Lily and James Potter served as crucial characters in the Harry Potter series even though they were killed before the events of the book series. James and Lily were the parents of Harry, the central figure of the books developed by author J.K. Rowling. Though they died when he was a baby, they both made multiple appearances in the movie adaptations. Through flashbacks and details revealed by the end of the franchise, the age of Lily and James at the times of their deaths was uncovered.
Lily J. Evans was a Muggle-born witch who attended Hogwarts in the '70s. She was childhood friends with Severus Snape but became closer to James Potter during her time at Hogwarts, eventually dating him during her final year. The pair married shortly after their time at Hogwarts came to an end. They then joined the Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War, becoming an enemy of the rising Dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. In July 1980, their first and only child was born — but they sadly didn't get to experience parenthood for too long.
Based on the prophecy that a boy born at the end of July who could defeat Voldemort, Lily and James were forced to go into hiding in order to protect young Harry. After being betrayed by Peter Pettigrew, the Dark Lord found the Potter family in Godric's Hollow. Lily and James lost their lives on October 31, 1981, while protecting their son from Voldemort's Killing Curse. As seen on the gravestones in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Lily and James were just 21 years old when they died. James was born on March 27, 1960, and Lily was a few months older, having been born on January 30, 1960.
Lily & James Looked Older In The Harry Potter Movies
Despite being 21, Lily and James looked noticeably older in the Harry Potter film series. Though no explanation was given, the parts for the debut film were cast before their age was confirmed in the Deathly Hallows book, which released in 2007. Lily was played by Geraldine Somerville for all eight films in the franchise. When the actress appeared in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, she was 34 years old, and by the final installment, she was well into her forties. James was portrayed even older in the movies, being played by Adrian Rawlins, who was 43 when he joined the film franchise and in his early fifties when his stint ended.
Even though the Harry Potter movies made it a point to show that Lily and James died at a young age, the series retconned their appearance so they were depicted as aged loving parents. If they had lived to raise their son, the couple would have been in their early thirties when Harry was gearing up to start an education at Hogwarts. Then again, the series probably wouldn't have gone in the same direction had they not met their demise on that infamous Halloween night in 1981.
