Co Kildare Harry Potter star being sued by agent

A Co Kildare actor who was a child when working in the Harry Potter film series has told the High Court an agent’s agreement signed by his parents was “forced on us” without legal advice.

Devon Murray (27), who played “Seamus Finnigan”, denied he had only this week told his family’s lawyers about dissatisfaction with the service provided by Neil Brooks, trading as Neil Brooks Management, or that the first time such dissastisfaction was mentioned was in court.

The Irish Times reports Mr Murray was being cross-examined in an action by Mr Brooks against the actor and his parents Fidelma and Michael, of The Lawn, Oldtown Mill, Celbridge, Co Kildare, for the recovery of €286,000 in commission fees, including interest, he says the Murrays owe him for Devon’s work.

Denying the claims, the Murrays said they sacked Mr Brooks while Devon was working on the third Harry Potter movie arising from an incident in which the actor, then aged 13, was photographed smoking a cigarette on the London set.

They claim Mr Brooks did not act when they sought his help to deal with subsequent adverse worldwide publicity and to address the security situation over the taking of the photo.

Mr Brooks told the court he was in South Africa at the time helping his seriously ill sister.

The incident over the smoking was the responsibility of Devon’s guardian, he said. “What could I have done?”

His mother, in reply to a question from the judge about where all the money from residuals in early days had gone, said he had “gone drinking, taken out girls and bought cars because that is what teenage boys do”.

He said he had been receiving fees for “residuals” — money from DVD and other box office sales — over the years but they had at now dwindled to around £1,000 per month.

He had rented out his house so as to pay the mortgage and had moved back in with his parents in Celbridge.

Mr Justice Michael Moriarty said he would rule on the matter on Friday.