James and Oliver Phelps at Fandemic Tour Houston

Our favorite twins are back! James and Oliver Phelps took the stage at the Fandemic Tour in Houston, Texas, to answer questions about everything from their charity endeavors to their legendary characters, Fred and George Weasley. The two remembered their characters fondly, noting that they do share one key trait with the twins:

We were always a bit mischievous, but nowhere near the confidence level that Fred and George have got. I think the characters rubbed off on us. But we do like to have a laugh, and laughing at things is very much our MO.

The twins are known pranksters, but they don’t always get away with their shenanigans. James and Oliver also told stories from the set of the Potter movies, including one of their own failed attempts to liven up the day:

We played cricket on Privet Drive. I wish that we’d got away with not breaking one of the windows. It was just like in real life if you’re playing in the street and a kid smashed a ball through a window. Everyone just runs. We’re talking like number 49 or something down the road. It wasn’t the Dursleys’ house. Good fun, good fun.

The actors promised to only answer one question about Fred’s death, but the audience couldn’t resist asking about the emotional toll the scene took on Oliver:

I think the day before it happened, I asked Julie Walters, ‘What’s the best way to get in character for that, to get emotional?’ And she said, ‘If you get into character or into that mindset before you leave your dressing room […], don’t talk to anyone. Just get straight on set and do it.’ And then the day of, I’m speaking with David Yates and he said, ‘Try and relate it to something happening in your own life.’

These days, the Phelps twins stay busy with several philanthropist efforts, including Help Harry Help Others, Teenage Cancer Trust, and WellChild. After an entertaining story about a charity bike ride, Oliver shared why he’ll be taking on similar challenges in the future:

It was the best thing I’d ever done. I genuinely did not think I was going to be able to do four days of solid riding, but it was really enjoyable. It reminded me that you can do stuff if you keep plugging away at it. And I really felt really rewarded for doing it. So yeah, it’s good, and also, the hospital raised over a hundred thousand pounds that week.

Fred and George are inspirational for so many people, as several of the fans at the panel expressed. The actors reminisced about playing the funniest characters in the series and always bringing the laughter:

It was awesome because we got to play the characters it seems so many people wanted to be able to play. We were able to have a laugh. We could smile [in] nearly every scene, especially in the later films when things are getting a bit dark. One thing you probably see a lot of the time is [that] Fred and George are a bit serious, but then there’ll be a smirk. So they were really, really cool characters to be able to play. And the best thing is that when we go out and about and people recognize us, they see us as the good guys.

We can’t wait to see where the Phelps twins go next!