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GE Interviews Chris Rankin

E & G: You are a New Zealander. How does it feel to be back down under?

Chris: It’s great! It’s been 18 years since I left NZ. I was 6 when I left in 89 and I haven’t been back since.

E & G: Really not even for a holiday? Chris: It’s a long way to come from England for a holiday. So no, we are doing Auckland next weekend which will be pretty special This is special (Melbourne) This is getting closer and closer and so I am getting very excited. It’s going really well in Melbourne. I’m enjoying it.

E & G: Excellent! Are you going to get a chance to catch up with any family or friends?
Chris: Yes I am staying on after the Con for a couple of weeks and having a holiday catching up with friends and family

E & G: Do you feel like a New Zealander? Do you feel like you are from down here and that you are coming home?
Chris: I support the All Blacks! I have a Kiwi passport. So I’m official. So yes, if people ask, generally I say I’m a Kiwi. So yes I’m a Kiwi.

E & G: So you have to get the vowels right now?
Chris: I do. Next week I’ll be after “fish and chups”

E & G: So we’ll ask the First Harry Potter question. So how did you get involved in the role of Percy?
Chris: By accident, not accident, luck I guess. There was something on the news on TV saying they were auditioning for Harry Potter films and they wanted kids that hadn’t been to stage school they just wanted ordinary every day school kids to come to an open audition for it. So yeah I’ll do that why not I loved the books. I’d read all the books up that point of the audition. Absolutely loved them so I thought I’ll go along and I was in the right place in the line I guess Yes I don’t know maybe they didn’t have any ginger people there that day, but I’d like to think that I was very Percy like, myself. So yeah

E & G: You got the audition role just after one audition?
Chris: Yeh, no I auditioned in London one day then a casting director Janet Yagenska???? Said we’d like you to come back and the producer and director next week. I did that and then two days later she rang and said when you start next Monday. And there it was done. And that was seven years and three weeks ago. Yep August 2000, I auditioned.

E & G: You’ve grown up a lot since then, In more ways than one?
Chris: Yep, something I was sixteen. It’s all changed now, ha ha. I do this all for a living now you know. I’m a full time actor. It, um, yeah. A lot’s changed but lots hasn’t changed at the same time. It’s nice.

E & G: You did a lot of youth musical productions? Any of idea of continuing in that sort of line at all?
Chris: I keep in contact with the youth theatre I went to, I go and visit them every now and then I’ll go and see the shows if I am around or I’m in the area. Which I don’t think I am sadly this year. But you know ahhh I do a lot, I do with kids in the theatre and try and support the Arts Community. I think that’s important. I love it. I love doing, I love doing theatre I love doing musicals. So we’ll see. We’ll see what comes but, yeah hopefully, hopefully more like that would be good.

E & G: But, can you sing?
Chris: That’s a matter of opinion!

E & G: Have you got an album coming out? (laugh)
Chris: Shhhhh

E & G: Or is one planned?
Chris: No, no, no, no I haven’t, not this year. Not today.

E & G: You could be like Neighbours when you go on to do your own video clip.
Chris: Yes not yet. Who knows? I love singing, I do sing. I absolutely love it. So yeah, fingers crossed something will come and I’ll be able to sing in it or with it whatever be it a musical or branch and do an album who knows. That’d be fun. I’m up for a laugh.

E & G: If Kylie could do it, you could?
Chris: I don’t have the same bum as Kylie so I don’t think I’d get as far.

E & G: Earlier you said you were involved with this horror flick that’s just finished filming.
Chris: It’s just about to start filming, hopefully hmmm in, well we don’t really know when.
Manger: We can’t announce the film yet, can’t announce the title.

E & G: It’s filming in Italy?
Chris: Yes it’s filming in Italy. At some stage when everything is sorted. It looks to be very good. It’s intelligent it’s not knife wielding, blood gurgling type things. It’s um it’s much more kind of intelligent horror which it good.

E & G: And you are playing a fairly major role in it
Chris: Yeah pretty pretty major yeah. It’s a good character a really good character.

