‘Harry Potter’ Cast Remember Their ‘Awkward’ On-Set Crushes in HBO Max Special: Emma Watson, Tom Felton and More

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'Harry Potter' Cast Remember Their 'Awkward' On-Set Crushes in HBO Max Special: Emma Watson, Tom Felton and More

Magical memories! Emma Watson, Tom Felton and more of the Harry Potter cast spilled their biggest on-set secrets during the 20th anniversary reunion — and even dished about who they were crushing on. For years, fans of the franchise have wondered whether the Little Women actress, 31, and Felton, 34, had more than just a friendship. While looking back at their time filming the fourth movies, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the twosome got real about their feelings for one another as young stars. "Emma and I have always loved each other, really," the British actor gushed in a clip from Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, which airs on HBO Max on Saturday, January 1. Watson, for her part, was able to pinpoint the specific moment she realized Felton was someone special. "I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God had looked like and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on on a skateboard," she said. "And I just don't know how to say it, I just fell in love with him. ... I think the truth of it was Tom was the one that I could often be more vulnerable with." [jwplayer IeYiXavm-zhNYySv2] The Beauty and the Beast star continued: "I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet. It was No. 7. And if his number was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day." Because they're a few years apart in age, Watson felt like Felton viewed her as a "little sister" and cherished the strong bond they formed throughout filming. "Nothing has ever, ever, ever, ever happened romantically with us," she clarified, blushing as she denied the romance rumors. "We just love each other. That's all I could say about that." Though the pair have both asserted that they have always been strictly platonic, that hasn't stopped longtime Harry Potter fans from shipping them as a couple. Even costar Rupert Grint picked up on the duo's connection. "There was always something," the 33-year-old actor teased to Entertainment Tonight in November 2019. "There was a little bit of a spark. ... It was like any kind of playground romance. ... I didn't have any sparks. I was spark-free." Daniel Radcliffe, for his part, reflected on getting to "tap into my awkward, nerdy teenage side" as the series' title character, calling the Goblet of Fire "peak hormone" for all the actors involved. "That film — it was all kicking off," he said during the HBO special. "He is just, like, a slightly awkward teenage boy in a very unremarkable way, which I suppose feels sort of a remarkable for a hero character in something." Scroll down for the Harry Potter cast's biggest revelation about their crushes: [podcast_block]

Credit: Shutterstock (3)

'Harry Potter' Cast Remember Their 'Awkward' On-Set Crushes in HBO Max Special: Emma Watson, Tom Felton and More

Magical memories! Emma Watson, Tom Felton and more of the Harry Potter cast spilled their biggest on-set secrets during the 20th anniversary reunion — and even dished about who they were crushing on. For years, fans of the franchise have wondered whether the Little Women actress, 31, and Felton, 34, had more than just a friendship. While looking back at their time filming the fourth movies, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the twosome got real about their feelings for one another as young stars. "Emma and I have always loved each other, really," the British actor gushed in a clip from Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, which airs on HBO Max on Saturday, January 1. Watson, for her part, was able to pinpoint the specific moment she realized Felton was someone special. "I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God had looked like and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on on a skateboard," she said. "And I just don't know how to say it, I just fell in love with him. ... I think the truth of it was Tom was the one that I could often be more vulnerable with." [jwplayer IeYiXavm-zhNYySv2] The Beauty and the Beast star continued: "I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet. It was No. 7. And if his number was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day." Because they're a few years apart in age, Watson felt like Felton viewed her as a "little sister" and cherished the strong bond they formed throughout filming. "Nothing has ever, ever, ever, ever happened romantically with us," she clarified, blushing as she denied the romance rumors. "We just love each other. That's all I could say about that." Though the pair have both asserted that they have always been strictly platonic, that hasn't stopped longtime Harry Potter fans from shipping them as a couple. Even costar Rupert Grint picked up on the duo's connection. "There was always something," the 33-year-old actor teased to Entertainment Tonight in November 2019. "There was a little bit of a spark. ... It was like any kind of playground romance. ... I didn't have any sparks. I was spark-free." Daniel Radcliffe, for his part, reflected on getting to "tap into my awkward, nerdy teenage side" as the series' title character, calling the Goblet of Fire "peak hormone" for all the actors involved. "That film — it was all kicking off," he said during the HBO special. "He is just, like, a slightly awkward teenage boy in a very unremarkable way, which I suppose feels sort of a remarkable for a hero character in something." Scroll down for the Harry Potter cast's biggest revelation about their crushes: [podcast_block]

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Emma Watson

The Bling Ring actress recalled the exact moment she knew Felton was someone special. "I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God had looked like and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on on a skateboard," she dished. "And I just don’t know how to say it, I just fell in love with him."

Years later, during a 2018 outing, Watson attempted to skateboard with Felton — and posed in a backward cap, sending fans into a frenzy.

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Tom Felton

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes star noted that he and Watson "have always loved each other," and even remembered someone on set hinting that the actress "had a crush" on him when they were kids. "I became very protective of her, yeah, I've always had a soft spot for her. And that continues to the day," he continued. "There's always been something where it's like ... kinship."

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Daniel Radcliffe

After filming the final move in the series, Radcliffe sent costar Helena Bonham Carter a personal note, which he read aloud during the HBO Max special. "Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your costar and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee," he teased. "I do love you and I wish I'd just been born 10 years earlier so I might've been in with a chance."

The Miracle Workers star also remembered getting hands-on "coaching" from Watson about crafting the perfect texts to girls. "We had that kind of older brother, younger sister thing," the philanthropist said of her relationship with Radcliffe.

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Bonnie Wright

"In the Goblet of Fire, that film is just all about teenagers having crushes for the first time, asking someone to [be their] date for the Yule Ball," the actress, who portrayed Ginny Weasley, said of the fourth movie. "[The characters] just mirrored all those awkward stages that you go through as a teenager and they really felt like that too because we were literally having the same experiences."

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Matthew Lewis

The Me Before You star reflected on the tensions that arose on set due to the cast's teenage flings. "There were crushes and people went out with each other and broke up. Just like you did at school," said Lewis, who starred in all seven Harry Potter films as Neville Longbottom. "It was exactly in the same environment but it was just in a Defense Against the Dark Arts class."

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Rupert Grint

Grint remembered the Goblet of Fire as being "a very interesting film" to work on because there were "a lot of hormones flying around." No romantic feelings were directed toward his onscreen love, however.

In a moment with Watson during the reunion special, they expressed how significant they are to each other beyond the films. "Even though we don't see each other all the time, yeah," Grint said. "It's a strong bond that we will always have, and we will always be part of each other's lives."

The actors held hands and hugged. "Oh, it's so nice to see you," Watson said.

"It's so good to see you," the Servant star replied. "I love you."

The choked-up actress could only nod as she wiped tears from her eyes, and Grint decided to lighten the tender moment, adding, "As a friend."

Watson burst into laughter. "Just to be clear for everyone watching," she giggled.