A former extras star from the beloved 'Harry Potter' film franchise has recently disclosed the meager compensation she received for her fleeting on-screen appearances, offering a glimpse into the unseen world behind the magic of the iconic series. Samantha Clinch, who portrayed Eloise Midgen in 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,' unveiled that her daily wage as an extra amounted to a mere £35. With shooting schedules stretching to arduous 12-hour days, this translated to a paltry £2.91 per hour.
Clinch, who also made an uncredited cameo in 'The Prisoner of Azkaban,' underscored the minuscule earnings of extras, even within the grandeur of a production as colossal as 'Harry Potter.' Sharing her experiences on TikTok under the handle @samanthaclinch, she recounted, "We'd be summoned for breakfast at 5 a.m. in a holding area outside the set, only to depart at rush hour, squeezed onto buses amidst heavy traffic."
Upon securing a named role in the fourth film, her pay witnessed a modest increase to £70 per day. She reminisced, "Little did I fathom that day, as I stepped onto the set, how transformative it would be for my life and my bank balance." Despite the meager financial rewards, she heaped praise on the series, exclaiming, "It was, without a doubt, the most magical chapter of my life."
She further added with a touch of humor, "Seriously, the quantity of Snickers bars and iced buns we polished off was staggering—a minimum of £15 worth each day, guaranteed!"
