Josh Herdman is an English actor best known for playing Gregory Goyle, Draco Malfoy’s intimidating Slytherin associate, throughout the Harry Potter film series. Born in Hampton, London, Herdman began acting as a child and made his feature-film debut in 2001 with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. He continued appearing in all eight Harry Potter films while also taking on roles in projects outside the franchise, including Thunderpants, The Estate, Piggy, and Common People. After the Harry Potter films ended, Herdman moved into a variety of British film projects, often appearing in crime, thriller, and drama productions. His later credits include Robin Hood, Sink, Two Graves, and No Way Home, giving his filmography a broader range beyond the role that first made him internationally recognized.
2001 — Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone marked Josh Herdman’s feature-film debut and introduced him as Gregory Goyle, one of Draco Malfoy’s closest followers at Hogwarts. Directed by Chris Columbus, the fantasy adventure stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton and Alan Rickman. Goyle is generally portrayed as a physically imposing and intimidating Slytherin student who frequently accompanies Draco and Vincent Crabbe. The film became the starting point for Herdman’s decade-long involvement with the Harry Potter series and established the character he would play in all eight films.
2002 — Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Herdman returned as Gregory Goyle, continuing his role as part of Draco Malfoy’s group. Chris Columbus again directed the fantasy adventure, with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Tom Felton leading the cast. The story follows Harry’s second year at Hogwarts as a mysterious chamber is opened and students are threatened by a dangerous creature. Goyle remains a supporting antagonist throughout the film, reinforcing Herdman’s early association with the Slytherin side of the story.
2002 — Thunderpants
Herdman also appeared in the 2002 family comedy Thunderpants, directed by Peter Hewitt, in a role quite different from Gregory Goyle. He played Damon, a school bully who torments the film’s central character, Patrick Smash, played by Bruce Cook. The eccentric British comedy also features Rupert Grint, Stephen Fry, Simon Callow, Paul Giamatti and Ned Beatty. Herdman’s appearance is notable because it reunited him with Rupert Grint outside the Harry Potter series, giving him an early opportunity to play a character in a completely different style of film.
2004 — Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Herdman reprised Gregory Goyle in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third installment in the fantasy franchise. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, the film follows Harry during a darker third year at Hogwarts while the escaped prisoner Sirius Black becomes central to the story. Goyle continues to appear alongside Draco Malfoy and Crabbe as part of the Slytherin group, although his role remains largely supporting. The film marked a stylistic shift for the series, with Cuarón bringing a noticeably darker and more atmospheric tone to the wizarding world.
2005 — Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Herdman once again played Gregory Goyle. Directed by Mike Newell, this fantasy adventure centers on the Triwizard Tournament, which unexpectedly places Harry in a dangerous international competition. The film features Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes among its principal cast. Goyle remains one of Draco’s regular companions, maintaining Herdman’s continuing presence within the increasingly complex Hogwarts storyline.
2007 — Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix brought Herdman back as Gregory Goyle for the fifth Harry Potter movie. David Yates directed the fantasy film, which introduces Dolores Umbridge as a new authority at Hogwarts while Harry and his friends prepare to face the growing threat of Voldemort. Goyle remains associated with Draco Malfoy and the Slytherin students during the conflict between different factions at Hogwarts. The film was particularly important in establishing David Yates as the director who would continue through the remaining installments.
2009 — Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Herdman continued as Gregory Goyle in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth film in the series. David Yates directed the fantasy drama, which follows Harry’s efforts to understand Lord Voldemort’s past while tensions within Hogwarts become increasingly dangerous. Goyle continues to function as one of Draco’s Slytherin associates, appearing as the characters become more directly involved in the darker events surrounding the school. The film also features Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon and Alan Rickman.
2010 — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Herdman returned for another appearance as Gregory Goyle. Directed by David Yates, the fantasy adventure follows Harry, Ron and Hermione after they leave Hogwarts to search for the Horcruxes connected to Voldemort’s immortality. Unlike earlier entries, much of the story takes place away from Hogwarts, but Goyle remains part of the Slytherin storyline. The film served as the first half of the series finale and set up the final confrontation that would conclude the franchise.
