The Harry Potter franchise launched the careers of several young actors, but others have left showbiz behind them for good as they pursue completely different careers
Harry Potter catapulted numerous young performers to stardom after its global success, yet some have completely abandoned the entertainment industry in pursuit of something entirely different.
While stars like Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe remain household names, several of their fellow Hogwarts witches and wizards have vanished into anonymity.
In the 2005 film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the magic boarding school received visitors from overseas schools for the Triwizard Tournament which saw Harry Potter competing for the cup. Amongst these was Stanislav Yanevski, who has since pursued an entirely different profession following his memorable role as Viktor Krum.
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The Bulgarian performer, now 40, embodied the renowned Quidditch champion and romantic interest of Hermione Granger (played by Emma Watson) in the series’ fourth instalment.
He battled against Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) in the competition and nearly featured in the saga’s second-to-last film, Deathly Hallows: Part One – his short cut scene remains available on YouTube.
But two decades on from what might have been a career-defining role, Yanevski has abandoned acting altogether.
His final appearance was in the 2021 movie Last Man Down, though he has now transformed into an educator and inspirational speaker.
Stanislav announced the professional shift to his 281,000 followers, posting: “Today was a very motivational day. I took part in a lecture and hope to have inspired the students as much as they inspired me.”
His depiction of Krum notably featured a shaved scalp and light facial hair, though Stanislav now sports a completely transformed appearance.
He’s now barely recognisable at first glance, even to the most devoted Potterheads, sporting longer locks and a full beard.
Despite stepping away from acting, Stanislav has still managed to reconnect with several of his Harry Potter co-stars.
He reunited with Draco Malfoy actor Tom Felton at a Potter convention during summer 2023.
“We were sitting together in the Great Hall and had some of the best most fun times together,” he shared on Instagram. “Who would have thought they’d get along this well.”
He’s also shared snaps with Hugh Mitchell, who played budding photographer Colin Creevey, and series regular Devon Murray, who portrayed Seamus Finnigan across all eight films.