Double Birthday Trouble

When Harry Potter fans think of Fred and George Weasley, comic relief may come to mind. Today on the 31st birthday of James and Oliver Phelps, the actors who played them in the films, we wanted to spread the word about how they’re using their brand of humor to help others in need.

2 of us,1 tee!Get our 1st ever limited edition shirt at https://t.co/PJA333DYuV with part of the proceeds going to @WellChild #doubletrouble pic.twitter.com/oNjS4I9UB0

— James Phelps (@James_Phelps) February 17, 2017

As supporters of WellChild, an organization that gives seriously ill children the best possible chance to thrive at home with their families, the Phelps brothers are selling official ‘Phelps Twins Double Trouble’ t-shirts and donating part of the proceeds to the charity. As advocates of this worthy cause, both Oliver and James have previously attended the prestigious annual WellChild Awards, with Oliver becoming a WellChild Ambassador in 2012.

In addition to their philanthropic work, the twins have been making appearances at Harry Potter: The Exhibition, as reported here by Leaky earlier this month. The Exhibition, which allows fans to experience the world of Harry Potter close to home, made its world premiere in Chicago in April 2009. The display of authentic artifacts and costumes then traveled to Boston, Toronto, Seattle, New York, Sydney, Singapore, Tokyo, Edmonton, Sweden, Cologne, Paris, Shanghai & Brussels and most recently to the Netherlands, where the brothers participated in Opening Day festivities.

Top time with the boys at the Harry Potter the Exhibition in Utrecht. #harrypotterexpo #Holland… https://t.co/QYVZVrmCYU

— Oliver Phelps (@OliverPhelps) February 9, 2017

To add to the birthday celebration, here’s a list of 11 things that fans may not know about James and Oliver Phelps, as reported here by the Herald Extra during the 2015 Salt Lake City Comic Con:

1. Harry Potter was the brothers’ first acting job.
2. The Weasley twins actors don’t actually have red hair.
3. The brothers thought the worst part of becoming gingers was dying their eyebrows.
4. Both twins prefer chocolate ice cream to vanilla, tea to coffee and rock music over pop.
5. They wish the films had included the portable swamp scene from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
6. Despite repeated rumors, the twins did not switch roles during the filming of Harry Potter.
7. If they could have any magical object from the wizarding world, James, said he’d love a portkey to circumvent traveling time. Oliver wants a portkey so he can make better “educated” guesses on the outcome of sporting events.
8. At the time of this interview, James had not taken the official quiz on Pottermore, but Oliver had been sorted into Gryffindor on the website. James was sorted into Hufflepuff at a Harry Potter Exhibition.
9. Oliver Phelps has George Weasley’s ear displayed at his home—“I’m holey”!
10. The butterbeer on the movie sets was sometimes as simple as orange juice topped with whipped cream.
11. Oliver said in the future, he would love to act in a western that has a shootout, preferably while wearing a hat. James said he loved the show Doug as a child and would love to be Skeeter Valentine in a live action version.

In honor of the twins birthday, consider helping WellChild by purchasing a Phelps Double Trouble t-shirt. They are available until March 2, and can be purchased here. And while you’re at it, take a look back at how the twins left their mark, with the biggest, baddest broom-riding display of all time:

Happy Birthday to James and Oliver Phelps from the Leaky Cauldron!