James and Oliver Phelps | |
|---|---|
James (left) and Oliver Phelps in 2011 | |
| Born | James Andrew Eric Phelps Oliver Martyn John Phelps (1986-02-25)25 February 1986 (age 39) Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2000–present |
| Spouses | James: Oliver: |
| Children | Oliver: 2 |
James Andrew Eric Phelps andOliver Martyn John Phelps (born 25 February 1986) are English actors, podcasters and identical twin brothers. They are known for playingFred and George Weasley, respectively, in theHarry Potter film series from 2001 to 2011 and have continued to work together as a duo on other projects.
James and Oliver Phelps were born in theSutton Coldfield area of Birmingham,[1] England on 25 February 1986. They are the sons of Susan (née Spare) and Martyn Phelps. Oliver is the older of the two by 13 minutes. Growing up, the twins attended Little Sutton Primary School and theArthur Terry Secondary School. During the filming of theHarry Potter series, the twins were tutored on set.[2]
In 2000, despite having no previous acting experience, the twins skipped school to attend an open audition in Leeds. After about six auditions, the twins were cast asFred and George Weasley in the filmHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.[2] At the first table reading after being cast, James was given the role of Fred and Oliver was given the role of George. They played the characters inall eight films.[3]
Outside of acting, James worked as arunner on the set ofHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and onThe Da Vinci Code.[4]
In 2009, the twins appeared as brothers in the fifth episode of the third season of the TV seriesKingdom.[5] In 2012, they starred inA Mind's Eye, a short documentary film based on the philosophical ideas ofPlato,[6][7] and they directedJourney along the Thames for theopening ceremony of the London 2012 Summer Olympics[citation needed].
The twins have been involved in the Harry Potter Exhibition. They were present during its 2009 opening in Chicago and later toured various cities and countries to promote it.[2]
In January 2014, the twins attended the Harry Potter Celebration in Orlando, Florida, along withEvanna Lynch,Matthew Lewis, andDevon Murray. They also made a LiveCast where they answered fans' questions and talked about the expansion atThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter.[8]
In 2024 the twins hostedHarry Potter: Wizards of Baking, a six-part competition show based on theHarry Potter franchise, forFood Network.[9] They reprised this role for the show's second season in 2025.[10]
The twins collaborated on a podcast available on YouTube[11] and various streaming services, including Spotify[12] and iTunes.[13] The first season, which premiered in 2017, featured James and Oliver discussing their previous travels.
The second season of the podcast was released in 2020 during quarantine, and the twins interviewed guests and spoke about their personal lives.
In 2021, they released a third season, titled "Normal Not Normal", on which they collaborated with Stabl production; this season is more structured and professionally edited compared to the previous season. In this season they discuss what normal really is and if it even exists. They have interviewed celebrities includingSasha Banks,Tom Hopper,Mara Wilson, as well as their former co-stars, such asKatie Leung,Evanna Lynch, andAlfie Enoch.
In January 2003, the twins planted trees at theNational Forest inLeicestershire. The trees werebirch andash—the same types of wood that helped make the broomsticks used in theHarry Potter films.[14]
The twins are supporters ofTeenage Cancer Trust,[15] the "Celebrity World Cup Soccer Six",[16] theVirgin Money Giving drive,[17][18] andCancer Research UK in Australia.[19]
Oliver married Katy Humpage in 2015, and they have two daughters.[20] James married Annika Ostle in 2016.[21]
| Year | Title | James's role | Oliver's role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Fred Weasley | George Weasley | |
| 2002 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | |||
| 2004 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | |||
| 2005 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | |||
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | |||
| 2009 | Kingdom | Callum Anderson | Finlay Anderson | Episode #3.5 |
| Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Fred Weasley | George Weasley | Assistant Director (James) | |
| 2010 | Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey | Short film Robocoaster atThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade | ||
| 2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 | |||
| 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | |||
| 2014 | Own Worst Enemy | Constable Berrow | Constable Stroyde | |
| Hogwarts Express | Fred Weasley | George Weasley | Short film Shuttle service between destinations atThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley | |
| 2015 | King of the Nerds | Himself | Himself | Guest Appearance(s) episode 7 |
| Danny and the Human Zoo | Mr Brian Carter | Mr Barry Carter | TV film | |
| 2019 | 7 days The Story of"Blind Dave" Heeley | Captain Williams | Dr. Mathews | Short Film |
| 2021 | Last Night in Soho | Cloakroom attendant | Cloakroom attendant | |
| 2022– | Fantastic Friends | Himself | Himself | Travel series |
| 2024-2025 | Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking[22] | Cooking show |
| Year | Title | James's role | Oliver's role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | Fred Weasley (voice) | George Weasley (voice) | Video game |
| 2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 |