Warner Bros Studio Tour London has won the award for Best UK Attraction at Travel Weekly’s Globes in both 2016 and 2017, so we took a trip down Diagon Alley to meet Death Eater Mason Kayne.
My daily duties involve…
As a living Death Eater mannequin it’s important to get into character before I start work. I wear the original mask and black wizarding robes used in the films, but it’s not just the costume that’s important – it’s also my body language and the way I hold myself, because I have to recreate the character. To prepare for my role, I sometimes watch the films again and see how the Death Eaters behave and move around, so I can make the experience as authentic as possible. The most important thing is the experience our visitors have. I always try to give them an interesting and unique interaction so that each person gets something different and no visit is the same. Of course, having my photograph taken with visitors is a large part of my role as a Death Eater as well.
I’ve been in my job for…
More than four and a half years. I’ve been both a guide and Death Eater at the Warner Bros Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter.
I became a Death Eater because…
I already had experience, having appeared in the Harry Potter film series as a Death Eater. It’s a fantastic opportunity to revive something I thought I’d never get to do again, and present it in a new way to our visitors.
The first thing I do when I get to work is…
Make sure everything is okay with the Death Eater costume. They are the original ones from the film series so we have to make sure they are presented just as they were on screen. I also like to practise my wand moves. We often get into ‘duels’ with visitors so we use some of the wand moves taught to the cast while filming.
The most rewarding part of my job is…
It’s all about visitors’ reactions. Being in the original costumes of the ‘villains’ from the film series you get amazing responses from visitors who are either scared, shocked or delighted to see you. It’s also great to be part of a world that still means so much to people 16 years after the first film was released.
Which Hogwarts house are you in?
According to the Sorting Hat on Pottermore, I’m in Slytherin House – which, I suppose, is fitting for a Death Eater.
The most challenging part of my job is…
Some visitors, especially the younger ones, are inevitably scared of the costume so I change my body language around anyone who looks frightened. The costume itself also presents challenges – the outfit has a few layers and can be restrictive and hot.
Which is your favourite film?
That’s a difficult one, and I often find myself changing my answer. As far as work is concerned, I think I had the most fun on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 because the Battle of Hogwarts scenes were so exciting to shoot, but I also love the Triwizard Tournament challenges from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.