Water day for Walters and her co-star

Published on 01/08/2005 12:21

HARRY Potter star Rupert Grint and screen legend Julie Walters braved the Edinburgh rain as they began filming the new comedy Driving Lessons.

Walters, whose ballet teacher inspired Billy Elliot in the hit movie of the same name, plays a retired actress who befriends Grint.

The youngster, who has starred as Harry Potter's bungling sidekick Ron Weasley in the film versions of the JK Rowling novels, is trying to escape his domineering mother - Love Actually's Laura Linney. During the weekend filming has been taking place in Candlemaker Row, the Calton Hotel, and the University Quadrangle, in Edinburgh.

Film-goers will also see scenes set against the world-renowned architecture of the Capital's Old and New Towns.

In another scene, viewers will see the results of months of salsa dancing when Grint's character is dragged to a club by his bubbly girlfriend.

The film is being directed by Jeremy Brock, who wrote the acclaimed Mrs Brown which starred Dame Judi Dench and Billy Connolly.

He earned Bafta nominations for his work on the 1997 movie as well as The Widowmaker.

A spokeswoman for Edinburgh Film Focus said: "We are, of course, delighted that another high-profile production is planning to film in Edinburgh.

"This year, like last year, the Capital seems to have attracted a lot of filming work.

"The landscape of Edinburgh is a very remarkable one to film-makers as much as it is to tourists."