Why Ron Weasley Owes $2.3M in Taxes on 'Harry Potter' Residuals – Details About the Former Child Star's Post-Fame Life

When Rupert Grint began earning significant money, his father advised him to create a company to help minimize his tax burden. Unfortunately, that decision has come back to haunt him, as a recent ruling now requires him to pay back millions.

In November 2024, reports revealed that Rupert Grint, famous for playing Ronald Weasley in the "Harry Potter" franchise, owes millions to tax authorities after losing a legal battle.

In 2019, Grint was ordered to pay £1.8 million ($2.3 million) after His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigated his tax returns for the previous seven years. The agency claimed that the actor improperly categorized £4.5 million in residuals from the movies as a capital asset instead of income, which is taxed at a higher rate.

The residuals include money from television syndication, DVD sales, streaming rights, and more. Grint's lawyers had appealed the ruling, but in 2024, tribunal judge Harriet Morgan ultimately ruled against him.

Morgan stated that the money "derived substantially the whole of its value from the activities of Mr. Grint" and should therefore "be taxable as income." The judge ruled that HMRC was justified in levying taxes on Grint's share of income from future television and DVD sales of his work.

The 36-year-old actor starred in all eight films in the franchise from 2001 to 2011, earning an estimated £24 million (over $30 million) for his role. In 2019, he also lost a separate court case concerning more than £1 million (over $1.2 million) in tax refunds.

His latest loss came from a "Beatles clause" appeal against HMRC. The nickname refers to tax avoidance strategies famously used by the Beatles in the 1960s to lower their tax liabilities.

Grint shared that in 2011, his father, Nigel, advised him to create Clay 10, a company where his residual rights were sold as capital. This move reduced the taxes he owed on future income.

While Grint is a household name, he's actually a child star as his acting journey began before he even became a teenager, earning his breakthrough role in "Harry Potter."

Grint's Struggles in Playing Weasley

At 11 years old, Grint, a theater enthusiast from an hour north of London, landed the role of Weasley. He didn't realize at the time that the role would last until he was 22.

Coming from a family of six children, Grint felt the role resonated with him, as Weasley was a redhead with a name starting with "R" and struggled with the same inferiority complex often found in large families.

Reflecting on his connection to the character, the star said, "I was feeling the difficulty of being seen, being overshadowed." However, this strong identification with the role made it challenging to separate himself from it.

He shared, "In the movies, we merged into one. By the end of it, I was playing myself. The lines were blurred." Despite this, Grint expressed gratitude for the role, noting that even now, he responds when someone calls him "Ron," adding, "It's my second name."

After the franchise ended, he struggled to find his footing and to figure out if acting was something he wanted to continue. Grint admitted, "'Potter' was so full on — [filming] all year, then we'd promote the rest of the time. It was quite suffocating."

He felt the need to take a break to reflect and recharge. The star described the experience as "an out-of-body experience for a while," but acknowledged, "We finished at the right time. If we continued, it could've gone downhill."

After the final film, he said, "It's just been a really weird year since we finished. I've felt quite empty." He likened the end of the franchise to a form of grieving but found a new purpose working on "Servant," with him stating, "I’ve never been a part of a show this long, really, apart from 'Potter.''”

Comparing the two projects, he stated, "It's quite comparable. And in a way, ['Servant'] may be more significant, because personally so much has changed in my life. I've become a dad, and obviously we had the pandemic…" Grint and his "Harry Potter" co-stars earned large amounts of money for their roles and once opened up about how they would spend their earnings.

What Grint Spent Part of His Money On

Reacting to a question about how he would spend the millions he earned at a young age, the "Knock at the Cabin" actor cheekily replied, "Well, speaking as a wizard, we're going to get paid muggle money, and I don't really understand it." He did, however, have a clear goal: to buy an ice cream van.

The actor fulfilled his childhood dream by purchasing the van but initially didn't stock it, which led to some disappointed children. He recalled pulling up to a pub to make a U-turn, only to find eight children waiting with their pocket money, hoping to buy ice cream.

In 2014, Grint admitted, "I've learnt my lesson since then," revealing had ensured the van was well stocked with lollies and other goodies bought wholesale. He added, "I'm not allowed to sell my merchandise. I'd need a license for that."

While many fans might think Grint's a big fancy celebrity, the star once shared, "I live a quite normal existence." However, like many celebrities, he admitted that fans stop him "every day, pretty much" when he's out in public.

In early 2023, the actor revealed he had spent much of the last five years as a part-time resident in the greater Philadelphia area while filming the series "Servant," which was in its fourth and final season. Now that he's older, Grint has a longtime partner with whom he shares a daughter, Wednesday.

The Actor's Daughter and Long-Term Partner

Grint's little girl wasn't named after the Netflix show and character with the same name.

But Wednesday appears to channel the Addams family in one way. "She's obsessed with the moon," according to Grint, and she has taught him to appreciate things again.

Grint and his partner Georgia Groome confirmed they'd become first-time parents in May 2020.

At the time, their representative said, "Rupert Grint and Georgia Groome are delighted to confirm the birth of their baby girl."

Grint and Groome have been dating since 2011 and together for more than 12 years. A month before their child's birth, the "Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging" actress was seen showing off her baby bump while out in London.

When Grint isn't bonding with his family or working on his series, he's helping promote organizations like Choose Love. The organization works on helping refugees and displaced people worldwide.

The non-profit and Rupert Grint collaborated in designing a limited edition ice cream van T-shirt that sold for £28 (or over $35) for three weeks from August 1, 2024. All the profits from the sale were donated to the organization to help them continue their crucial work.