Harry Potter actor reveals strict filming rules and surprising cast pay details from set

It’s officially autumn, which means it’s prime time for a Harry Potter movie marathon during the longer nights. Avid watchers could probably recite the films backwards, including the facts we already know from bonus content and interviews. Well, if you love the juicy details, one cast member has revealed more behind the scenes memories from her time in the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Goblet of Fire.

Samantha Clinch, who played Eloise Midgen, has posted videos on TikTok talking everything from pay to birthday flowers. These are the best behind the scenes Harry Potter details to go with your annual movie rewatch.

The crew were really strict about stealing props

When remembering life on set, Samantha said that the production crew put a massive emphasis on the cast members not being allowed to take any props with them. She recalled them telling the young cast that if they so much as took a fork from a banquet scene, they would “get fired.”

”I remember there was a boy and he put a fork in his pocket…he never came back” she joked.

The snacks were a child’s dream come true

Another behind the scenes fact from Harry Potter which some might not know was the bottomless food. Some of the food in the Great Hall was, in fact, real, and Samantha described it as a “constant stream” of food that they were allowed to eat.

However, some was fake and she shared that behind one of the walls in the Great Hall was another room with trestle tables that were full to the brim with snacks, including “thousands” of Squares bars and iced buns – so basically, it was heaven for a kid on set, and apparently they took full advantage of the banquet.

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”We’d get through so many of those iced buns…no iced bun was safe,” Samantha said.

One scene from the Triwizard Tournament was horrible to film

@samanthaclinch

What it was REALLY like going to shcool at Hogwarts 🏰 the food, the freinds, the freezing tempuratures. Would recommend 10/10 #harrypotterbts Daniel Radcliffe #harrypottertiktok #harrypotterstories #whattowatch #harrypotterextras

♬ Harry’s Wondrous World (Theme from Harry Potter) – John Williams & Synchron Stage Orchestra & Wizarding World

Apparently, the dragon’s egg challenge in the third film was one of the worst memories that Samantha has from set. The cast members had to stand in the stadium set for twelve hours watching a “man run around with a big green ball on a stick.” It was also so cold that it left a lasting memory.

The pay was low, but named characters got a significant pay increase

@samanthaclinch

The money video 💰how much I got paid as an #extra how much I got paid as #eloisemidgen and how much #danielradcliffe got paid and what we all spent the money on. It was honestly the best time oml filming at #hogwarts and I could never have expected this video to GO AS GLOBAL as it did. Australian news even picked it up? 😭 obsessed with the HP comunity and for this video bringing all of my childhood friends back into my life. Oh and ofc love that I’m now immortalised in the daily mail and officially a z lister xxx Ly TikTok #harrypotter #harrypotterbts #theoriginalvideo #viral #money #childstar #income #earnings

♬ original sound – Samantha Clinch

Samantha started out on set as a general extra, but later got given the role of Eloise Midgen. While Daniel Radcliffe got paid $11 million for the fourth film, the extras got paid £2.91 an hour for 12 hour days that began at 5.30am. So basically, they got a little under £35 for that long day in the cold stadium.

However, when Samantha was given a named role, her wages doubled to £70 a day. Let’s face it, it’s still not great, but it’s better than before, right?

She also said that the food basically made up for the low pay, adding that they probably cost production at least £15 a day each from all the food they ate.

Daniel Radcliffe kept up the energy throughout the films

@samanthaclinch

You never forget your first bunch of 💐 mine just happened to be from THE KINDEST MAN ON EARTH #danielradcliffe 😭 spot the meaning behind the flowers 👀 #harrypotter #onset #harrypotterbts #harrypottergobletorfire #harrypotterstories #harrypotteredit #fyp #foryou #harrypotterextra #harrypotterfan #harrypotter

♬ original sound – Samantha Clinch

Samantha described Daniel Radcliffe as “the kindest soul”, adding that despite the fact he had been filming the movies for years by the fourth film and could have been a little bored, he always treated his scenes and his cast mates with kindness and excitement.

Eloise Midgen originally had a dance scene with Harry in the fourth film, and Samantha said that nobody made her feel more confident in that moment than Daniel did. The scene was cut, but Samantha still remembers her excitement at getting to film with him.

Daniel’s kindness extended beyond set, and he even sent Samantha flowers with a note that read “To Samantha, thank you for for being an excellent dance partner.”

A lot of the cast members didn’t keep in contact

“The only problem I have is that all of the friends that I made…we didn’t have Facebook, we didn’t have phones, we were 13” Samantha shared. She explained that she fell out of contact with everyone because of it. She added that she doesn’t actually remember everyones names, so it’s been hard to get back in touch with the people she spoke to almost every day, but has managed to make a pretty strong career out of her behind the scenes Harry Potter stories nonetheless.

Featured image via TikTok @samanthaclinch