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Film & TV3 min(s) read
Published 13:47 16 Apr 2026 GMT
An artist has taken the beloved characters of the Harry Potter universe and re-imagined them.
MsBananaAnna, from Vietnam, used artificial intelligence to create character portraits based on detailed descriptions from JK Rowling’s books.
While some of the depictions closely resemble the actors who brought these characters to life, others have strayed far from what we’re used to - leaving fans both intrigued and unsettled.
The artist’s version of Harry is incredibly close to Daniel Radcliffe’s portrayal.
His features match Rowling's description, making him one of the few characters who look just as fans might expect.
In contrast, Hermione looks different from Emma Watson’s polished version as the artist captured her frizzy hair, buck teeth, and awkwardness from the novels.
As for Ron Weasley, Rupert Grint’s portrayal was spot-on in terms of Ron’s clumsiness and his ginger hair. However, in the re-imagined artwork, his features look different.
One character that might surprise fans is Cedric Diggory. Portrayed by Robert Pattinson in The Goblet of Fire, Cedric was described in the books as having "very handsome chiseled features, dark hair, and grey eyes."
MsBananaAnna brings out those sharp, chiseled features in her art, giving Cedric a more intense look.
Bellatrix Lestrange, played by Helena Bonham Carter in the films, is one of the most iconic villains in the franchise.
The books described her as having "long shiny thick black hair, a strong jaw, dark hooded eyes, thin lips, and a gaunt face from long-term imprisonment."
The artist's rendition focuses on giving Bellatrix a hollowed-out look.
The artist used artificial intelligence tools like Artbreeder to bring her visions of these characters to life.
"I came up with the idea to recreate the characters when I tried to find some fan works of Hermione. I watched the movies, and though I like Emma Watson, I always thought she was too gorgeous to be Hermione," she told Bored Panda.
"I couldn't find any renditions of her that I thought were accurate, so I ended up making her myself. People seemed to enjoy it so much that I decided to make more characters," she added.
While some of the AI versions look similar to their live-action counterparts, others are rather different.
The artist said: "I thought that was plucked straight from my head. Artbreeder can be pretty limiting in what you can do and can be a bit twiddly so not all of the characters came out as I wanted, but I thought Sirius came out as I imagined him! Dark and regally handsome."
In other Harry Potter news, excitement is building for the upcoming HBO series adaptation, which will star Dominic McLaughlin, 12, who will play Harry Potter, along with Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout as Hermione and Ron.
The new series is expected to closely follow the books, with one season per book, and fans are already hyped after a first-look trailer garnered over 277 million views within 48 hours.
The show is set to debut at Christmas 2026, with season two already in development.