Harry Potter Studio Tour: Animal Actors

Guess where I went again? The Warner Bros Studio Tour, of course! I'd just booked the closest suitable date but when we arrived, it turned out that it was animal actors week. Very exciting!

CAUTION: Tarantula picture ahead!  



Of course, animal week means owls and owls mean breakfast post! The tables in the Great Hall were set up for the morning, complete with boxes of Cheeri-Owls and Pixie Puffs.
Mrs Norris was chilling out in the Gryffindor common room. I was surprised by just how well-behaved the animals were. I know they have to be but it was crazy how still they sat!
I couldn't resist touching the gloves of Snape's boggart outfit. We checked that nobody was around but, no sooner had I pulled my hand back then someone had popped up next to me asking me to keep my hands behind the barrier. Luckily she seemed to find it funny but I swear they are real witches and wizards! Where did she come from?
Fang was a gorgeous silver-haired boarhound. His fur looked so soft! I really wanted to stroke him but, alas, the animals were off limits! 
As it turns out, Gary Oldman has teeny tiny feet!

I've never noticed the Richard Harris Dumbledore lurking at the top of the stairs before!
Caution: The tarantula is coming up!
Trevor! 
Apparently this is Rosie the tarantula but I can't for the life of me think of any time when there is a tarantula! I'd imagine it was used as a basis for the acromantula.

These owl socks were used to hide tethers that secured the owls' feet to their posts.

Speaking of owls, they were everywhere!

The owl on the left was my favourite. He's an eagle owl called Jamie and could puff himself up like a huge owly balloon! Jamie, and the barn owl above, didn't have a particular role. He was just used when a general owl was needed, such as the owl post scenes. The owls were filmed against a green screen flying towards a wind machine so then they could be inserted against backdrops of Hogwarts.

This is the Weasleys' owl Errol, who was much bigger than I expected! All the animals used are healthy and well-groomed, so when the script called for a bedraggled owl, such as Errol, the trainers collected all their dropped feathers then bent and ruffled them before popping them back in between the healthy feathers. This gave a scruffy appearance without affecting the owls.

I thought the owls in these cages were models until they started moving! The one above is Ron's owl Pigwidgeon and was specially trained to sit still inside these cages which are much smaller than usual owl enclosures. Of course they got breaks and were carefully assessed to make sure there was no trauma involved!

Yes, this is Hedwig! The real live Hedwig! He's actually called Elmo but he's Hedwig to me!






A new addition to the gift shop is the Umbridge replica cat crockery. You can buy teacups with saucers or a side plate in one of four different designs. I may have bought one...

Next month, the new expansion opens which will include the huge Platform 9 3/4 set with the Hogwarts Express which you can actually board and a new station-themed shop on the platform. You better believe I'll be back again soon!