Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory. Today we’re going to be
discussing (once again) the recently announced HBO Harry Potter TV Series!
VERY BRIEF update for those unaware- Warner Bros. Discovery made headlines all around the
world last week when they confirmed plans for a new Harry Potter series.
"Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry
Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original,
classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally."
But- as I discussed in my PREVIOUS video on the topic - ‘Recasting Harry Potter
for HBO Max - Philosopher’s Stone) - I can’t help but wonder about casting.
With such big shoes to fill, casting for this series must be a bit hectic.
That’s why today I’m going to be picking up where I left off in the last video and
casting for the SECOND installment of the Harry Potter series- the Chamber of Secrets.
Like I mentioned last time, I want to see fresh faces for all of the ch*ild actors,
so I’ll be sticking to strictly some of the main ADULT characters introduced in the second book.
Let’s dive in to it.
Gilderoy Lockhart
Recasting the five time winner of Witch Weekly’s Most Charming Smile Award won’t
be an easy task. Gilderoy Lockhart is a famous wizarding celebrity and
author introduced in the second book that ends up with a teaching position
at Hogwarts- taking over as the instructor for Defence Against the Dark Arts. However,
as we come to later understand, the Lockhart in the public eye is certainly not representative
of the FRAUDSTER underneath- a man that built his entire reputation on lies and
deceit. Over the course of the book/film Lockhart’s true motivations slowly unravel.
In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Lockhart is played is Kenneth
Branagh, a well-known British actor and director, with a career spanning several decades. Branagh's
portrayal of Lockhart was praised for its comedic timing and over-the-top personality, capturing the
character's narcissism and self-absorption. To me, Lockhart IS Kenneth Branagh..
However, as the show is likely to have a different tone than the films,
it's important to find an actor who can bring a fresh perspective to the role. While Kenneth
Branagh's portrayal of Lockhart in the film was beloved by many, it's important
to remember that this is a new adaptation, with new opportunities for creative choices.
My first choice for the role would be Ewan McGregor.
Ewan McGregor is a Scottish actor that has risen to prominence through his
incredible performances in films like Trainspotting, The Island, Big Fish,
Doctor Sleep and even Star Wars. He has an incredibly wide range as an actor-
having performed well in both comedic and more dramatic roles, and I think that he would be
able to perfectly encapsulate both the likeable and deceitful sides of Lockhart’s character.
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My next choice would be Taron Egerton.
Egerton is a Welsh actor with a proven ability to embody charming and charismatic characters-
as demonstrated by his performances in films like Kingsman and Rocketman. Through his
previous acting experience, Egerton has shown that he can portray characters with a certain
level of charisma and confidence that would be necessary for a character like Lockhart,
who is known for his good looks and self-absorbed personality.
My last choice (that unfortunately won’t happen due to his age) is Hugh Grant. Hugh
Grant is in my mind the PERFECT Lockhart, next to Brannagh of course. And, as it happens,
Grant was actually offered the role of Lockhart long long ago when they were initially casting
for the Chamber of Secrets- a role he ended up turning down because he was too busy with
other projects. With that said, however, Grant is an expert at ‘cheesey charming’-
it’s just a shame that he’s 62 as that would not work for the relatively young professor.
Lucius Malfoy
Next up we’re casting Lucius Malfoy, cruel Death Eater,
father of Draco and husband to Narcissa. In the films Lucius was played by actor Jason Isaacs,
who was able to perfectly encapsulate the snide but sometimes calamitous nature of his
character. I’ve got quite a few choices for Lucius and they are in no particular order.
First up is Michael Fassbender.
Fassbender is a well-known Irish/German actor who rose to stardom for his performances
in films like "Inglourious Basterds", "X-Men: First Class" and "Steve Jobs".
Fassbender is a versatile actor with a wide range of abilities that has demonstrated his ability to
play complex, multidimensional characters in a variety of movies. Lucius Malfoy is a
complex character with many layers, and Fassbender could bring a unique interpretation to the role.
Fassbender’s commanding presence on screen could be a great asset for
playing Lucius Malfoy who exudes power and privilege (at least initially).
Luke Evans
Luke Evans is a Welsh actor and singer who is famous for his roles in movies such as
"Clash of the Titans", "Immortals" and "The Three Musketeers". He has also appeared on
stage and performed in many of London's West End productions. I don’t know what it is about Evans,
but I think he’d be able to play the cold, aristocratic and haughty wizard quite well.
Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill is a British actor that began his career with roles in the feature adaptations
of The Count of Monte Cristo and I Capture the Castle. One of his most popular roles
is Superman in the 2013 movie "Man of Steel’. He’s also very famous for the Netflix series
"The Witcher" where he played Geralt of Rivia. Cavill’s got a great range and I think he’d do
a great job at portraying Lucius. My only issue is that he might not be too believable as a bad guy.
Wild Card: Tom Felton
There’s been some speculation online that Tom Felton,
who played DRACO Malfoy in the Harry Potter series, could reprise the role of LUCIUS in
the new show. While this is a fun idea, I don’t don’t really want to mish-mash the two worlds.
Tom Riddle
Next up we’ve got Tom Riddle (the one from the diary) - not to be confused
with adult Voldemort played by Ralph Fiennes. In the Chamber of Secrets,
this young version of Tom Riddle was played by actor Christian Coulson.
For this role there aren’t a lot of names that come to mind, but for SOME reason
(and I may be totally off on this) I think that Timothee Chalamet would do a good job- that is,
so long as he’s able to master the accent. His boyish good looks and what I believe
to be potential to look ‘menacing’ would complement the role well. I’d particularly
like to hear your suggestions for this one as I couldn’t really think of many other names.
Next up we’ve got Minerva McGonagall
Professor Minerva Mcgonagall is a stern but deeply concerned witch that serves
as head of Gryffindor house. In the films she was portrayed by the iconic Actress Dame Maggie Smith.
One of the first names I’ve seen THRUST into the mix is Olivia Colman. Colman is a British actress
and producer that has worked steadily as an actress on British TV since the early to mid-2000s
- appearing in hit shows like Accused, Mr. Sloane, Peep Show, and Broadchurch. I think she’s got just
the right range to play Mcgonagall and I can imagine her now calling students to attention.
Wild Card - Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson has actually already appeared in Harry Potter in the role of Sybil Trelawney,
Hogwarts Divination professor, however there’s something about her that just
feels perfect for McGonagall. My only issue is that, like I mentioned earlier,
I don’t really want to mix the 2 worlds. Let me know if you agree in the comments.
The Dursleys (Vernon and Petunia)
Next up we’ve got Harry’s awful uncle and aunt- Vernon and Petunia Dursley-
a spiteful pair that tormented poor Harry nearly all of his formative years.
Vernon Dursley is characterized by his pompous, narrow-minded and materialistic
personality. He’s highly critical of anything related to magic and wizards,
and has a strange obsession with appearing respectable and normal to the outside world.
Vernon is another character that’s exceptionally difficult to cast,
but with some research I was able to come up with a few replacements.
The first name that came to mind was Ian McNeice -an actor famous for his portrayal
of government agent Harcourt in the 1985 television series Edge of Darkness. McNeice
has also gained recognition for his roles in popular films such as The Englishman Who Went
Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain and Frank Herbert's Dune. McNeice has a huge personality,
a loud booming voice, and a perfect ‘portly’ build that would fit Vernon Dursley.
My next choice would be Hugh Bonneville- a British actor known for his extensive
work in film, television, and stage. Bonneville is perhaps best well-known
for his portrayal of Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham,
in the ITV historical drama series Downton Abbey. Bonneville doesn’t exactly have the
right ‘build’ for Vernon- but if he put on a bit of weight I think he could be pretty convincing.
Petunia Dursley is characterized by her jealousy, bitterness, and insecurity. Like Vernon,
she is highly critical of anything related to magic and is often hostile towards Harry because
of his magical abilities. However, it is later revealed that her animosity towards Harry stems
from her jealousy of her sister Lily's magical abilities, which she always wanted for herself.
One of the first actresses that comes to MY mind is Tilda Swinton. Tilda Swinton is a
Scottish actress known for her roles in both independent arthouse films and blockbusters.
Over the course of her career, she’s been cast in a very diverse array of roles-one
of the most impressive (in my opinion) being her role as the White Witch in the Chronicles
of Narnia. In whatever film I see her in, she always has a lot of screen presence,
and with her Scottish background, I’m sure she would slot in perfectly with the Harry Potter set.
Swinton was actually originally considered for the role of Professor Trelawney,
the quirky, unusual, and perhaps sometimes deluded Divination Professor. However,
the role of Trelawney was eventually given to actress Emma Thompson. Perhaps this is
Swinton’s opportunity to join Harry Potter once and for all.
And that’s it for this video! Let me know what you think of
my choices and be sure to comment your OWN choices down below. Also,
be sure to check out my first video on this subject where I cover casting for the first film.
Also stay on the lookout for part 3 when I cover the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Until next time
Remember
It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live