting to me rather than making me believe that they were really friends. A lot of moments felt really forced but some were kind of okay. The trio teeters on the line between horrible and marginally acceptable to me.

Dan and Bonnie - no explanation needed.

Rupert and Emma - they didn't have romantic chemistry to me at all. Rupert had way more chemistry with the girl who played Lavendar than with Emma.

Dan and Michael Gambon

on the bolded. Dan and Alan's scenes together pretty much give me chills every time. Alan did such a wonderful job as Snape from the first film to the last. He seemed to give it everything he got.

about Dan and Michael Gambon... I thought they did an ok job together. Why did you think that they didn't have that much chemistry together?


Best:

Richard Harris and Dan: Their scenes together shined. Loved how Richard brought his sense of humor and fun to the role.

Dan and Alan Rickman: The both of them really played off of each other well. The animosity showed through, and at the end, Harry's sadness for what Snape went through showed too.

Robbie Coltrane, Dan, Emma and Rupert: His scenes with the younger actors in the films really stand out to me. He played the role of Hagrid really well. So much so, that that's how I picture the character in my mind as I read the series.

Maggie Smith and Richard Harris/Maggie Smith and Michael Gambon: She played the role of Professor Mcgonagall really well with both of the actors. Didn't notice any real change in terms of the chemistry there.

Maggie Smith and Dan: Really loved the interactions between Dan and her throughout the series. They seemed to be pretty believable.

Dan and Tom Felton: These two really played well off one another. Could really sense and feel the dislike that their characters had for one another.

James and Oliver Phelps: They really brought Fred and George to life. Hands down. Loved every minute that those two were on screen together .

Dan and Gary Oldman: Loved all of the scenes that they were in together. He brought a believability to the role of Sirius.

Dan and David Thewlis: Really loved their interactions together. David did a wonderful job as Lupin.



Worst:

David Tennant with Michael Gambon, and others: Thought that the interaction during the scene where he was arrested in GOF (iirc) seemed way over the top . It was rather soap opera like.

[Goddess_Clio]

Originally Posted by darklordspal

Some of the awkwardness btw Hermione and Ron was b\c of their latent romantic feelings between the characters. I found them very believable as a couple from the the first movie (which is part of the reason I started reading HP in the first place).

I came to the books after seeing POA the movie where I felt like Rupert and Emma had enough chemistry to make their crushes on each other believable and Dan and Emma had enough chemistry (and mood lighting) that I, not knowing better at the time, thought they were going to smooch when they were waiting on the edge of the forest for themselves to reappear at the Whomping Willow during the time traveling sequence.

Originally Posted by Fawkesfan1

about Dan and Michael Gambon... I thought they did an ok job together. Why did you think that they didn't have that much chemistry together?

They just seemed very flat when they were acting opposite each other to me, like Michael was speaking to Dan and Dan was just waiting to recite back his lines. It's a very intangible thing and all I can do to really explain it is to say that when Dan was against Alan or against Gary or against Ralph his acting seemed to improve because he was opposite someone who he either greatly respected or was giving it 100,000% in their delivery and he had to match their performance. I guess I just don't think he gave the same gusto to his performances against Michael. Again, it's hard to describe...

[Warlock27]

Chemistry is in the eye of the beholder, and should not influence or dictate how the story is told. I dread to think what the film makers would have done had they had more liberty with the characters.

Mark Williams and Julie Walters for best.