2011 — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The final Harry Potter movie gave Herdman’s Gregory Goyle a much more significant moment in the series. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, directed by David Yates, Goyle participates in the climactic Battle of Hogwarts alongside Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. The character takes the place of Crabbe in a major sequence and becomes involved in the attempt to stop Harry, Ron and Hermione inside the Room of Requirement. Herdman’s performance therefore became the conclusion of his ten-year association with one of the most recognizable supporting characters in the franchise.
2011 — The Estate
Later in 2011, Herdman appeared in the British crime drama The Estate, playing Skunk. Directed by Stevie Andrews, the film focuses on families and criminal activity surrounding a difficult South London council estate. The cast includes Brian Murphy, Dave Courtney and several British actors alongside Herdman. The movie is notable within Josh Herdman movies by year because it represented a move away from the large-scale fantasy world of Harry Potter into a smaller British crime-focused production.
2012 — Piggy
In 2012, Herdman appeared as Anthony in Kieron Hawkes’ British thriller Piggy. The film stars Martin Compston as Joe, whose life changes after the murder of his brother and his subsequent connection with a mysterious vigilante named Piggy, played by Paul Anderson. Herdman’s Anthony is part of the film’s wider group of characters surrounding Joe and the story’s violent revenge plot. Piggy was released in the UK in May 2012 and represented another step into darker adult-oriented material for Herdman.
2013 — Common People
Common People is a British comedy-drama in which Herdman played Simon. Directed by Stewart Alexander and Kerry Skinner, the film follows several interconnected London characters whose lives cross after an escaped parrot becomes an unexpected link between their stories. The ensemble includes Sam Kelly, Diana Payan, Iarla McGowan and Eleanor Fanyinka, with Herdman appearing as part of the central group. The film became notable as a micro-budget British feature that gained festival attention and later received a UK release.
2018 — Sink
Herdman played Jason in Sink, a British drama directed and written by Mark Gillis. The film stars Martin Herdman, Josh Herdman, Ian Hogg and Marlene Sidaway and follows Micky Mason, a struggling manual worker trying to support his family while facing unemployment and difficult circumstances. Josh Herdman plays Micky’s son, giving the actor a more grounded dramatic role than many of his earlier appearances. The film was released in the UK in October 2018 and was also notable because Herdman’s real-life father, Martin Herdman, played the central character.
2018 — Two Graves
In Two Graves, Herdman played Teddy in Gary Young’s British mystery thriller. The film follows Margaret Powers, a doctor of pathology who seeks revenge after the murder of her son, only to uncover further disturbing information while investigating the crime. The cast includes Cathy Tyson, Katie Jarvis, David Hayman and Kedar Williams-Stirling alongside Herdman. The film was produced as a feature-length British crime thriller and gives Herdman another supporting role in a considerably darker genre.
2018 — Robin Hood
Herdman appeared as Righteous in Otto Bathurst’s Robin Hood, a 2018 action-adventure interpretation of the classic English legend. Taron Egerton plays Robin Hood, with Jamie Foxx, Ben Mendelsohn, Eve Hewson and Jamie Dornan among the principal cast. Herdman’s Righteous is a supporting character within the film’s larger world of rebels, soldiers and political conflict. The movie is notable in Herdman’s filmography for placing him in a large-scale Hollywood production after several years of appearances in smaller British features.
2023 — No Way Home
No Way Home, also known in some production and database records as Giantland, is a British drama-thriller directed by Yousaf Ali Khan. Herdman plays Jason, while the cast includes Goran Bogdan, Hayley Squires, Renu Setna and Mitchell Norman. The story centers on a troubled young boy who discovers an injured man hiding in an industrial wasteland and becomes convinced that he has found his missing father, creating a tense situation involving family, danger and belonging. The film received its world premiere in 2023, making it the latest officially released feature-film credit in the currently documented Josh Herdman movies by year filmography.
Conclusion
Josh Herdman’s movie career began with one of the most successful fantasy franchises in modern cinema, with his portrayal of Gregory Goyle spanning all eight Harry Potter films from 2001 to 2011. Away from Hogwarts, he explored British comedy, crime, thriller and drama projects, including Thunderpants, Piggy, Common People, Sink, Two Graves and Robin Hood. His later role in No Way Home continued that progression into independent British filmmaking. Taken together, Josh Herdman movies by year show an acting career that developed from a memorable childhood franchise role into a varied collection of supporting performances across different genres.
