Nick Cave saw off competition from Oasis and Radiohead to land a song in the latest Harry Potter movie because his track reminded the music supervisor of his painful divorce.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' little-known song O Children features prominently in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 when it is played during an emotional scene between Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson's characters.
A number of different artists were considered for the music, which plays as Harry and Hermione slow dance in a tent, with Oasis and Radiohead in the running along with James Carr and Otis Redding.
But music supervisor Matt Biffa admits he picked the Cave track because the poignant music brought back memories of his split from his wife.
He tells the Los Angeles Times, "I came across O Children in 2004 and I hoarded it. I knew it would be a great song for something, but I didn't know what. I had forgotten all about it and started listening to it because I was splitting up from my wife. I was really terrified that we were going to hurt our little boys... So it was like a love letter to my kids...
"We (Biffa and director David Yates) talked a lot about some of the great old soul songs, songs from James Carr and Otis Redding. That was initially what David was after. But they're too much of the Muggle (non-wizard) world, if you like. It's too human, such as bands like Oasis, and Radiohead, to a certain degree. As much as I love Radiohead, I think it would have been too obvious."
Biffa knew he made the right choice when he saw the make-up artists weeping as Radcliffe and Watson filmed the scene, and he hopes the inclusion will introduce Cave's music to a new generation of fans.
He adds, "After they did the first couple takes, I looked over and a couple of the make-up girls were crying. Then I felt all right. We nailed it... I love the fact that a whole generation of people, like kids, who weren't aware of Nick Cave will discover him through the film."