Altho it’s been pretty much out of the media at large for several weeks now, the H1N1 Virus (better known as the Swine Flu) is still wreaking havoc on people all around the world. Far from the epidemic we were told it may become, folks all around the globe are still coming down with the illness. Late yesterday we learned that Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley in the wildly successful big screen adaptations of the equally popular book series, is among the folks who has contracted Swine Flu. According to his publicist, the good news is that Grint is now well enough to attend the London premiere of the new film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:

Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint is recovering from a “mild bout” of swine flu. Grint, who plays Ron Weasley in the films, took a few days away from filming the latest film, but has now been able to return to work. “It has just been confirmed that Rupert Grint has taken a few days out of filming due to a mild bout of swine flu,” his publicist said. “He has now recovered and is looking forward to joining his fellow cast members at the junket and premieres this week and will then return to filming directly afterwards.” She said Grint’s doctor had confirmed that Rupert had recovered and was no longer contagious or at risk of infecting others. “Other scenes were shot in his absence which did not require his involvement and thus filming was not disrupted,” she added. Grint, 20, from Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire, is currently filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows … He has starred in all the Harry Potter films as well as British comedy film Thunderpants and the comedy drama Driving Lessons with Julie Walters.

Whoa! It’s always very risky when anyone contracts this illness so hearing that Rupert Grint came down with the ailment is pretty shocking. It is very comforting to know that he is now well enough to attend the first big premiere of the latest Harry Potter film to hit theaters. There is no information as to how Grint contracted the virus and I doubt any further information about his illness will be made available to the public. All that matters at this point is that he is in recovery. Get well soon, Rupert! Glad to hear you’re on the mend.

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On Wednesday we learned that Lady Gaga is featured on the cover of Rolling Stone’s Hot List issue for 2009 but she is not the only “hot” person/thing featured in the mag. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been chosen as the Hot Actor, Bat for Lashes has been chosen as the Hot Singer, Rupert Grint (who plays Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films) has been chosen as the Hot Sidekick and the LA band Silversun Pickups has been chosen as the Hot Band. Here are some pics of these hot folks as featured in the mag:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been a hot actor for some time but it seems like folks are finally waking up to the fact that he rules … here’s hoping his stint in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra doesn’t undo all of the hard work he’s done over the years. Bat for Lashes has to be one of the most exciting new artists to burst on the scene. While Lady Gaga is trying really hard to stand out and be different, Bat for Lashes is actually standing out and being wonderfully different. Her album rules. Rupert Grint is really a very cool sidekick for Daniel Radcliffe’s Harry Potter, as anyone familiar with the movies should know. He really brings Ron Weasley to life. You can click HERE to read Rolling Stone’s thoughts on his awesome sidekickness. After The Oohlas (who are my fave LA band), I’d have to pick the Silversun Pickups as my second fave band. They are so the Mazzy Star/The Sundays alternarock band of the times. I’ve loved every song they’ve ever written … their sound hearkens back to my shoegaze youth and makes the experience feel new all over again. Rolling Stone doesn’t always get the “hot” things right every year but this time, they’ve picked a few winners. Kudos for them for finally gettin’ their fingers on the pulse.

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Now that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is in the can, ready for release this July it’s about time that production got underway on the big screen adaptation of the 7th and final book in the Harry Potter series, The Deathly Hallows. Because the book is so epic is size and scope (at least for a kid’s book) and because the movie studio would like to get as many movies out of the series as possible, Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows will be broken up into two films — part I and part II — to be released over time. Here are a few photos of the three stars Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermoine Granger) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) on the London streets set of part I of the final film:

While it is very exciting that production is finally underway on the movie(s) version of the final HP book, it’s a bit sad that it’s all coming to an end again. When The Deathly Hallows was released in book form back in 2007, it was met with great enthusiasm as well as great sadness. The finality of the story was bittersweet to many (me included). The release of the special book The Tales of Beadle the Bard was a nice little Harry Potter treat to snack on last Xmas but now that the book series is finished there is nothing really to look forward to anymore. The HP movies, at least, provide that outlet of looking forward … but once these films are finished and released — that’s it. JK Rowling has hinted that she may return to the world of Harry Potter in some way again in the future but I’m not sure I’m ready to hold my breath just yet. As I mentioned before, I’m planning on rereading the entire series in the coming months in order to refresh my memory and get back into the world of Harry Potter again. I am anxious to see The Half-Blood Prince this Summer … and The Deathly Hallows thereafter. Now that production has begun on the Deathly movie(s) it won’t be very long until we’ll be talking about that film in the theaters, too.

[Photo credit: INFdaily]

Sweet and innocent Rupert Grint, known to the world as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies, has taken on a new, more adult role in a new BBC production called Cherry Bomb. Like his Harry Potter co-star Daniel Radcliffe (who took on a West End role in Equus that required he be completely nude on stage), it seems that Rupert is looking to expand his acting horizons beyond the realm of kiddie flicks. Here is a pic of Rupert lookin’ all clean and nice like he normally does …

After the jump, check out a sorta graphic (prolly NSFW) photo of the lad bloodied and bruised …

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