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Even more than two decades after they first stepped into Hogwarts’ Great Hall, Harry Potter stars James and Oliver Phelps can still picture — and smell — every inch of the beloved set.
The twin actors, best known for playing prankster brothers Fred and George Weasley, recently reunited on the same Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden grounds to film the second season of Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking, Food Network’s cooking competition series. And this time around, the aromas were a lot sweeter for the stars.
The brothers’ new show brings them back to the Great Hall — a fictional dining space that became the heart of Hogwarts and a symbol of togetherness for students in the series. For the real-life cast, it holds that same emotional weight: the place where they celebrated holidays, filmed major scenes and grew up on screen.
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Oliver recalls those long shooting days vividly — especially the less glamorous parts. “It was funny because when we were filming any Great Hall day, when it was just filled with people, there’d be so many smells,” he exclusively tells PEOPLE. “Even now, if I watch any of those scenes, I can still smell roasting or oiled vegetables — which isn’t a great smell.”
The now-39-year-old laughs, adding that the mix of scents was the culmination of food props to make the grand meals look appetizing, not necessarily smell amazing. “To look good for all the feasts and everything like that, they wanted all these turkeys and everything like that,” explains the star. “But yeah, the elements I just think of are smelly socks pretty much.”
Though he and James admit the sensory overload was all part of the experience. Between hundreds of extras, glowing candles and steaming platters of real food, the Great Hall was both awe-inspiring and overwhelming. Still, it became their playground — literally.
“When we weren’t filming on one set, it would be open. So we’d play soccer in the Great Hall or we’d play cricket on Privet Drive,” Oliver recalls. “All those kinds of things, so the behind-the-scenes memories still come back quite a lot.”
Watching the movies now, James says, can feel like time travel. “I think like anyone that’s in any movie, whether it’s an indie or something like Potter, if you watch it back and you’re in it, you remember what you were doing behind the camera at that time,” he says. “It’s quite unique to be able to remember what you were doing 25 years ago if you watch a movie.”
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Even specific scenes spark crystal-clear memories — and sometimes, reminders of how far they’ve come. “Let’s say the fourth movie, for example — there’s a scene when the students are being taught by [Professor] McGonagall [played by Maggie Smith] how to dance,” Oliver explains. “I remember that was filmed in Oxford, and we’d literally come from a music festival the day before.”
The two laugh at the thought, adding, “It was in the summer, and we were filming there, trying to look composed. But you remember those moments — the feeling, the people, the smell of the room. It’s all still there.”
Now, filming Wizards of Baking in that same space — with the warm scent of frosting and sponge cake replacing the smell of overcooked turkey — feels like a full-circle return.
“It’s funny,” Oliver says. “All these years later, the Great Hall still feels magical. It just smells a lot better now.”
Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Food Network, with episodes streaming the next day on Max and discovery+.
