The Magic of Artificial Intelligence Shows the Real Faces of Harry Potter
By Harper D.
We may not be wizards, but we know magic when we see it. The film adaptations of the Harry Potter series had impressive special effects. But we weren’t spellbound by all the characters: Many never looked the way we imagined them. First and foremost, Harry was supposed to have green eyes! A Vietnamese artist online who goes by ‘Msbananaanna’ decided to take action. Using artificial intelligence software called Artbreeder, she generated the most iconic characters based on real descriptions. Hermione disturbed her the most — actress Emma Watson was just too beautiful, she says. More than a magic wand was needed to fix this issue which was long overdue. Let’s take a look at the artist’s best work, and go straight to Hogwarts!
Meet Sirius Black
Of all the characters recreated in this project, the artist has a favorite. That turns out to be Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather. In the movie, they picked a rugged actor to play the part. But it wasn’t quite right, she says. Her new AI version is putting a spell on us!
Msbananaanna shares: “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.”
Hello There, Fleur Delacour
Fleur Delacour was the French witch from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. J.K. Rowling described her as a young gal of breathtaking beauty. Tall and willowy, the room seemed airless when this blonde walked into a castle room. She even seemed to have a faint, silvery glow.
It’s obvious why the wizards had a crush on her, based on that passage. She was a real stunner and she even had a charming accent. We probably all imagined her a little differently. Is this close to what you envisioned?
Nymphadora Tonks is Quirky
We all knew her as Tonks, for short. This half-blooded, metamorphmagus auror worked for the Ministry of Magic and went on a covert mission to save the world. Naturally, or perhaps unnaturally, she had pink hair. What did her face look like?
Well, here she is for your consideration. The AI software used the description from the book and made a real-life Tonks so we can finally say hi. It’s not real magic. But it’s the closest thing we have, as muggles.
Cho Chang Was a Looker
Harry had a crush on Cho Chang, and we can’t blame him. They had a lot in common, with their mutual Quidditch hobby. But we think it was her long, shiny black hair that really caught his eye. Look at AI Cho, and be the judge!
In the book, J.K. described Cho as a very pretty girl who attracted a lot of attention in the halls of Hogwarts. Students who fell under her spell included Cedric Diggory, Michael Corner, and Roger Davies. Harry was famous, but he still had competition.
Severus Snape is Sinister
The movie version of this professor isn’t so far off from the AI Snape, seen here. In the book, he is described as thin with a large, hooked nose. His skin and teeth are both said to be a little yellow. His hair is greasy and black.
Combined with his flowing, dark robes, he was compared to a big bat. We can’t say that he was the most attractive professor of the bunch. Nor was he the friendliest. He used to be a death eater! In this portrait, we can see the truth.
Tom Riddle Still Scares Us
If you ever wondered what Voldemort looked like as a youngster, wonder no more. Yes, we had the movie version to give us a clue. But here, artificial intelligence has generated a much creepier version for our consideration. Behold, Tom Riddle!
One day, this young man would grow up to be a mass murderer. He would, in fact, be the killer of Harry Potter’s parents. It’s hard to judge a teen and say they are destined for evil. But looking at this digital image, doesn’t it seem true?
Lily Potter Before Her Murder
Harry Potter grew up an orphan. He only had stories of what his mother was like. He saw her face as a baby, theoretically. But he couldn’t remember those years, and it’s a bit sad. Here is Lily, before tragedy struck.
Lily is lovely! Right away, we can see where Harry gets his eyes. Both have the gift of green, which isn’t very common. She never got to live and grow old, but maybe artificial intelligence can show us that, soon.
Narcissa Malfoy has Evil Eyes
Malfoy’s mom looks just as deranged as you would expect, it turns out. AI has generated this version of the character, and we have chills. This matriarch of a death eater clan has cold, empty eyes. That sounds about right!
Narcissa was tall, blond, and thin. But she wasn’t completely attractive because she was “wearing a look that suggested there was a nasty smell under her nose.” J.K. Rowling didn’t hold back with this character. She created a nightmare!
