A Harry Potter star who was once instantly recognisable as one of Hogwarts’ most notorious bullies has undergone a dramatic transformation since leaving prison.
Jamie Waylett became famous around the world as Vincent Crabbe, one of Draco Malfoy’s closest followers, appearing alongside Tom Felton and Josh Herdman throughout much of the hugely successful film franchise.
But while millions of fans remember him as the young Slytherin student causing trouble at Hogwarts, Waylett’s life took a very different direction after his time in the movies came to an end.
The actor eventually found himself in serious legal trouble and was sentenced to prison following his involvement in the 2011 London riots.
Years later, he is a very different-looking figure from the teenager audiences remember from the Harry Potter films.
Jamie Waylett was just a teenager when Harry Potter made him famous
Waylett was born in Kilburn, London, in July 1989.
His route into Harry Potter came unexpectedly after his photograph was taken as part of the audition process for the first movie.
He was initially considered for the role of Dudley Dursley, Harry’s unpleasant cousin, but was ultimately cast as Vincent Crabbe.
Waylett made his debut in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2001.
He went on to appear in six of the eight movies, becoming a familiar face to fans as Crabbe helped Malfoy intimidate Harry, Ron and Hermione.
The character was one of the franchise’s recurring antagonists, with Crabbe and Gregory Goyle frequently accompanying Malfoy around Hogwarts.
Waylett’s final Harry Potter appearance came in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2009.
However, fans would not see him return for the final two movies.
He disappeared from the Harry Potter franchise
In 2009, Waylett’s co-star Joshua Herdman confirmed that Waylett would not be returning for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The decision came around the same time as Waylett began attracting attention away from his acting career.
His legal problems had already begun.
In April 2009, Waylett and a friend were stopped by police, who searched their vehicle.
Officers reportedly discovered cannabis and a knife.
A subsequent search of Waylett’s mother’s home uncovered cannabis plants, leading to charges.
Waylett pleaded guilty to growing cannabis and was sentenced to 120 hours of community service.
The incident marked a dramatic change from the world of Harry Potter, where he had become famous as a child actor.
But it would not be his last encounter with the law.
Waylett was jailed after the London riots
In August 2011, violent riots spread across parts of London.
Waylett was later arrested over his involvement in the unrest, the Guardian reports.
He was accused of being part of a group involved in violence and looting in the Chalk Farm area of north London.
The former child star was photographed carrying a petrol bomb during the riots.
However, a jury later cleared him of intending to use the petrol bomb to destroy or damage property.
He was nevertheless found guilty of violent disorder.
Waylett had also admitted drinking from a stolen bottle of champagne during the unrest.
In March 2012, he was sentenced to two years in prison. He was 22 years old at the time.
The sentence effectively marked the end of Waylett’s acting career.
He never returned to Harry Potter
Unlike many of his former co-stars, Waylett did not go on to build a long career in film or television.
His filmography remains almost entirely associated with the Harry Potter franchise.
He appeared in six of the films between 2001 and 2009 and also provided the voice of Crabbe in two Harry Potter video games.
His absence became particularly noticeable in the final movies.
In the books, Crabbe plays an important role during the climactic events at Hogwarts, but the character was replaced by Blaise Zabini in the film adaptation.
Waylett subsequently disappeared from the entertainment spotlight.
What happened after his prison sentence?
Following his release from prison, Waylett largely stayed away from public life.
Unlike Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and many of the other young stars from the franchise, he did not return to acting.
As a result, fans have had very little opportunity to follow his life since his Harry Potter days.
The contrast is particularly striking because Waylett was just 12 years old when audiences first saw him as Crabbe.
He grew up on screen alongside a generation of Harry Potter fans before his career abruptly ended.
Now aged 37, he looks very different from the clean-shaven teenager who appeared in the early films.
From Hogwarts bully to one of the franchise’s forgotten stars
Waylett’s story is one of the more unusual to emerge from the Harry Potter cast.
While many of his former co-stars continued acting or moved into other areas of entertainment, Waylett’s career ended before he reached adulthood.
His portrayal of Crabbe remains his best-known role and, according to his filmography, his only major movie role.
For fans revisiting the original Harry Potter movies, his appearance can therefore be a reminder of just how young the cast was when the franchise began.
Waylett went from being a recognisable face in one of the biggest film franchises in history to largely disappearing from public view.
Today, the actor who once spent his days filming scenes inside Hogwarts lives a far more private life — and looks almost unrecognisable from the young Crabbe fans remember.
