If you’ve watched the After movies and thought the brooding Hardin Scott looked oddly familiar, you’re not imagining things. The actor behind the tattooed bad boy, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, has actually been on screen long before he stole hearts as Tessa Young’s complicated love interest — in none other than the Harry Potter franchise.
That’s right: the man behind Hardin once played a young Tom Riddle, the boy who would become Lord Voldemort. Hero appeared in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), portraying the chillingly calm child version of the dark wizard in flashback scenes. For many fans, realizing this connection was a jaw-dropping revelation.
From Dark Wizard to Dark Romantic Lead
At just 11 years old, Hero Fiennes Tiffin delivered a hauntingly mature performance as young Tom Riddle — a role that hinted at the depth and intensity he would later bring to After. Casting directors at the time noted his uncanny ability to portray a quiet menace beneath a charming exterior, a quality that now perfectly suits Hardin’s tortured, magnetic persona.
In a twist of family fate, Hero’s real-life uncle, Ralph Fiennes, famously played the adult version of Voldemort in the same series. Director David Yates once revealed that Hero wasn’t cast because of the family connection but because he “had an unsettling quality that felt right for the part.” That authenticity has continued to define his acting career.
The Transformation from Hogwarts to Heartthrob
Fast forward a decade, and Fiennes Tiffin has traded spells for steamy scenes. In After (2019), he burst onto the romance film scene opposite Josephine Langford, playing the mysterious college student Hardin Scott — a character based on Anna Todd’s wildly popular After book series that began as One Direction fanfiction.
Fans were instantly hooked by Fiennes Tiffin’s layered performance — equal parts arrogance, pain, and vulnerability. His portrayal turned Hardin into one of the most discussed romantic antiheroes of the 2010s, drawing comparisons to classic literary figures like Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. “The story is about growth and redemption,” Fiennes Tiffin said in a past interview. “Hardin makes a lot of mistakes, but he’s human. That’s what I wanted to show — the boy beneath the attitude.”
A Subtle Nod to His Past Role
For some eagle-eyed viewers, there’s even a sense of déjà vu in Hardin’s intense gaze and emotional volatility — traits that faintly echo the young Tom Riddle. “It’s funny,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “He went from being the future Dark Lord to being the dark lover.” The comment quickly went viral, highlighting just how full-circle his career has come.
Building His Own Legacy
Today, Fiennes Tiffin has firmly established himself beyond the shadow of both Voldemort and Hardin. With the After saga wrapped, he’s moving on to more mature and diverse projects, including action thrillers and dramas that showcase his range. Still, fans of both Harry Potter and After will never forget the surprising link between two of his most defining roles — the boy who would become the darkest wizard in history and the young man who learned how to love.