Hermione Granger Was Homely
Hermione was a brunette, all the way: Brown hair, brown eyes. She was supposed to have bushy hair, and the studio did fluff up Emma Waston’s mane for the part. But as the artist says, Emma was too good-looking. It wasn’t authentic!
For the first three books, she actually had terrible, oversized teeth, too. It was only in book four that she shrank them, and that improved her looks. Here, AI has generated a version of her early character. Seems accurate to us!
Hey There, Argus Filch
Argus Filch was a Squib. That’s not a crime. But it is a handicap, in a magical world. He couldn’t perform magic, and he spent his time wandering around trying to enforce the school’s rules. What did the caretaker look like?
According to AI software, this is the Argus we know and sort of love. He has a steely gaze, and you know he means business. He is more than a generation older than the students, and you can see the passage of time on his face. Seems accurate, overall.
The Strangeness of Bellatrix Lestrange
Of all the death eaters, Bellatrix Lestrange must have been the best-looking. It doesn’t take away from her crimes. But she did sound striking. The character was described as “a woman with thick, shining dark hair, long eyelashes and heavily hooded eyes.”
Here, we see an AI-generated version of Bellatrix. Her features seem similar to the description, to be sure. But we are even more impressed with the dark look in her eyes. This is a villain, and the computer knew it!
The Freckles of Charlie Weasley
It’s hard to keep track of all the boys in the Weasley family. Let’s take a look at Charlie. Like his brothers, he was a redhead with freckles. He was Quidditch captain and eventually fought in the Second Wizarding War. Look at this AI tough guy!
J.K. described him as follows: “A stocky, red-haired man with a good-natured face, Charlie is freckly and weather-beaten from working outdoors; his hands are blistered and calloused, and he has several burns as a result of working with dragons in Romania.”
Remus Lupin Looks Tired
Remus Lupin was the best friend of Lily and James Potter, back in the day. Readers know he had an issue that set him apart from his friends. Remus was bitten by a werewolf as a child. Throughout his life, he was up at odd hours, depending on the moon!
Here he is, portrayed by artificial intelligence. The computer managed to capture a bit of his exhaustion. He has mysterious eyes, a serious expression, and stubble. Does that sound like a wizard with werewolf tendencies to you? We say yes.
Ginny Weasley is Prettier
Ginny was the girl of the Weasley bunch, and she started out young in the series. From the beginning, she was portrayed as a character who spoke her mind and had a moral compass. A lot of boys thought she was pretty, as she got older. It’s no wonder Harry eventually fell for her!
J.K. described Ginny with all the classic Weasley traits. She had flaming red hair and freckles. She had bright brown eyes, just like mama Weasely. When she blushed, she turned the same shade as her hair. Here she is, in 3D!
The Dreamy Gilderoy Lockhart
There were a few exceptionally attractive characters throughout the Harry Potter series. But none surpassed the good looks of Gilderoy Lockhart, a professor who was also a wizard celebrity. He had wavy blond hair, blue eyes, and a bright white smile.
AI recreated him like this, for us muggles to enjoy. But don’t swoon too hard: As readers may remember, Gilderoy turned out to be a total coward and fraud. His good looks got him far, but we found the truth eventually.
Finally, the Accurate Harry Potter
The boy who lived himself has been brought to life by artificial intelligence. Is he all you expected? Many fans complained that actor Daniel Radcliffe had blue eyes, which left out the character’s most important physical feature. They didn’t even fix it with special effects!
Here, Harry has the vibrant green eyes we demanded. And that’s not all: The book also described Harry as small and skinny for his age. He was supposed to have messy hair and a thin face. This portrait finally does him justice!
Awkward Ronald Weasley
Ron had most of the Weasley features: He was pale, freckled, and red-headed. The book said he had a long nose and blue eyes. He had a tall and lanky build. It also said he had big hands and feet. Poor Ron!
This differed from his twin brothers Fred and George, who were more stocky: He was actually similar in build to his older brothers, Bill and Percy. AI captured some of this information in a new portrait of Ron. It’s a bit different than the movie, isn’t it?
