Rupert Grint says playing Ron for a decade 'was quite suffocating'

Rupert Grint has recently opened up about playing Weasley from the Harry Potter franchise for a decade and how he desperately wanted a "break" from it.

Playing the character from the age of 11 to 22, "was quite suffocating," Rupert said in an interview, reported the Hollywood Reporter. He explained that he started to find it difficult to find the line between himself and the character, saying, "In the movies, we merged into one. By the end of it, I was playing myself. The lines were blurred." The British actor even added that he answers if someone calls him Ron.

"Potter was so full on—[filming] all year, then we'd promote the rest of the time," he continued. Rupert said he "wanted a break to reflect on everything. ... It was an out-of-body experience for a while, but I think we finished at the right time. If we continued, it could've gone downhill."

Rupert re-united with his cast members for HBO Max's Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special in 2022. Being a part of the franchise he added, "was a really unique experience only us core group really know, so it's nice to see them [co-stars]. It was a good opportunity to reflect on everything and just say how crazy it was. It's always nice to look back."

Over the course of time, Grint becomes more inclined towards thriller and horror series and movies, including Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities, Servant and M. Night Shyamalan's upcoming film, Knock at the Cabin. Asked about the choice of roles, he said "there's something therapeutic about these roles."

"I'm drawn to a hidden vulnerability," he added. "A bit broken, damaged people. At the moment, it seems to be what I'm doing." (ANI)