Rob Knox

Robert Arthur Knox (21 August 1989 – 24 May 2008) was an English actor who portrayed the character of Marcus Belby in the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and had signed to appear in its sequel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.

Having studied at Beths Grammar School, Bexley, Knox began acting aged 11, gaining small roles in British television shows like The Bill, After You've Gone and Trust Me, I'm a Teenager. His first cinematic appearance was as an extra in King Arthur (2004).

Knox died after being stabbed outside a bar in Sidcup, Southeast London, in May 2008, when he intervened in a fight to protect his brother. His murder attracted widespread attention in the British press, and his assailant, Karl Norman Bishop, was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum 20-year non-parole period. An annual film festival, the Rob Knox Film Festival, was created in 2008 to commemorate him, by the Rob Knox Foundation which helps fund training for young local people in the arts. The final festival was held in September of 2025.

Early life and career Knox was born to Colin and Sally Knox in 1989. He was a pupil at Beths Grammar School, Bexley. He had been acting since the age of 11, and his first credited role was a small part in an episode of the ITV police drama The Bill and he also appeared in the Channel 4 reality show Trust Me, I'm a Teenager, and the BBC comedy After You've Gone. He had previously appeared as an extra in a number of productions. The first film Knox appeared in was King Arthur in 2004. He also appeared on Tonight with Trevor McDonald.

Knox posthumously appeared in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009). Warner Bros. released a statement concerning his death: "We are all shocked and saddened by this news and at this time our sympathies are with his family." Southeast London), from Carlton Road, Sidcup, was charged with the murder. Bishop was found guilty of murder on 4 March 2009, and received a life sentence with a minimum of 20 years before being considered for parole. Police reported that he showed no remorse for the crime.

Tribute Players of Charlton Athletic and Millwall football clubs wore special kits on 19 December 2009, at The Valley, in honour of murdered local teenagers Knox and Jimmy Mizen, and their supporters. The logos of both clubs' shirt sponsors were replaced by the text: "Street violence ruins lives", with the shirts later auctioned to raise funds for the Rob Knox Memorial Fund and the Jimmy Mizen Foundation. In 2021, a documentary, (K)nox: The Rob Knox Story, about Knox's life and murder premiered at the London Independent Film Festival, then being released on ITVX.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2004 King Arthur Extra Uncredited 2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Marcus Belby Released posthumously 2021 (K)nox: The Rob Knox Story Himself Released posthumously Television Year Title Role Notes The Bill Unknown 1 episode 2003 Trust me I'm a Teenager Himself 2007 After You've Gone Josh 2 episodes