History Trivia / HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets

* ActingForTwo: Creator:JasonIsaacs joins the cast as Lucius Malfoy in this film. He also provides the hissing and parseltongue sound effects for the Basilisk.

* ActingForTwo: Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy and the Basilisk.

** Creator/DanielRadcliffe and Creator/JasonIsaacs ad-libbed the "Let's hope Mr Potter will be around..." exchange in Dumbledore's office.

* DawsonCasting: As noted above, Christian Coulson was twenty three playing sixteen. Likewise Shirley Henderson who plays Myrtle was ''thirty seven''. This one is fully justified by Myrtle being a ghost who never ages - and therefore better to be played by an older actress rather than a teenager.

*** Creator/DanielRadcliffe and Creator/JasonIsaacs ad-libbed the "Let's hope Mr Potter will be around..." exchange in Dumbledore's office.

*** Similarly, Draco grumpily dragging Crabbe down when he stands up with the rest of the students to applaud Hagrid's return was a result of Crabbe's actor, Jamie Waylett, forgetting that he ''wasn't'' supposed to stand up and join in.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** Madam Hooch was slated to return. However Zoe Wanamaker didn't like the salary she was being offered and turned it down. All of Madam Hooch's lines were then given to [=McGonagall=].
** Creator/AlanCumming was offered the part of Gilderoy Lockhart, but turned it down upon hearing that Creator/RupertGrint would be making more money than him on the project.
** Creator/JudeLaw nearly played Gilderoy Lockhart but was deemed too young for the role. [[Film/FantasticBeasts He would later go on to play a younger Albus Dumbledore.]]
** Creator/RichardEGrant and Creator/BillNighy (who eventually played Rufus Scrimgeour) were considered for the role of Lucius.
** Creator/EddieRedmayne auditioned for the role of Tom Riddle, which went to Christian Coulson. He would later be cast as lead character Newt Scamander in ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem''.
** Book example. Penelope Clearwater was a fifth year in early printings, making her a year younger than Percy. Later printings changed her to a sixth year.
** As noted in the description on the main page, Rowling originally intended for the book to include more {{Foreshadowing}} and other things like that related to the main plot of the series; however, her editor deemed these parts unnecessary and ordered her to remove them. Since this was only her 2nd book, Rowling had yet to obtain her AuteurLicense and had to comply. Most of what she wanted to reveal in this book ended up getting moved to ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince Half-Blood Prince]]'', resulting in ''Chamber Of Secrets'' getting criticized for not doing much to advance the MythArc of the series, and ''Half-Blood Prince'' being rather {{Exposition}} heavy.
** The initial concept for Lucius Malfoy was of a man with short blond hair and a pinstriped suit. When they showed it to Jason Isaacs, he argued that Lucius, being a wizard supremacist, would want to look as different from a Muggle as possible. He put on a long blond wig and velvet cloak and suggested a cane for grand gestures, leading to the iconic Lucius Malfoy look.

** Madam Hooch was slated to return. However Zoe Wanamaker didn't like the salary she was being offered and turned it down. All of Madam Hooch's lines were then given to [=McGonagall=]. Creator/AlanCumming was offered the part but turned it down upon hearing that Creator/RupertGrint would be making more money than him on the project.

* EnforcedMethodActing: In the scene where Harry meets Mr. Weasley and the latter asks him a question about Muggles, Creator/MarkWilliams ad-libbed a different Muggle object in each take (the final cut's being a rubber duck) so that Creator/DanielRadcliffe would actually be caught off guard by the question.

* ReferencedBy: The second of ProfessionalWrestling promotion Wrestling/{{CHIKARA}}'s 2016 ''Aniversario'' events, held May 28, 2016, was titled ''Aniversario: The Chamber of Secrets''.

** Creator/DanielRadcliffe and Creator/JasonIsaacs ad-libbed the "Let's hope Mr Potter will be around..." exchange in Dumbledore's office.

** Creator/JudeLaw nearly played Gilderoy Lockhart but was deemed too young for the role.

** Lucius attempting Avada Kedavra on Harry was ad-libbed by Creator/JasonIsaacs. At this point he had only read the fourth book and that was the only spell he could remember. Additionally Isaacs had to keep his head titled back to prevent the long blond hair from falling in front of his face - which helped make Lucius appear even more haughty and snobby.