Luna Lovegood is Looney
Remember Luna Lovegood? She was the quirkiest girl in school, and we all imagined her in our own way. J.K. described her as follows: “She had straggly, waist-length, dirty blonde hair, very pale eyebrows, and protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look.”
Artificial intelligence did a decent job depicting heer basic features. In the book, Luna was said to have an odd fashion sense. She would also keep her magic wand behind her ear for safekeeping. Those details were not included here, but this is a good start.
Lucius Malfoy Has Dark Vibes
Lucius Malfoy the evil patriarch of his home. If anyone was confused by Draco’s behavior, dad might have had something to do with it. As a death eater loyal to Voldemort, he was sent to prison. He spent time there with the dementors, which took a toll on his face.
AI gave him cold blue eyes, pale skin, and white hair. But there’s more to Lucius by the time we meet him. The book said his skin was a bit yellow and waxy, and his eyes were sunken in. Rotting away in Azkaban will do that to you!
Dudley Dursley as a Real Bully
It’s never fair when one child is treated better than another, in the same house. Dudley Dursley didn’t mind, though. He was never fair! We know what he acted like, and it wasn’t good. What did he look like?
Early on, J.K. described Dudley as a pudgy kid. Eventually, though, he lost some of his baby fat. He weight lifted and became large and muscular. Here, it looks like Artificial Intelligence caught him somewhere in the middle phase. Not bad, AI!
Quidditch Star Viktor Krum
Viktor Krum flew all the way from Bulgaria to compete in Quidditch at Hogwarts. It was hard not to notice his foreign looks. The book recounts: “Viktor Krum was thin, dark, and sallow-skinned, with a large curved nose and thick black eyebrows. He looked like an overgrown bird of prey. It was hard to believe he was only eighteen.”
As readers may recall, Viktor had a bit of a romance with Hermione. They attended the Yule Ball together, and he confessed he had strong feelings for her by the end of the Triwizard Tournament. Just like his brows, Viktor was intense.
Neville Longbottom is Adorable
Neville Longbottom wasn’t the coolest kid at the beginning of the series. He was described as short and chubby with buck teeth. That’s not usually considered a winning combo at school, Hogwarts or not. Check out this artificial intelligence version of the character, here.
Truthfully, this might be a case where the film wins. His teeth aren’t so bad in this version, compared to the actor. The computer could have gone further to make him realistic. We like his friendly look, though. Neville seems like a fellow we could trust.
Draco Malfoy Terrifies Us
He was a bad apple from the beginning and it seems he didn’t fall far from the tree. Draco Malfoy was the son of two death eaters, and he did nothing to break the family tradition. At school, he was a creep from the start!
Physically, J.K. described him as a slender kid with cold grey eyes. His features were sharp and his blond hair was almost a shade of white. Here, the computer generated a scarier version than the movie. We dare say he looks demonic!
It’s Voldemort’s Mom
Merope Riddle is the real name of the witch who birthed he-who-should-not-be-named. She grew up in an abusive home and died shortly after Voldemort’s birth. By all accounts, her lie was challenging. Here she is, the way Harry saw her in a magical memory.
The book recounts: “Her hair was lank and dull and she had a plain, pale, rather heavy face. Her eyes, like her brother’s, stared in opposite directions. She looked a little cleaner than the two men, but Harry thought he had never seen a more defeated-looking person.”
Peter Pettigrew in Human Form
As readers know, Peter Pettigrew spent most of the story as a rat. When he actually transformed into his true form, he looked pretty rough. Here he is, as imagined by artificial intelligence. How did J.K. Rowling describe his new look?
According to the story, he had thin, colorless hair that looked unkempt. Worse, there was a large bald patch on the top. His skin looked grubby and he had small, watery eyes. Overall, not a pretty picture. This one, however, captures it beautifully.
Twin Face of Fred And George Weasley
There are three kinds of twins in the world. There are fraternal twins. There are identical twins. And then, there are Fred and George. These mischievous boys deserve their own category, say some fans. Here is what both looked like, in one AI face.
The book says they had flaming red hair like the rest of their clan. They had a bigger nose than some of their siblings, most similar to mother Molly. They were more stocky than some of their lanky brothers. And of course, both had tons of freckles!
