"Isla! It's almost eight o'clock! Why aren't you coming down yet?"
"I'm coming, I'm coming~"
The sound of her footsteps thudded like drums, whipping up a whirlwind that carried Isabella from upstairs to downstairs.
Today, she dressed very simply.
A white top, light jeans, white sneakers, her golden hair naturally loose, a black baseball cap on her head, and a small crossbody phone bag for change. She looked full of youthful energy, which made Catherine twitch at the corner of her eye.
"Isla, I didn't misread the date, did I? Today's August 19th, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"You're going to the final interview today, right?"
"Yeah~ Didn't Director Jesse say to arrive before ten?"
Isabella glanced at the hallway clock—it was past 7:50. "There are still two hours. We won't be late."
"No, no, no—that's not about being late. Right now, you look like you're going on a beach vacation."
Catherine spoke her mind. "Not serious enough."
For a young girl, a final interview is a big deal.
At the very least, you need to have the right attitude and dress properly.
Anyone familiar with England knows that London proper has many unspoken rules, and different occasions require different dress codes. You don't need to be overly formal for a job interview, but…
Jeans are just too casual.
In England, skirts are the formal attire for women.
"Oh~ you mean this?"
Isabella glanced at her jeans. "Sis, you don't get it. Whatever a strong person does is right."
"For example, drinking red wine—etiquette says you should hold the stem, but Her Majesty always drinks by holding the bowl. Would you dare say she's rude and unrefined? Didn't think so."
"Similarly, Sir Maggie Smith says I have no problem playing Hermione. Then why would it matter what I wear?"
"You—" Catherine was stunned.
This kind of analogy was sacrilegious in Great Britain.
Frowning, she glared at her sister. "Do you want to die?"
"Okay, okay, no more jokes…"
Seeing her sister flustered, Isabella immediately put her hands down to signal calm. "Alright, Kesha. I have a reason for dressing simply. I'd like to dress more formally, but it's the final interview. Who knows if we'll need a costume change? Other clothes would be inconvenient."
A reasonable explanation softened Catherine's expression, though she was still a bit annoyed. "Can't you just speak properly?"
"I'm just trying to relax you since you're so tense~"
"Ha—go away—"
The two of them joked and bickered all the way to the garage. The contrast between laughter and irritation left Vivian puzzled.
"What's going on? Did you quarrel?"
"No." Catherine flatly denied it.
Isabella didn't say anything, but her head shook rhythmically like a seal slapping its belly.
Vivian was briefly taken aback by this abstract response but gave up worrying, started the car, and drove off.
It was the weekend, and London was a little congested. Average speeds were at most 20 mph, but thankfully, Levesden was close to Mayfair. Leaving early, the family arrived in about an hour and a half, despite some stops.
A month into the future, there were fewer construction workers around, and the dust-filled scene had disappeared. This meant the movie set construction was nearly complete. Signs had been erected on set, and guided by the landmarks, Vivian quickly found the final interview location—not the office building Isabella had visited before, but a huge factory-like studio.
After parking and confirming their identities with the staff, Isabella soon saw Jesse.
"Oh~ Isla~ Kesha~ Vivian~ hello!"
Jesse greeted them warmly, then looked at Vivian.
"Leave Isabella to me. You can't enter the waiting room, but don't worry, our staff will take you to a monitored lounge where you can see what's happening in the waiting room. When Isabella auditions, someone will take you to the set."
Vivian, knowing industry rules, smiled and accepted.
Even Catherine, who had been annoyed since leaving home, softened her expression and encouraged her sister.
Following Jesse into the audition-only waiting room, Isabella found it spacious and comfortable, though with only twenty chairs, eighteen of which were already occupied.
A quick scan revealed two familiar faces.
One was "Danny," Daniel Radcliffe, the other Emma Watson. The rest? She didn't know anyone.
Perhaps due to the competitive nature, Isabella noticed the tense atmosphere immediately. No one spoke, all eyes curiously examining the newcomer.
Being the center of attention made Isabella slightly embarrassed.
Well… she was pretending.
Hehe~ she had seen this many times in her previous life. When facing intense competition for a coveted role, assessing your rivals is a perfectly normal psychological reaction, regardless of age.
So…
She sat in the only remaining empty seat, calm amidst the chaos.
After a while, at 9:50, the waiting room door opened again.
Jesse brought in a blond boy with a "watermelon" haircut.
Like Isabella, he instantly drew everyone's gaze.
Cough—Isabella gave him a glare too.
She couldn't help it—she recognized him.
It was Ron.
Rupert Grint.
Nineteen pairs of eyes staring simultaneously made Rupert nervous. Seeing that the seat beside Isabella was empty, he quickly slid in as if he'd just returned from the restroom. His movement was so natural it seemed like he had been there all along.
Isabella admired the reaction.
She glanced at him twice more. Just as she looked away, Rupert whispered to her, "Hello? I'm Rupert Grint. Are you here for the final interview too?"
