| Harry Melling | |
|---|---|
| Born | Harry Edward Melling 13 March 1989 London, England, UK |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2001–present |
Harry Edward Melling (born 13 March 1989) is an English actor best known for playing Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films.
He is the grandson of Patrick Troughton, who starred as the Second Doctor in the science fiction series Doctor Who from 1966 to 1969. He is also the nephew of actors David Troughton and Michael Troughton and the first cousin of cricketer Jim Troughton and actor Sam Troughton.
Contents |
Melling attended Hendon School and then Mill Hill School. He trained at the Sue Nieto Theatre School in North-West London and is currently attending the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, where his productions include The Provoked Wife, King John, Antigone, Plenty and Sisterhood. He is a member of the National Youth Theatre.
Melling appeared in five of the Harry Potter films as Harry Potter's bullying and spoiled cousin Dudley Dursley.
In 2009 he made his stage debut as "Swiss Cheese" in a revival of Mother Courage and her Children at the National Theatre, alongside Fiona Shaw who played his mother Petunia Dursley in the Harry Potter films. He also appears in an episode of the BBC Series Merlin, "The Sorcerer's Shadow", where he played a young warlock named Gilli, who intends to use magic to help him win Camelot's legendary tournament. He now has a part as Robert Brown in the new BBC series Just William.
On 11 October 2009, it was announced that Melling had lost so much weight since his last appearance in Harry Potter that he was now "unrecognizable", and that his role as Dudley Dursley was almost recast for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. However, he indeed reprised the role by wearing a fat suit to depict the character's weight. Melling 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."[1]