E & G: Is this an Amercian production?
Chris: Well I’ve got this through my agents in Britain. So I’ve got an agent in England an agent over here and I’ve got an agent in LA as well. So between them they find me work wherever it is. I guess you know. I can work here I’ve got the visas because I’m a kiwi it comes in handy. Yeah you know I go where the work it that’s part of the thrill you know. It means I can come down here, it’s great.

E & G: Do you want to continue in films or try a TV series?
Chris: I’d like to keep it kind of spread around. I’ve done TV, I’ve done film, and I’ve done theatre. It’s kind of keeping a nice mix of them all because Umm kind of keeps you on your toes if you. I did 8 months of theatre last year and as much as I love theatre after 8 months you kind of what to do something else.

E & G: Repeating those lines?
Chris: Yeah. Well exactly. I did a bit of TV now I want to do another film and I find in the middle of that I’m doing some more theatre. Bit of everything keeps the balance right. It keeps me sane really

E & G: Before you entered the Percy Weasley world did you really want to be an actor?
Chris: Yeah I’ve done a lot of amateur stuff and I’ve kind of yeah I guess that was what I wanted to do but I don’t think. I mean I, I kinna of intended to go to Drama College and work in McDonald’s for the rest of my life like most actors sadly, but I was lucky enough to bypass all that so, I, hey you know I was in the right place at the right time but yeah I did want to be an actor I just never really kind of imagined it would happen quite how it did I guess.

E & G: You mentioned two movies earlier on today what’s the other one.
Chris: The other one is also something I can’t really talk about.

E & G: There’s rumours on the net obviously as well
Chris: It’s all talk and stuff but hopefully

E & G: It’s set in a Cinema School in Europe.
Chris: Yes that’s the Italian one. Yeah, yeah. You know we’ve got a few ideas lined up to come and work down here some more. Fingers crossed something will come from that the ideas are being splashed around any way. So yeah!

E & G: So what does Chris Rankin do for down time? What do you enjoy doing just to chill out?
Chris: I enjoy hanging out with… and enjoy music. I love going to concerts and going to gigs and seeing live music and live performance.

E & G: Is there anyone you particularly like?
Chris: I love a bit of everything Aerosmith, the Beatles. I went to see Damien Rice two weeks ago, the day before I left for Australia. You know and that’s acoustic mellow stuff you know everything. We’re going to see Pricilla Queen of the Desert tonight.

E & G: And seeing you’re a New Zealand and English humour you’ll love the show.
Chris: I love the film, it’s one of my favourite films, so very excited about that. My taste is broad to say the least.

E & G: So when did you decide that this is what you wanted to do for a career?
Chris: When I started to working on Potter, I realised that I was now doing it as a career, and you know that was great, I was young and I was making money and making a film all my friends were either really happy or really jealous and then I kinda thought yeah actually you know I just don’t want to do Harry Potter, I want to, actually take myself seriously and do this properly. Which has been hard, for the first few years because Harry Potter takes 8 months basically 8 months to film, which does not leave you much time to do anything else! But now, over the last couple of films, Percy’s role has become, I mean he is still there, but he is not there as much has he has been in the first few. Which has given me a chance to basically, kinda, as I am only working on some of the time on Potter, It means that I can go out and do other stuff. Which is great, cus, it keeps the variety going and it also means that I am not getting typecast, which is every actor’s nightmare, you don’t want to end up playing a ginger’ high school prefect for the rest of your life. I mean as great as it is you want to keep it.

E & G: You want a challenge!
Chris: Yes, exactly we want to be challenged, and we can be very challenging sometimes! (laugh!).

E & G: And the last question, if weren’t going to be an actor what do you think that you would have ended up doing or pursuing?
Chris: It would have been something in the Arts, somewhere, probably, I don’t know I love, I have produced before, um I’ve done lighting design, I’ve stage design, something like that, something to do with theatre, definitely.

E & G: So, theatre is really where you like to be?
Chris: Yeah it’s there I can’t get rid of it. I’ll never get rid of it. Yeah, ha ha! School has a lot to blame.
E & G: Ok, that’s it thank you for that.



