Posted by: Emma Pocock

If you keep up with the Harry Potter community on social media, you’ve probably seen the 31 Days of Wizardry series by amazingly talented Transformation Artist, Jaremi Carey.

We interviewed composer, actor and artist Jaremi about creating 31 incredible Harry Potter looks, recreating characters with an impressive level of accuracy. You might recognise Jaremi from TV, or as ever-beautiful drag persona Phi Phi O’Hara, but this new Wizardry series depicts Jaremi as Dumbledore, Dobby, Rita Skeeter, Umbridge — even Lord Voldemort himself!

Jeremi is no stranger to challenges like this – in 2016, Phi Phi O’Hara successfully completed ‘365 Days of Drag‘, posting 365 unique, complex and beautiful drag looks. This new Harry Potter challenge was right up our (Diagon) Alley, and after being shared by the official Harry Potter film account on Instagram, it’s fair to say it’s been a success!

We know plenty of fans in the Harry Potter community love cosplay and seeing other fans get creative, and our interview is a fascinating look into a talented artist’s work, and the amount of time and planning these looks take:

1) To do this you must be a pretty big Harry Potter fan? What made you want to do 31 Days of Wizardry?

I have a confession! I LOVED Harry Potter the movies growing up but the books were banned in Texas. So I never read the books till later into adult hood and then I dated a guy who was obsessed and we would watch and talk all things Harry Potter and then we broke up… so being bitter, I swore off Harry Potter!

It wasn’t till last year I did a Harry Potter brunch where I dressed as Bellatrix, Umbridge and Rita Skeeter that I fell back in love and was kicking myself for depriving me of something so magical and happy!

I did 31 Days of Wizardry to not only show the world my skills in costuming, prop making, and make up, but I wanted something fun and different on social media! The entire world is flooded with negative stuff online and sad news, so I thought it would be cool to put something fun and magical out there to take peoples minds off the daily struggles in the world.

2) Which was your favorite look to do?

My favorite looks have been Sprout and Hooch, mainly because I am barely wearing makeup in both pictures and making a silly face! [laughs] Their costumes are some of my most favorites too all the details with Sprout and the clean black and white for Hooch.

3) Did you prep all the looks beforehand to post out, or have you literally been doing them day by day?

I started at the end of August as far as ordering hair and make up and materials I would need but really crunched down in September. I shot 14 looks first and the rest I did during October.

Fun fact…..for the Malfoys I used the same wig! ^_^ I just added a piece to Narcissa for the brown. Keeping it in the family! pic.twitter.com/1uZp3d3Dh9 — Jaremi Carey (@PhiPhiOhara) October 30, 2019

4) What was your routine for taking on this transformations and sourcing the looks? How long do the transformations take?

I went to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London and spent hours there photographing everything! I wanted to see the details, the fabrics, the stitching and so on. I was gifted these amazing character vault books that went even more into detail on characters why they wore what they did and so on that really helped. Each outfit took about 2 days to sew and create. I would take anywhere from 2 to 4 pictures in a day depending on prosthetic.

5) We know so many people who would kill to be able to make outfits and do make-up like that – – what are your tips? Did you learn anything new from doing this?

You know, I have no clue how to make a pattern, I just eye everything and go from there. I started sewing when someone gifted me a body suit. I loved how it fit and wanted it in every color! I took the body suit apart by the seams to see the general shape, traced it on fabric and sewed a new one. From there I would dissect garments and learn the basic struct of how things were made.

Make up I have done for years and the way I learned is watching others, then going home to practice in the mirror. I always tell people to never be afraid of make up! The worst thing that could happen is you mess up, which then you can wash off and try again, no harm done!

6) Any desire to do other themed transformation months in future?

Oh yes, I have a few I want to do! I am thinking a Tim Burton series would be rather fun, and even Star Wars!

7) Did you notice an influx of Potter fans when you started posting the 31 Days of Wizardry? How have you found the response?

Oh my gosh, yes! [laughs] Especially when the Offical Harry Potter Film Instagram account shared my work, I love it! Some of the best parts about this was hearing stories of kids and parents connecting over the photos and sharing stories. The fact it brought joy and happy moments everyone could take part in has been amazing!

8) What’s your Hogwarts House?!

SLYTHERIN ALL THE WAY BABY!!!!!!

9) Favorite Harry Potter book/film?

Goblet of Fire!

10) Favorite Harry Potter character?

OMG how dare you make me pick! [laughs] Um, Dobby! He annoyed me SO DAMN much but I grew to fall in love with him – he deserved better! I also LOVED Peeves in the book!

Which was your favorite look? Follow Jaremi on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Twitch, and find his official website here. Also find Jaremi and Phi Phi O’Hara merch here.