Isabella found him amusing. "Do I look like an examiner?"
"No." Rupert shook his head.
"Then I must be one of the auditionees."
"…." Rupert froze. He realized his question had been rather silly.
The next moment, he quickly explained, "Uh, I mean… we seem to be meeting for the first time?"
"Oh, if you mean that, then yes."
"So you are…"
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Isabella Haywood, but you can call me Isla."
Rupert seemed cute.
Since he had revealed his identity, Isabella no longer hid hers.
Just as she extended her right hand to shake, the little guy's eyes went wide, as if he had seen a demon, shouting, "Oh—My—God—you're the runaway Queen Isabella?"
"…"
Honestly, even if they had spoken quietly before, in the dead-silent waiting room, the sound carried. Rupert's high-pitched exclamation immediately drew all eyes to Isabella again.
And unlike the previous stares, this time, many eyes showed surprise.
"Are you cramming for the exam? That's incredible."
Smiling at her observers, Isabella continued talking.
"Oh~ you must be Harry Potter? The Boy Who Lived?"
She adapted Ron and Harry's first meeting lines.
"Uh… sorry… I didn't mean to shout…"
Whether it was the stares or her words, Rupert realized he had blundered. But seeing Isabella was approachable, he became excited again.
"I'm just surprised… didn't expect to meet a living legend today…"
Rupert's family wasn't artistic, but they were wealthy. His father was a memorabilia dealer with FIA certification, selling F1-related items. Though he didn't attend one of the nine prestigious schools, he went to a century-old local school.
For them, casting information wasn't a big secret. Isabella's bold act of running away from home to audition was already known to him.
Or rather, among the twenty people present, very few were ordinary.
To other competitors, Isabella might seem daunting, but to Rupert, she was a goddess of war—
"You know? When I heard your story, I was completely amazed!"
"Although I like Harry Potter and wanted a role, I only dared to record my resume as a video and send it to Susie's casting team."
"But you? Wow~ You came straight to the set to audition? That's so cool!"
Isabella smiled, genuinely impressed.
This also made the other three girls' expressions sour.
And the three casting directors in the monitoring room…
"Rupert's personality fits Ron quite well," said movie producer David Heyman, smiling as he removed his headphones. "This Isabella is lively and interesting. She says Rupert's shout was like pre-exam cramming? Oh—that's a fun analogy."
"Indeed."
Rowling nodded. "This is actually what I like about her—she can joke around but also be serious."
"Being able to speak differently depending on the situation is a rare skill."
"Right, Chris?"
She looked toward Chris Columbus.
As the project director, Columbus didn't give a definitive evaluation. He just smiled and said, "It's ten o'clock. We can move on to the second stage."
Children, animals, and water are the three most difficult elements to manage in filmmaking because they're uncontrollable.
That's why casting for children's films is the most important work of all. Finding a child who naturally fits the role in front of the camera is easier than picking a child who can act and then instructing them on set.
So, gathering the children together and observing what they do became the first test of the final interview.
In this test, everyone scored above 80 because no one caused a scene, but two people scored above 95 because they were very happy and interactive.
Being outgoing is far more valuable in the entertainment industry than being quiet and reserved.
With the first test concluded, the second stage officially began.
The staff divided everyone into groups. Each would meet the casting directors in the order of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
Since Hermione's turn was last, the girls had to wait until everyone before them had finished. Honestly, the process was rather boring.
Even though the average final interview lasted only 15 minutes, with 16 boys ahead of the girls, that meant 240 minutes before they could go in. Add half an hour for lunch…
At 10 a.m., the final interview began in the eyes of the children. By 2:30 p.m., the girls drew lots to enter.
Isabella was unlucky and drew the last spot.
By the time she changed into her Gryffindor uniform and entered the room, it was nearly 3:30 p.m., and the others had already left.
"Isla, what's it like to come in now?"
Rowling asked with a smile as soon as Isabella entered.
"Uh… it feels like being kept at school by a teacher after class…"
Isabella answered honestly.
Her apt words made Rowling laugh heartily, and even David Heyman in the middle couldn't help but chuckle.
After quickly going through the audition process, Chris Columbus, sitting on the far right, handed Isabella her performance material. Following instructions, she received her test: two scenes, both imaginary.
The first scene was from the middle of the novel—Hermione encounters a troll in the girls' bathroom.The second was after the wizard chess scene—Ron is unconscious, Harry wants to move forward, but Hermione must stay behind to take care of Ron, encouraging Harry as they part.
These two scenes were not difficult for Isabella; Maggie Smith had already rehearsed them with her.
So, when Chris Columbus clapped and asked Isabella to perform as if in a real shoot, obeying the cues, the three casting directors witnessed a flawless, fluid performance.
In the troll scene, Hermione emerged from the stall looking weary after her urgent trip. As her dazed eyes wandered to leave, a huge foot suddenly appeared, stopping her in her tracks.
Slowly looking up, she saw the massive troll in her line of sight.