	Navigations Home Issues Subscriptions Interviews Photos WTSF Podcast Woman's Perogrative Conventions Links		GE Interviews Chris Rankin E & G: You are a New Zealander. How does it feel to be back down under? Chris: It’s great! It’s been 18 years since I left NZ. I was 6 when I left in 89 and I haven’t been back since. E & G: Really not even for a holiday? Chris: It’s a long way to come from England for a holiday. So no, we are doing Auckland next weekend which will be pretty special This is special (Melbourne) This is getting closer and closer and so I am getting very excited. It’s going really well in Melbourne. I’m enjoying it. E & G: Excellent! Are you going to get a chance to catch up with any family or friends? Chris: Yes I am staying on after the Con for a couple of weeks and having a holiday catching up with friends and family E & G: Do you feel like a New Zealander? Do you feel like you are from down here and that you are coming home? Chris: I support the All Blacks! I have a Kiwi passport. So I’m official. So yes, if people ask, generally I say I’m a Kiwi. So yes I’m a Kiwi. E & G: So you have to get the vowels right now? Chris: I do. Next week I’ll be after “fish and chups” E & G: So we’ll ask the First Harry Potter question. So how did you get involved in the role of Percy? Chris: By accident, not accident, luck I guess. There was something on the news on TV saying they were auditioning for Harry Potter films and they wanted kids that hadn’t been to stage school they just wanted ordinary every day school kids to come to an open audition for it. So yeah I’ll do that why not I loved the books. I’d read all the books up that point of the audition. Absolutely loved them so I thought I’ll go along and I was in the right place in the line I guess Yes I don’t know maybe they didn’t have any ginger people there that day, but I’d like to think that I was very Percy like, myself. So yeah E & G: You got the audition role just after one audition? Chris: Yeh, no I auditioned in London one day then a casting director Janet Yagenska???? Said we’d like you to come back and the producer and director next week. I did that and then two days later she rang and said when you start next Monday. And there it was done. And that was seven years and three weeks ago. Yep August 2000, I auditioned. E & G: You’ve grown up a lot since then, In more ways than one? Chris: Yep, something I was sixteen. It’s all changed now, ha ha. I do this all for a living now you know. I’m a full time actor. It, um, yeah. A lot’s changed but lots hasn’t changed at the same time. It’s nice. E & G: You did a lot of youth musical productions? Any of idea of continuing in that sort of line at all? Chris: I keep in contact with the youth theatre I went to, I go and visit them every now and then I’ll go and see the shows if I am around or I’m in the area. Which I don’t think I am sadly this year. But you know ahhh I do a lot, I do with kids in the theatre and try and support the Arts Community. I think that’s important. I love it. I love doing, I love doing theatre I love doing musicals. So we’ll see. We’ll see what comes but, yeah hopefully, hopefully more like that would be good. E & G: But, can you sing? Chris: That’s a matter of opinion! E & G: Have you got an album coming out? (laugh) Chris: Shhhhh E & G: Or is one planned? Chris: No, no, no, no I haven’t, not this year. Not today. E & G: You could be like Neighbours when you go on to do your own video clip. Chris: Yes not yet. Who knows? I love singing, I do sing. I absolutely love it. So yeah, fingers crossed something will come and I’ll be able to sing in it or with it whatever be it a musical or branch and do an album who knows. That’d be fun. I’m up for a laugh. E & G: If Kylie could do it, you could? Chris: I don’t have the same bum as Kylie so I don’t think I’d get as far. E & G: Earlier you said you were involved with this horror flick that’s just finished filming. Chris: It’s just about to start filming, hopefully hmmm in, well we don’t really know when. Manger: We can’t announce the film yet, can’t announce the title. E & G: It’s filming in Italy? Chris: Yes it’s filming in Italy. At some stage when everything is sorted. It looks to be very good. It’s intelligent it’s not knife wielding, blood gurgling type things. It’s um it’s much more kind of intelligent horror which it good. E & G: And you are playing a fairly major role in it Chris: Yeah pretty pretty major yeah. It’s a good character a really good character. E & G: Is this an Amercian production? Chris: Well I’ve got this through my agents in Britain. So