T-minus 2 and a half hours
As I try to concentrate on work before I go to an ill-advised midnight screening of Harry Potter, I can't help but think about how awesomely the main trio has grown up. In a Potter-frenzy, and to indulge my desires without watching actual footage from the movie*, I've watched about ten interviews each with Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint. And all three of them have grown up articulate, smart, interesting and gracious. Maybe it's the British thing. But they're all so damn charismatic and well spoken that it's overwhelming.
Check it out. It almost makes up for the fact that they're overwhelmingly successful at a ridiculously young age.
I've always sort of loved Daniel Radcliffe and all his naked-theater, indie-music-loving, Extras-guest-starring awesomeness (in fact, I crush so much more on Radcliffe in real-life that I briefly thought I was switching from Team Ron to Team Harry, but that was just the folly of youth), and Rupert Grint is awkward and endearing at all times and has consistently proven, well, Ron-like in real life, but the true gem hidden in the trio is Emma Watson. I should hate Watson. I think in my head Hermione was always me, so this is the girl replacing myself in my favorite story. But she's been a joy to watch grow up. She seems really well adjusted to fame and life, and I've got to respect a girl who wants to go to a competive college to study Liberal Arts even though she's got buckets full of money. Plus, I love that she's Hermione-esque as far as grades go, and that she is just as well spoken and confident on talk shows as Daniel Radcliffe (check her out on Letterman to see her more than stand up to old Dave).
Anyway, it makes it even easier to love the movie adaptations of my favorite books when most of the people involved seem so gracious, grateful and awesome.
*After the first real trailer is released, I try to avoid HP footage. After all, the story is pretty familiar to me, so the only surprises possible are the way that the director and co flesh it out. So while I'll watch interviews with actors, directors, etc., I avoid actual movie footage like the plague.