The troll advanced, intending to attack.
Hermione recoiled in fear.
But the bathroom was a one-way corridor; with the troll blocking the exit, Hermione's only path backward led to a dead end.
Backing up, she collided with a stall.
The troll raised its club, and Hermione swiftly ducked back into the stall.
She crawled on the floor, hoping the wooden door would protect her from the troll's deadly attack.
Then…
Over.
Her fluid, confident performance made Rowling smile.
She thought it was excellent.
Isabella's slight tremble on the floor, after pausing for two seconds, was clearly captured by Chris Columbus.
He knew this tremor was an instinctive reaction to the troll's attack—a natural response to fear and danger—not scripted.
The Philosopher's Stone screenplay did not include this subtle detail. In the actual shoot, Hermione only needed to rise from the rubble, as the scene was done with special effects.
Simply put, the script simplified the performance for children's unpredictability, but Isabella restored what had been cut.
By traditional standards, this addition was unnecessary.
For the audience, whether children or adults, watching Harry Potter as a commercial film, such details would go unnoticed.
But…
Who could resist a talented child?
Even if this genius was guided by an adult,Especially if it was crafted by a seasoned actress like Maggie Smith,It didn't matter—proof that Isabella understood instruction was enough.
After Isabella transformed into Hermione and passionately encouraged Harry…
"Chris, what do you think of Isabella?"
By 5 p.m., the three heads of the Harry Potter project were in the final meeting.
They unanimously agreed on the actors for Harry and Ron. For Hermione, voting hadn't begun yet, but Rowling immediately cast her vote for Isabella.
David Heyman looked at Chris Columbus.
His intention was clear: he would follow Rowling's vote.
After all, Daniel Radcliffe was essentially her pick.
Regardless of Rowling's reasons, he respected her decision. And he also thought Isabella was excellent.
Chris Columbus smiled wryly, looking at the voting sheet. Sighing, he said, "Do you know what I'm thinking? I feel like I'm back ten years ago."
"Ten years ago, when I took over Home Alone, I didn't actually want Macaulay Culkin. John Hughes, the writer-producer, insisted he was perfect, and that's how he became the lead."
"I don't mean this to complain about John Hughes or say my concession was wrong. I just realized, working with Macaulay, that he really was talented. I only initially denied him because I didn't understand him."
"So…"
"Maggie Smith got a good student."
Chris Columbus circled Isabella Haywood's name on the voting sheet.
"Here's to a great collaboration."
He gently placed the sheet on the table.
Rowling beamed.
"Oh~ Chris~ thank you~"
With Columbus yielding, it would have been impolite for her to remain stern.
"Our collaboration will definitely be a pleasure."
David Heyman also circled Isabella Haywood's name.
With consensus reached, all parties soon received the casting results.
For Warner Bros., ending disputes and starting the project was excellent news.
No more unnecessary financial losses!
For the final interview candidates, failure was a huge blow. But success…
"What? Director Jesse? The results are already out?"
"Oh~ okay~ got it~ thank you, thank you~ Please thank Ms. Rowling for me~ I'll visit another day~"
Vivian received the call at 6:15 p.m.
They were at the top-floor restaurant of Harrods in Knightsbridge.
Harrods is one of the world's largest luxury department stores. Meals here are pricey—an ordinary bowl of Japanese ramen costs £29, and today's reservation easily ran into the thousands.
They dined not to celebrate, but to thank Isabella for her recent contributions at home.
Vivian had seen every busy moment Isabella had endured and worried for her.
Although Vivian had said earlier that results didn't matter, she still trembled with emotion when the surprise arrived. She pressed her lips together, trying to smile, but her eyes still welled with tears.
Taking a deep breath—
If I can't control my emotions, I won't try!
She leaned toward her daughter, forehead touching hers, murmuring, "Mom loves you."
The simplest words were the most heartfelt confession.
Smiling with joy, Isabella replied, "Me too," and glanced at her older sister, previously ignored.
Catherine had guessed everything, her eyes shining with excitement, but she waited before acting.
"I am Hermione Granger."
Isabella winked at her sister.
"Oh~~~"
Her calm yet extraordinary tone was like a spark, igniting Catherine's enthusiasm.
"Congratulations, Isla!"
Catherine jumped up—
"Oh my god~ you really did it! You really did it!!"
She threw herself at her sister.
Isabella opened her arms to embrace her.
Then…
"Thud!"
"Ow~"
All three felt a sudden sharp pain in their heads.
No one knew who hit whom, only that they bumped heads.
Note:
Home Alone was directed by Chris Columbus, but in the U.S., it's credited to John Hughes as writer-producer. Hughes wrote the script specifically for Macaulay Culkin, who had previously appeared in Hughes' Uncle Buck.
John Hughes had a major influence in the U.S., specializing in teen films. His works include The Breakfast Club and Some Kind of Wonderful. The latter was so popular it became a TV series in 1990, inspiring a band in 1995 named Save Ferris, referencing a song from the film.