It’s been over a decade since we last saw Bonnie Wright wielding her wand as the fiery Ginny Weasley in the magical world of Harry Potter. But what has this talented actress been up to since she bid farewell to Hogwarts?
From stepping behind the camera to championing environmental causes, Wright’s journey post-Harry Potter is as enchanting as the character she once portrayed. In this exclusive feature, we’ll delve into Bonnie’s artistic endeavors, philanthropic pursuits, and personal growth that have shaped her into a multifaceted star. Join us as we uncover the spellbinding path she’s taken, proving that there’s indeed life after magic.
Early Life
Bonnie Wright was born to Sheila Teague and Gary Wright in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on February 17, 1991. She was the second child born into her family.
Bonnie attended Prior Weston Primary School and then the King Alfred School in North London. During her time on set for the Harry Potter franchise, Bonnie would receive her education through tutors and was able to attain A-levels in art, photography, and design.
Growing up on set also allowed Bonnie to grow an interest in filmmaking and design. She has stated that spending as much time as she did on set allowed her to grow to appreciate the art behind filmmaking.
Acting Career
Bonnie Wright is a London born actress best known for her role in the Harry Potter movie franchise. Today, she has her own production company that has produced short films.
Harry Potter
Bonnie Wright played Ginerva “Ginny” Weasley in the infamous Harry Potter movie franchise. Her character is the youngest child of Molly and Arthur Weasley and the only girl to be born into the family for generations.
In 2001, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was released and her magical journey began. She had a very small role with a cameo scene in the first film. In the second film of the franchise, her character would play a much more important role as she was taken over by the memory of Tom Riddle and was taken into the Chamber of Secrets.
With smaller roles in the third and forth film, she began to step into the spotlight in the fifth film of the franchise, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In the subsequent films, her character would go on to be a member of Dumbledoor’s Army and fight Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters in multiple battles.
Her character would become the love interest of the main character of the franchise, Harry Potter. In the final film of the series, Wright plays Ginny Weasley as an adult in an epilogue set 19 years in the future. During the scene, Ginny has married Harry and is sending off their 2nd of 3 children to Hogwarts via the Hogwarts Express.
Wright would be nominated for an Empire Award for her portrayal of Ginny Weasley in the final film of the franchise. However, her earlier work in the franchise came under fire and is heavily scrutinized by the public.
Many people thought that Ginny was “emotionless” and an overlooked character. Some argue that Wright was not the right actress for the role while others argue that the directing and writing for the character was poor.
Other fans argue that even the Ginny Weasley in the books was not developed or written well. They look at the sudden character changes she goes through. While many kids do grow out of their shy and quiet phases and enter a more confident period of their lives, many thought Ginny’s was too sudden and out of character.
Many fans also criticized the relationship between Ginny and Harry. For many, the relationship felt forced and unnatural for the characters. While the relationship may have seemed okay on paper, many found the performance between Wright and Radcliffe, the actor behind Harry Potter, to be awkward.
Even with the pitfalls and public opinion, Wright has been immortalized inside one of the largest franchises of all time.
Life after Harry Potter
Wright did not stop after the success of Harry Potter. In between filming the early movies of the franchise, she also co-starred in two television movies.
In 2002 she appeared in a period piece called Stranded and in 2004 she played the younger version of Agatha Christie in the movie Agatha Christie: A Life In Pictures.
Since her Harry Potter days, she graduated from University of the Arts London with a bachelor’s degree in filmmaking.
Since graduating, she has begun her own production company BonBonLumiere which focuses on short films and music videos.
Her first directorial film, Separate We Come, Separate We Go, was released in 2012 and was met with critical acclaim.
Since then, she has directed a number of short films and music videos. Wright says her interest in directing and film production stems from her time spent as an actor.
In 2013, after the final Harry Potter movie, she starred in The Sea, After the Dark, and Before I Sleep.
In 2015, Wright played in Who Killed Nelson Nutmeg and her most recent film was also released in 2015, titled Those Who Wander.
What is Bonnie Wright doing now?
Today, Wright is well known for her activism. In 2022, she released her debut book titled Go Gently: Actionable Steps to Nurture Yourself and the Planet.
In her book, she discusses how to take small and sustainable steps to living a life that is more gentle on the planet. She hopes that by laying out the blueprint, others can follow and create change in their homes that will benefit themselves and the planet. She also has a YouTube channel called Go Gently, which has vlogs about how to leave a smaller footprint while living on this beautiful planet.
Wright became a Greenpeace Oceans Ambassador in 2019 after discovering how micro plastics are destroying the planet and has since become vocal about living sustainable and green lives.
When the Harry Potter franchise came under fire as the creator, J.K. Rowling posted anti-trans inclusive statements on twitter, Wright spoke out. Wright went on to state, “If Harry Potter was a source of love and belonging for you, that love is infinite and there to take without judgment or question. Trans women are women. I see and love you,” back in 2020.
In a later article, she stated she would not be commenting on the issue again, but that she stands with her original comment.
While she is not commenting on J.K. Rowling’s latest work, Bonnie is on Cameo, where she sells personalized videos for $250 and video calls for $750.
Wright does continue to keep in touch with a few of her Harry Potter cast mates. She recently went to see Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the series, in his play, 2:22 and she was joined by Evanna Lynch in an event to help promote her new book.
She also caught up with almost the entire cast during the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts that aired in 2022. She even revealed that the Harry Potter cast has a group chat where they keep up with each other’s milestones.
Personal Life
In March 2022, Bonnie Wright married her boyfriend Andrew Lococo. On April 28, 2023, Wright announced she is pregnant with her first child. She shared the news on her Instagram and said she is due later this year.
Before dating Lococo, Wright was engaged to fellow Harry Potter star Jamie Campbell, who is also known for his work in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
They called off their engagement quietly in 2012 and both individuals moved on to date other people.
You can keep up with Bonnie on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Leave a Reply