22 little-known facts about the 'Harry Potter' series

Zoë MillerNov 25, 2020, 20:37 IST

There are some things you might not know about the "Harry Potter" series.Warner Bros. Pictures

Controversial author J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books-turned-movies are a cultural phenomenon.
Rowling found inspiration for the setting of "Harry Potter" in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Most character names have a special meaning — and some are inspired by real people.
Actor Haley Joel Osment could have been cast as Harry Potter instead of Daniel Radcliffe.

Whether you're a hardcore fan or a Muggle who's only seen the movies, there's no denying that "Harry Potter" is a cultural phenomenon.

Keep reading to learn 20 surprising facts about controversial author J.K. Rowling's magical series, from how she named her characters to how technology brought the films to life.

Rowling and Harry Potter share a birthday.

J.K. Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter. Getty Images/ Warner Bros Pictures

Rowling gave her characters names that reflect their roles in the series.

The names were carefully chosen. Warner Bros.

You never know when inspiration will strike ― and Rowling jotted down the Hogwarts house names on an airplane vomit bag.

Inspiration hit on a plane. Warner Bros Studios

Harry Potter was named for his great-grandfather.

This is how it intersects with "Fantastic Beasts." Warner Brothers

The magical plants in the series all come from a real-life compendium of flora.

Mugwort and toadflax are real. y-studio/ iStock

But only one character in the Harry Potter universe is a figure from Muggle history.

Nicolas Flamel is also a real person. Warner Bros Studios

Edinburgh, Scotland, where Rowling resides, provided a ton of inspiration for the series.

Edinburgh inspired Hogwarts. f11photo/Shutterstock

Even Stephen King was freaked out by Dolores Umbridge.

King was scared by Umbridge. IMDb/Warner Bros.

Like the multitude of spells in the series, Hogwarts' official motto is also in Latin.

Latin plays a big role in this world. Warner Bros.

The movies featured an animal production team.

There were lots of animals around. Warner Bros.

The "Harry Potter" books have been translated into around 80 languages, from Albanian to Hebrew to Scots.

Harry Potter is available in basically every language. Kirsten Acuna / Business Insider

It may be hard to imagine someone other than Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, but the role could have been played by another actor.

Haley Joel Osment could have been Harry Potter. Warner Bros.

Peeves, the mischievous Hogwarts ghost, was supposed to appear in the films.

Peeves didn't end up making an appearance in the film. Chioric/Shutterstock

But there was a secret, film-exclusive character hidden in the newspaper props designed for the movies.

The Ginger Witch frequented the front page of newspapers. Warner Bros Pictures

When she invented Dementors, Rowling drew from her past experiences with depression.

To Rowling, the Dementors represent depression. Warner Bros.

Rowling planned in advance who would meet a grim fate in the series — but she decided to spare one character's life at the last minute.

JK Rowling changed her mind about killing off Arthur Weasley. Warner Brothers

To prevent early leaks of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the series' publisher, Bloomsbury, gave the seventh and final book some quirky code names.

The publisher hoped to keep book leaks to a minimum. Warner Bros Pictures

Evanna Lynch made some of Luna Lovegood's jewelry.

Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood. Warner Bros.

Some of the most expensive costumes to make were the Hogwarts uniforms.

Some of the Hogwarts uniforms include silk ties. Warner Bros.

Special effects in the films ranged from green screens to animatronics.

Not all special effects were made in the editing room. Warner Bros

The Quidditch brooms weren't your run-of-the-mill props.

The brooms had to be sturdy enough to be ridden. Warner Bros.

Some of the food on set was real.

Sometimes the cast of "Harry Potter" actually got to feast. Warner Bros Pictures

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