Run, It’s Lord Voldemort
After Voldemort’s rebirth, he looked more terrifying than ever. The book recounts the moment he emerged in this freaky form: “The thin man stepped out of the cauldron…Whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes and a nose that was flat as a snake’s but with slits for nostrils.”
He had no hair, and looked like an actual demon. It’s not like Tom Riddle had a warm vibe. But this version of the dark lord was scarier than anything the wizarding world imagined. Stare into this AI version, if you dare!
Daddy James Potter
Sadly, Harry never got to grow up with his father by his side. The book does give us a clue about what he might have looked like, though. According to the story, James was a tall, thin guy with messy hair. He had hazel eyes and he wore glasses. He had a thin face and prominent eyebrows.
This is the AI version of James Potter, and it looks a lot like Harry. As the book said, James had a longer nose than his son. It seems Harry got that gene from Lily, along with her eye color.
The Hunky Cedric Diggory
Girls always love the jocks, and it turns out that witches are no different. Cedric Diggory was a Quidditch star with chiseled features, grey eyes, and dark hair. The dreamboat was in his 6th year, too. What more could you possibly want?
Fellow students described him as strong but silent. Fellow players knew he was well built. According to artificial intelligence software, this is what the character may have looked like in the flesh. Be honest: Is this how he looked in your fantasy?
Vernon Dursley Still Sucks
Harry’s uncle was a big reason he spent his youth in a closet. Vernon Dursley was an angry, burly man. When he would rage, his face would change from grey to red to green, at various times. As we all recall, Harry got the worst of it.
This is Vernon pictured in a stable mood. Big and beefy with his signature mustache, the computer really captured his essence here. It’s a horrid one, to be sure. But the technology really succeeded! Vernon notoriously hated magic. Would he approve of AI?
Dolores Umbridge is Still Insane
Well, well, well. It’s everyone’s favorite psychotic, sadistic magic professor, Dolores Umbridge. In the book, she was described as a “’large, pale toad” when it came to her appearance. The woman was ugly on the inside, though, more than anything.
Here, artificial intelligence has generated one version of the character using details from the story. We can almost hear her strange, high-pitched voice now, as we gaze. It’s triggering some bad memories, and we weren’t even victims. She was so cruel!
Petunia Dursley in the Flesh
Petunia Dursley was Harry’s nasty aunt. As a child, she became jealous of his mother for her magical abilities. After taking in Harry, it seemed she was still bitter. We know how she behaved. But to make things more vivid, how did she look?
The book says she was blond and blue-eyed. She was said to have a long face and horse-like teeth. The real distinctive feature was her neck, though. Petunia had “nearly twice the usual amount of neck.” The AI software missed that part!
It’s Professor Minerva Mcgonagall
Sometimes, strict and stern is a good thing. Professor Minerva McGonagall was a bit intimidating for the first year Hogwarts students. But as the series progressed, it was obvious that she had so much to teach. Here she is, as they may have seen her in transfiguration class.
This professor was described as tall with dark hair and spectacles. Her mouth would become thin when she was angry, and she always had a fairly serious look. Overall, this seems about right. No magic was required for this transfiguration!
The Real Pansy Parkinson
Pansy Parkinson was a witch in Slytherin House, and she had all the bad character to prove it. Later in the books, she wanted to turn Harry over to Lord Voldemort. Although she was a prefect, she wasn’t exactly a role model.
On more than one occasion in the book, Pansy was described as pug-faced. That is not a flattering description in muggle world or wizard world. Here, AI recreates what she may have looked like in real life. She doesn’t look friendly. Very authentic!
Eldest Bro Bill Weasley
The oldest of all the Weasley brothers was Bill. He was described as handsome, and had a red ponytail. He wore an earring with a fang and looked like a rockstar in his own wizarding way. It’s no surprise that Fleur Delacour fell for this magical lad.
But this time, it seems artificial intelligence got a Weasley wrong. The input resulted in a gangly, thin version of Bill. We can’t agree that this is the real character. We prefer the movie or our own imaginations. A bug in the program, perhaps?