Harry Potter may be the Boy Who Lived and the Chosen One, but it’s Bem who ultimately steals the show in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, the third part of JK Rowling’s famous fantasy series revolves around Harry’s third year at Hogwarts, which coincides with the disappearance of Sirius Black (Gary Oldman). As Sirius escapes Azkaban prison to supposedly find Harry, Harry learns more about his parents and the effects of trauma from new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin (David Thewlis).

Bem may be obscure Harry Potter character in the grand scheme of things, but Ekow Quartey is a bit more recognizable. Seven years after his brief appearance in Prisoner of Azkaban (which also served as his acting debut), Quartey joined the National Theater at Shakespeare’s Globe; he has since played characters like Forest Lord and William in William Shakespeare As you like itNana and Tootles in Peter PanAnd Macbeth at Shakespeare Macbeth. Quartey recently played the role of JJ in Amandaland​​​​​, a British comedy miniseries that premiered in February 2025. Although he still pursues an acting career today, Quartey will always be remembered for his haphazard (but important) impact on the third film. Harry Potter movie.

Who is Bem in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban?

Image via Warner Bros.

It’s been a little over twenty years since Prisoner of AzkabanSince Bem’s release, Bem remains an icon, a legend and of the moment. Throughout the film, Bem is a Gryffindor student who is friendly to Harry and the rest of their classmates. Try to explain WHO Bem gets a little tricky when you look at the character’s overall performance: Bern appears randomly and disappears without a trace the moment Sirius utters his (equally iconic) “I’ve done my waiting!” monologue. In fact, Bem is such an enigma that his name is never even spoken. Quartey is credited as “Boy 1” in the Prisoner of Azkaban generic, but its name is given if the film is turned on with subtitles.

Generally speaking, Bem’s presence functions more as a plot device than anything else. When Harry and the audience need an explanation, Bem is there to save the day. As the group attends Professor Trelawney’s (Emma Thompson) divination class, Bem explains that the Grim is “one of the darkest omens in our world. It’s an omen…of death.” When the Daily Prophet later reports that Sirius is said to be near Hogwarts, Bem drops this iconic line that still rivals any Shakespearean performance: “It’s like trying to catch smoke. It’s like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.”

Bem is not intended to overshadow the main Harry Potter characters, but he still does it (and quite easily) in every scene he’s in. One aspect of Bem that remains appealing and intriguing today is that, in over two decades, no details about the character have ever been revealed. It can be assumed that Bem may be of Nigerian ancestry and was born in 1980 or 1981 (Prisoner of Azkaban takes place between 1993 and 1994), but beyond that, the Hogwarts student is a real enigma. On top of that (and more importantly), both of Bem’s lines are delivered so dramatically and with an inspiring level of conviction. Thanks to Bem, the audience truly feels that the omens are dangerous, that Sirius should not be disturbed, and that Harry is set on the path to inadvertent trouble.

Bem is an iconic (but not canon) character from Harry Potter

Image via Warner Bros.

Prisoner of Azkaban is (without doubt) the best Harry Potter film, but it’s fair to say that Cuarón took his share of liberties in adapting Rowling’s third book. In retrospect, in fact, it has become quite clear that the first two films (directed by Chris Columbus) are the most faithful to the book. In the film, for example, the last scene shows Harry receiving a new broom surrounded by his classmates, then taking the broom for a brisk ride. Although exciting, Harry receives the Firebolt after his first Quidditch match, a gift quickly withdrawn by Professor McGonagall. Another major liberties taken involves the third years’ trip to Hogsmeade. To summarize succinctly, there are two trips to Hogsmeade in the Prisoner of Azkaban book, and during a visit, Harry has to run away after being seen by Draco Malfoy.

Returning to Cuarón’s adaptation of Prisoner of Azkabanthere is no doubt that overall the film is a home run. The atmosphere and cinematography mark a real turning point for the darkest elements of the series (even before the return of Voldemort), the special effects are well done and everyone’s performances are gripping. Much of the dialogue sparks intrigue and mystery, especially everything that comes out of Bem’s mouth. His lines are reserved for the moment when the tension reaches its peak and the scene is ready to change, giving way to a strong payoff. What reinforces Bem’s celebrity status more than anything is that we know nothing about him.

