In 2000, despite having no previous acting experience, the twins skipped school to attend an open audition in Leeds. After about six auditions, the twins were cast as
Fred and George Weasley in the film ''
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. In 2012, they starred in A Mind's Eye'', a short documentary film based on the philosophical ideas of
Plato. The twins have also been involved in the Harry Potter Exhibition. They were present during its 2009 opening in Chicago and later toured various cities and countries to promote it. Oliver Phelps made his stage debut in 2018, in a production of
The Case of the Frightened Lady (based on a novel of the same name by
Edgar Wallace) at the
Grand Opera House, York. He shared the stage with fellow actor
Deborah Grant.
Podcast '' red carpet movie premiere, Sydney, 2013 Phelps has also collaborated with his brother on a podcast, which was launched on YouTube and various streaming services, including Spotify and iTunes. The first season, which premiered in 2017, featured James and Oliver discussing their previous travels. The second season of the podcast was released in 2020 during quarantine, and the twins interviewed guests and spoke about their personal lives. In 2021, they released a third season, titled "Normal Not Normal", on which they collaborated with Stabl production; this season is more structured and professionally edited compared to the previous season. In this season they discuss what normal really is and if it even exists. They have interviewed celebrities including
Sasha Banks,
Tom Hopper,
Mara Wilson, as well as their former co-stars, such as
Katie Leung,
Evanna Lynch, and
Alfie Enoch. ==Personal life and philanthropy==