I’ve got an agent in England an agent over here and I’ve got an agent in LA as well. So between them they find me work wherever it is. I guess you know. I can work here I’ve got the visas because I’m a kiwi it comes in handy. Yeah you know I go where the work it that’s part of the thrill you know. It means I can come down here, it’s great. E & G: Do you want to continue in films or try a TV series? Chris: I’d like to keep it kind of spread around. I’ve done TV, I’ve done film, and I’ve done theatre. It’s kind of keeping a nice mix of them all because Umm kind of keeps you on your toes if you. I did 8 months of theatre last year and as much as I love theatre after 8 months you kind of what to do something else. E & G: Repeating those lines? Chris: Yeah. Well exactly. I did a bit of TV now I want to do another film and I find in the middle of that I’m doing some more theatre. Bit of everything keeps the balance right. It keeps me sane really E & G: Before you entered the Percy Weasley world did you really want to be an actor? Chris: Yeah I’ve done a lot of amateur stuff and I’ve kind of yeah I guess that was what I wanted to do but I don’t think. I mean I, I kinna of intended to go to Drama College and work in McDonald’s for the rest of my life like most actors sadly, but I was lucky enough to bypass all that so, I, hey you know I was in the right place at the right time but yeah I did want to be an actor I just never really kind of imagined it would happen quite how it did I guess. E & G: You mentioned two movies earlier on today what’s the other one. Chris: The other one is also something I can’t really talk about. E & G: There’s rumours on the net obviously as well Chris: It’s all talk and stuff but hopefully E & G: It’s set in a Cinema School in Europe. Chris: Yes that’s the Italian one. Yeah, yeah. You know we’ve got a few ideas lined up to come and work down here some more. Fingers crossed something will come from that the ideas are being splashed around any way. So yeah! E & G: So what does Chris Rankin do for down time? What do you enjoy doing just to chill out? Chris: I enjoy hanging out with… and enjoy music. I love going to concerts and going to gigs and seeing live music and live performance. E & G: Is there anyone you particularly like? Chris: I love a bit of everything Aerosmith, the Beatles. I went to see Damien Rice two weeks ago, the day before I left for Australia. You know and that’s acoustic mellow stuff you know everything. We’re going to see Pricilla Queen of the Desert tonight. E & G: And seeing you’re a New Zealand and English humour you’ll love the show. Chris: I love the film, it’s one of my favourite films, so very excited about that. My taste is broad to say the least. E & G: So when did you decide that this is what you wanted to do for a career? Chris: When I started to working on Potter, I realised that I was now doing it as a career, and you know that was great, I was young and I was making money and making a film all my friends were either really happy or really jealous and then I kinda thought yeah actually you know I just don’t want to do Harry Potter, I want to, actually take myself seriously and do this properly. Which has been hard, for the first few years because Harry Potter takes 8 months basically 8 months to film, which does not leave you much time to do anything else! But now, over the last couple of films, Percy’s role has become, I mean he is still there, but he is not there as much has he has been in the first few. Which has given me a chance to basically, kinda, as I am only working on some of the time on Potter, It means that I can go out and do other stuff. Which is great, cus, it keeps the variety going and it also means that I am not getting typecast, which is every actor’s nightmare, you don’t want to end up playing a ginger’ high school prefect for the rest of your life. I mean as great as it is you want to keep it. E & G: You want a challenge! Chris: Yes, exactly we want to be challenged, and we can be very challenging sometimes! (laugh!). E & G: And the last question, if weren’t going to be an actor what do you think that you would have ended up doing or pursuing? Chris: It would have been something in the Arts, somewhere, probably, I don’t know I love, I have produced before, um I’ve done lighting design, I’ve stage design, something like that, something to do with theatre, definitely. E & G: So, theatre is really where you like to be? Chris: Yeah it’s there I can’t get rid of it. I’ll never get rid of it. Yeah, ha ha! School has a lot to blame. E & G: Ok, that’s it thank you for that.