Former Harry Potter movie actor Rupert Grint is facing a $2.3 million bill after losing a legal battle with tax authorities.
Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the magical film series, was ordered to pay the money in 2019 after the British tax authority, Revenue and Customs, examined his tax returns from seven years ago.
The agency said Mr. Grint misclassified $5.7 million in residual funds from the film — money earned from DVD sales, television broadcasts, streaming rights, etc. — as capital assets rather than income, which is subject to a much higher tax rate. It is said that
Grint's lawyers appealed, but after years of wrangling, a judge ruled against him this week. Judge Harriet Morgan said the money “substantially all of its value arose from Mr Grint's activities” and was “taxable as income”.
Grint, 36, appeared in all eight Harry Potter films between 2001 and 2011 as the boy wizard's best friend, and is estimated to have earned around $30 million for the role.
He previously lost another legal battle over a $1.2 million tax refund in 2019.
