Rupert Grint says he can't watch later 'Harry Potter' films

Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Harry Potter star Rupert Grint says he can't watch later films in the series.

The 30-year-old British actor, who played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies, said in an interview with Radio Times that he can't stomach the series past the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

"I think those early ones are OK. More time has passed. I can detach myself a bit more from that kid," Grint explained.

"I did see Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone not long ago, for the first time since the premiere, and I actually enjoyed looking back. But the more recent ones I definitely couldn't do," he said.

Grint was just 13 years old when the first Harry Potter movie opened in theaters. The series catapulted him and his co-stars, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, to fame and earned $7.7 billion over eight films.

"I struggle to remember life before it. I think I lost myself a little bit along the way. With the fame, you're almost being the character even when you're not in character," Grint said.

"From the moment I got the part, my life completely changed," he added. "It was a weird time and it has taken me a long while to process. Just being invisible can still be difficult."

Grint is starring in a BBC One adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel The ABC Murders that concludes Friday. The actor plays Inspector Crome, with John Malkovich as detective Hercule Poirot.

The ABC Murders will premiere Feb. 1 on Amazon Prime in the U.S. Grint told Radio Times he "loved the very dark" script for the miniseries adaptation.