'I'm the worst in my acting class' admits Hollywood's highest paid actress Emma Watson

Their hair may be more expensively styled and their outfits more flamboyant. But their beaming smiles are much the same.
As Rupert Grint, and Daniel Radcliffe posed at the launch of the sixth film, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, they must have been reflecting on their nine years in the spotlight.

Nine years on: Rupert Grint,   and Daniel Radcliffe at a photoshoot for Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince in London today

Plucked from obscurity in 2000, they beat more than 40,000 applicants to their roles. In the intervening years they have amassed more than £45million between them.
With filming on the last installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, almost completed, the trio are now preparing for life after Hogwarts.
According to Hollywood studio Warner Bros, the seventh film is scheduled to hit cinemas in November, 2010 and the eighth in the summer of 2011.

 

At today's press conference at Claridge's Hotel in Mayfair, director David Yates, who also made the fifth movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, said: 'Our cast are just getting that little bit older now and the hormones are starting to fly and for me it marks a real transition point between our cast as children and our cast as adults.'
Emma, 19, is off to America, where she will study at Columbia University.
She has talked of becoming an 'anonymous' student and has registered under her middle name of Charlotte.

Setting out: The trio pose together in 2000, shortly after being selected to star in Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone

But, despite her change in direction, Emma is fast becoming the highest profile of the trio, eclipsing even Harry himself.
She is making strides in putting her role as Hermione behind her, starring in advertising campaigns for Burberry and fronting the covers of numerous glossy fashion magazines.
'I'm very excited and looking forward to a bit of normality for a while, it would be nice,' she said today. 'But that by no means means that by going to university I'm never going to act again.

Growing up: The trio pose together to promote the second film Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets in 2002, then again in 2004 at the launch of Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban

'It was nice to be back and to know that this film is, to me, more of a romantic comedy than ever before and that we would have a chance to focus more on that side of things.
'Sometimes I have to bring myself back with Hermione, because she is so innocent and so naive and she really is very vulnerable in this film. She really does get her heart broken by Ron and Lavender and that whole situation.'
Emma says with the end of filming on the series of eight films, she will be saying goodbye to her 'second family' on the Watford set.

Developing their style: The three show their own taste in 2005 as they promote Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, then in 2007 as they launch Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

‘It’s going to sound dramatic, but I feel like it’s going to be my life over as I know it,' she said. 'My whole life has been about Harry Potter and then all of that will shut down and I don’t know what it will be like.
'I go to university in September – I’ll be doing bits and bobs at Christmas, but September feels like my cut-off point, the moment when I’ll really stop.’
Daniel Radcliffe, who turns 20 this month, has chosen to focus on establishing a name for himself as a serious actor, finding acclaim on the stage in high-profile Broadway and West End shows.

The cast: Michael Gambon, Tom Felton, Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Bonnie Wright, Jessie Cave and Jim Broadbent

The actor, who stars in the films as Harry Potter, even stripped off for his demanding role in the disturbing Equus.
But he has admitted to having doubts about his future in the acting world.
'Hopefully just keep acting is the plan,' he said today. 'I just want to keep going for as long as I can and I've had a fantastic time with Potter. I will be very sad to leave it.'

Launch: JK Rowling pictured leaving Scotts restaurant in London while Rupert and Emma share a laugh at the press conference

In an interview with this month's Esquire he revealed that despite his success he has fears about the future: 'The thing is, in a few years I'll be 21, 22, and that's when all the guys who've been at drama school will come out.
'They've been learning dance or singing and all that stuff, and I'm going to need to compete with them because I won't have Harry Potter as my safety net any more.'
The final member of the trio, Rupert Grint, also appeared at today's press call, despite only just recovering from a mild bout of swine flu.
The 20-year-old, who plays Harry's best friend Ron Weasley, was equally modest about his prospects.
'It's always at the back of my mind that acting might come to an end for me when Harry Potter finishes. I don't know if I'm good enough to have a long career,' he said.
'I've got a bit of an inferiority complex about my acting. My self-esteem is quite low in that sense.'
Despite Rupert's worries he has just completed filming on Wild Target, in which he stars alongside Bill Nighy as an apprentice hitman. He also starred in the gritty thriller Cherrybomb, in which he played a troubled youth dabbling in sex, drugs and violence.
But, whatever happens to the Harry Potter stars in their future careers, they are financially set up for life - with personal fortunes worth tens of millions of pounds.
At 20 years old, Radcliffe is worth £30million, while Ms Watson has banked more than £10million. Grint, also 20, has picked up £5million. The movies, based on JK Rowling's books, have raked in almost £3billion in worldwide box office sales.

Tragic loss: Murdered young actor Rob Knox can be seen (2nd L) in this shot from the new movie

Remembered: Knox, 18, died protecting his brother

*Cast and crew from the film will wear white ribbons on their wrists at the movie's world premiere as a mark of respect to murdered actor Rob Knox.
Knox, 18, played Marcus Belby in the new movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and was stabbed five times outside a bar in Sidcup, Kent, last May - just days after completing the film.
The actor was defending his younger brother when he was attacked by Karl Bishop, who is now serving four life sentences for the murder.
The film has its world premiere in London's Leicester Square tomorrow, and cast members said they would wear white ribbons in memory of Knox.

Radcliffe said Knox's death had hit all of the cast.
'I won't pretend I knew him incredibly well, or was his best friend on set, but I knew him and liked him, and what happened to him was obviously tragic and awful,' he said.
Co-star Bonnie Wright, who plays Ginny Weasley - younger sister of Harry's best friend Ron - said the cast wanted to show solidarity with all victims of knife crime.
'It's going to be quite a traumatic experience for his family, who've been very supportive of him. Obviously tomorrow is going to be quite difficult, going to see him in the film,' she said.
'We wanted to wear as a mark of respect a white ribbon, not only for his life but for other families who have experienced this traumatic crime.'