In the film adaptations of Rowling’s books, they played the fat and mean Crabbe and Goyle. Where did the actors disappear to afterward?
Joshua Herdman (Gregory Goyle)
The actor was born on March 26, 1987, in Hampton, London, and was the youngest son of actor and professional rugby player Martin Herdman and his wife Jessica.
John began acting at the age of seven, and his father even found him an agent to seriously pursue his son’s career. Success came when, at the age of 13, Herdman auditioned for the role of Gregory Goyle, a friend of the main antagonist Draco Malfoy, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. He went on to star in seven more films in the wizarding saga. Interestingly, Josh initially auditioned for the role of another unsavory character in the story—Harry Potter’s cousin Dudley.
In the films, Herdman was hardly a handsome man: broad-faced, with an upturned nose, he seemed ideally suited to the role of a nasty Slytherin student and was a typical “ugly” friend of the arrogant Malfoy, who was used to shining and drawing all the attention to himself.
After the finale of the magical saga, Herdman disappeared from the public eye. Other roles appeared in his filmography, but they didn’t make much of a splash, and his films went largely unnoticed by the general public. The only exception was “Robin Hood,” starring Taron Egerton, but even there, Josh remained in the background.
But there’s an explanation for such a lackluster filmography. After Harry Potter, Herdman became interested in jiu-jitsu, and in 2016, he dedicated himself to a career in MMA.
“I chose MMA because I love the sport. It’s rough, exciting, and unpredictable. I find it more interesting than boxing, although I appreciate the beauty and art in boxing,” the actor said.
So these days, you can find him in the gym more often than on the set. However, Josh does occasionally return to the Goyle role. Herdman hasn’t yet won any significant MMA titles, so he’s happy to capitalize on his former fame: he travels the world, participating in fan events and meetups, and posts archival photos.
Herdman’s personal life is going well: he’s married to Jessica Worth, and together they are raising two sons. Incidentally, Josh has already gotten his boys involved in sports—both practice judo.
Jamie Waylett
Less enviable was the fate of another “bad guy” in Draco’s company, Vincent Crabbe, played by Jamie Waylett. His life went downhill after filming.
Jamie was born on July 21, 1989, into a large family—he has five brothers and sisters. At the age of nine, the future actor nearly lost his life. He was hit by a car, and doctors gave him a dire prognosis. But to their surprise, Jamie made a full recovery.
Waylett’s film career began by chance: casting directors scouting young actors across England photographed him, a student at Emmanuel Primary School, for an audition.
Like his future on-screen friend, Jamie was originally considered for the role of Dudley Dursley, but director Chris Columbus cast him as Vincent Crabbe.
He appeared in this role in six films of the Harry Potter saga. This role will remain the only one in his filmography. After the sixth film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the role of Jamie Waylett was replaced by a new character.
Why was the actor expelled from Hogwarts early? In 2009, the actor was stopped by police. A knife and eight bags of marijuana were found during a search. In 2011, Jamie was arrested for participating in violent riots and stealing a bottle of champagne from a supermarket, and ultimately received a three-year prison sentence.
Since his Harry Potter days, the actor has changed beyond recognition. In a rare video released after his release from prison, Jamie was pictured with unkempt stubble, tousled hair, and a facial tattoo.
Today, the former actor makes money on a website where celebrities charge fans for personalized video messages. Waylett charges £164 for a video featuring himself. Jamie also occasionally appears at fan autograph sessions, including with Herdman.