* PostumousRelease: Creator/RichardHarris died before the film was released, necessitating Creator/MichaelGambon to replace him as Dumbledore for the subsequent films.

* ActorExistenceFailure: Richard Harris died before the film was released, necessitating Michael Gambon to replace him as Dumbledore for the subsequent films.
* ActorInspiredElement: Jason Isaacs came up with the idea for Lucius Malfoy to have long blonde hair and a walking stick to conceal his wand.
* ActorSharedBackground: Rupert Grint is terrified of spiders like Ron is. He wasn't acting during the Acromantula scenes; he was genuinely terrified.
* CastingGag: Attempted. Kate Duchene was offered a part but turned it down. She played Miss Hardbroom in the TV series ''Literature/TheWorstWitch'', whose similarities to the ''Harry Potter'' series have been noted for years.

* DyeingForYourArt: Minor example. Daniel Radcliffe had to shave his leg for the scene where he gives Dobby his sock.
* EnforcedMethodActing: In the scene where Harry meets Mr. Weasley and the latter asks him a question about Muggles, Mark Williams ad-libbed a different Muggle object in each take (the final cut's being a rubber duck) so that Creator/DanielRadcliffe would actually be caught off guard by the question.

* TheOtherMarty: Creator/HughGrant was cast as Lockhart but had to withdraw at the last minute, being replaced by Kenneth Branagh.

** Lucius attempting Avada Kedavra on Harry was ad-libbed by Jason Isaacs. At this point he had only read the fourth book and that was the only spell he could remember. Additionally Isaacs had to keep his head titled back to prevent the long blond hair from falling in front of his face - which helped make Lucius appear even more haughty and snobby.
** Hermione was supposed to hug both Harry and Ron at the end. But Emma Watson was too embarrassed to hug both boys in front of a crowd of people. Thus came the compromise where she hugs Harry but only shakes Ron's hand. It ended up as accidental foreshadowing to their future relationship (which didn't get hinted at until the fourth book). What's more is that the film had to be frozen for a few seconds because Emma kept breaking the hug too quickly.
** Draco Malfoy's "I didn't know you could read" line to Harry-as-Goyle was ad-libbed by Tom Felton, who had forgotten his lines.
** Daniel Radcliffe and Jason Isaacs ad-libbed the "Let's hope Mr Potter will be around..." exchange in Dumbledore's office.

** Madam Hooch was slated to return. However Zoe Wanamaker didn't like the salary she was being offered and turned it down. All of Madam Hooch's lines were then given to [=McGonagall=].
** Creator/JudeLaw nearly played Gilderoy Lockhart but was deemed too young for the role. Also Creator/RichardEGrant and Creator/BillNighy (who eventually played Rufus Scrimgeour) were considered for the role of Lucius.
** Creator/AlanCumming was offered a part but turned it down upon hearing that Rupert Grint would be making more money than him on the project.
** Creator/EddieRedmayne auditioned for the role of Tom Riddle, which went to Christian Coulson. He would later be cast as lead character Newt Scamander in Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem.

* OldShame: The three main actors dislike watching their performances in this film, along with the first one, as they consider their latter appearances to be much better in comparison.

** LiveActionFilms.TookALevelInBadass (top)

** LikeASonToMe

* TheOtherMarty: Hugh Grant was cast as Lockhart but had to withdraw at the last minute, being replaced by Kenneth Branagh.

** EddieRedmayne auditioned for the role of Tom Riddle, which went to Christian Coulson. He would later be cast as lead character Newt Scamander in Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem.

** Jude Law nearly played Gilderoy Lockhart but was deemed too young for the role. Also Richard E Grant and Bill Nighy (who eventually played Rufus Scrimgeour) were considered for the role of Lucius.
** Alan Cumming was offered a part but turned it down upon hearing that Rupert Grint would be making more money than him on the project.

* DawsonCasting: As noted above, Christian Coulson was twenty three playing sixteen. Likewise Shirley Jackson who plays Myrtle was ''thirty seven''. This one is fully justified by Myrtle being a ghost who never ages - and therefore better to be played by an older actress rather than a teenager.

** Book example. Penelope Clearwater was a fifth year in early printings, making her a year younger than Percy. Later printings changed her to a sixth year.