Harry Potter: We see this character only once in the saga, and for a tragic reason

On July 15, 2009, Harry Potter fans discovered the 6th part of the famous wizard’s adventures in the cinema: Half-Blood Prince. As is customary for the films in the franchise, it was a huge success with a worldwide gross of $941 million. In France, 6 million fans flock to cinemas to see a feature film.

He is a funny and light character

J.K. The magical saga created by Rowling introduced us to an array of more or less remarkable characters, some of whom appear only once before returning. This is the case of Marcus Belby, a Ravenclaw student who can be seen in the Half-Blood Prince sequence during dinner at the Slug Club.

As the nephew of Damocles, a powerful sorcerer (the inventor of the Wolfsbane potion) that Slughorn wants to attract to his club, it is in this dinner scene that he gets his moment of glory. His lightheartedness and quirky personality really add a welcome touch of light, a contrast to the film’s dark and sinister tone.

In particular, we can see that she is much more engrossed in her dessert than in the conversation that Horace Slughorn is trying to start. The latter is also irritated, because he finds out that Damokle does not get along with his brother, Marcus’s father; Thus his plan to lure this Grandmaster into his Slug Club.

Controversial scene:

But why are we talking about this character in particular, you ask? It turns out that there is a tragic story behind it. Indeed, the role of Marcus Belby is played by actor Robert Knox. After starring in the TV series After You’ve Gone, Harry Potter was her first major film experience at just 17 years old.

A tragic story

The latter never got to see his performance in the film, as he sadly passed away on May 24, 2008, a year before Half-Blood Prince hit theaters. Robert Knox was 18 years old. He was stabbed to death outside a pub in Sidcup, London Borough of Bexley. The actor was fatally wounded while trying to defend himself from his brother’s attack. This is all the more disappointing since he signed on to return in the next episode, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Following the release of Half-Blood Prince, the actor’s notoriety for his role in the saga helped raise public and government awareness of the rise in knife attacks in England. In 2021, a documentary film was released that tells his story, titled (j)Knox: The Story of Rob Knox; The idea was to ensure his memory never fades and the condemnation of knife crime continues.

Documentary trailer:

An important legacy

In this documentary, former comrades from the Harry Potter adventures testify, including Tom Felton (Drago Malfoy), who befriended Robert Knox. David Yates, director of The Half-Blood Prince, recalls filming the dinner sequence at the Slug Club. Although the actress had to eat a large amount of dessert, she was “Patient and a real hard worker because he wanted to make sure the scene was perfect.”

Described as a talented and funny young man, not to be found in the pubs of London looking for trouble, Robert Knox leaves a real legacy; In fact, the actor’s family founded the Rob Knox Foundation to raise awareness among young people about the horrors of street crime. The facility also helps budding actors break into the acting world, providing them with a place to hone their skills and abilities.