Rupert Grint, widely known for playing Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films, has been ordered to pay $2.3 million (Rs 19 crore) after losing a long-running dispute with UK tax authorities. .

The issue arose from Grint’s tax filings for the 2011–2012 financial year, which were investigated by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The tax agency argued that Grint had wrongly classified nearly $5.7 million in earnings from the Harry Potter franchise, including DVD sales, TV rights and streaming royalties, as capital assets. This classification would have made the income subject to a lower tax rate.

Grint’s legal team appealed the decision, but after years of legal proceedings, Judge Harriet Morgan ruled against him this week. The judge held that the income “derived its entire value from Mr Grint’s activities” and should therefore be taxed as income.

The decision finalizes an ongoing case since 2019 and strengthens HMRC’s stance on the taxation of earnings from entertainment and intellectual property rights.