Even if Bem was given any sort of backstory, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s the most egregious non-canon. Harry Potter ​​​​​​character forever presented. There have been heated debates over the years about how many students attend Hogwarts each year, but Rowling’s books consistently explain that there are only five boys in Harry’s year and they all share the same dormitory until Deathly Hallows: Harry, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Neville Longbottom (Mathew Lewis), Dean Thomas (Alfred Enoch) and Seamus Finnegan (Devon Murray). Bem is a Gryffindor in Prisoner of Azkabanand while he could being in a different year, this theory also fails. Each group takes classes together throughout their tenure at Hogwarts, with no one moving up or down a “year”, regardless of their abilities. When Hermione enrolls in additional classes in the third film, for example, she is given a time turner to do so and is not elevated, per se, to “fourth year” classes.

It is worth mentioning that Bem is not the only non-canonical character randomly inserted into the Harry Potter film adaptations. In Prisoner of Azkabanfor example, there is another unidentified Gryffindor student who is present during Hagrid’s magical creatures class. This character is played by Rick Sahota and simply referred to as “Boy 2” in the credits. Nigel Wolpert (William Melling) is another character introduced in the films, although he never appeared in a film. Harry Potter ​​​​​​book. Then, on the other hand, several Harry Potter the characters have minor supporting roles (despite a greater impact in Rowling’s books), never to be seen again. Examples include Justin Finch-Fletchley (Edward Randell) and Stan Shunpike (Lee Ingleby).

Why was Bem included in the Harry Potter franchise?

Image via Warner Bros.

Bem steals the show in Prisoner of Azkabanand for those who need more of him in their lives, the character can be briefly seen in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. When Dumbledore’s Army first assembles and Harry begins teaching spells in the Room of Requirement, Bem is present in the background, standing with the others. Quartey’s CV confirms that he appears as appearing in the fifth Harry Potter movie, although Bem wears Ravenclaw robes, not Gryffindor.

So what’s wrong with Bem, and why is the non-canonical Harry Potter character there in the first place? The short answer is that there is no legitimate reason, and therefore no real answer. Bem comes in without context and delivers some of the harshest lines ever spoken Harry Potterthen mysteriously dives. Although Quartey’s fleeting performance helps set the mood and propel the narrative in Prisoner of Azkabanhis lines could easily have been given to Dean. Harry’s roommate shows up as a minor supporting character in the third Harry Potter ​​​​​​movie in which, as a child, I thought Bem and Dean were the same person (just a different actor).

Of course, since Bem’s inclusion makes no sense, many theories (some more realistic than others) have been proposed by netizens over the years. Quartey’s initial audition for the Harry Potter the franchise didn’t make the official cut, but the casting department liked it so much they came up with Bem? Did Quartey win an obscure competition to enter Prisoner of Azkaban, or do you have a personal connection somewhere to help him land the role? Considering that the actor and Cuarón have never provided an explanation to date, one can even speculate further (of course, for purely entertainment purposes). Imagine if Bem was really Albus Dumbledore disguised by the Polyjuice Potion, for example.

Ultimately, even though Bem is an iconic character, many other canon Harry Potter the characters should have been given some screen time as well, instead of being completely left out of all eight films. Five of Rowling’s characters who never saw the light of day on screen (although there are more) include Winky (a house elf), Peeves (a poltergeist), Charlie Weasley (Ron’s second eldest brother), Professor Binns (the ghost professor of history of magic), and Voldemort’s immediate family. Compose a whole Harry Potter character instead of including those already introduced, it’s a bit questionable, but in Bem’s case the change paid off in the long run.

Release date

March 1, 2004

Runtime

144 minutes

Director

Alfonso Cuarón

Writers

JK Rowling, Steve Kloves

Producers

Callum McDougall, Chris Columbus, David Heyman, Lorne Orleans, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan