The Harry Potter movies were preceded by many months of auditions. Many bignames that we now know from other roles or movies have been in the running foriconic roles in the magical movies. We list nine of them.
Marvel came out with the animated series last year What if? , which alwaysintroduced a twist on the well-known Marvel films. What if Peggy Carter hadbecome Captain America instead of Steve Rogers? And what if T’Challa, BlackPanther, was Star-Lord?
The Hollywood Multiverse
It makes for entertaining television, but Hollywood is basically one big thing_What If_ -carousel. Actors, especially at the beginning of their careers,audition many times for many roles. Casting is an industry in itself andfilmmakers often consider many options before choosing their final face.
For us is Keanu Reeves Neo, but Will Smith was the studio’s first choice. Wecan’t imagine anyone other than Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, but Jim Carreywas offered the part first. For example, a series of intriguing alternativeuniverses can be imagined, films that feel iconic and right due to the currentcasting, but looked almost completely different.
Harry Potter: just-not auditions and actors
There are many examples to be found, especially in the case of major filmfranchises. Take Harry Potter: the books were already a phenomenon before theystarted filming Philosopher ‘s stone, so many an aspiring actor lined up toaudition. A number of them later broke through with other roles, becomingfamiliar faces that you would associate anything but with Harry Potter.
Or they were offered another role within the magical film series. We listseven examples of well-known actors who auditioned for the Harry Potter films.
Jamie Campbell Bower
You probably immediately recognize Jamie Campbell Bower as Henry Creel_Stranger Things_. A top role, but you can always dream bigger. The Britishactor, or more accurately, the actor’s parents certainly did that at somepoint: Bower participated in the race for the role of Harry Potter. Not themovies, but the character: the boy who lived. In a recent interview, the now34-year-old actor looked back on the audition, which he says he completelyruined. Incidentally, he eventually got a role in the film series. He played ayoung Grindelwald, a baton taken over by Johnny Depp in the Fantastic Beastsmovies.
JamieCampbell Bower (Image: Netflix)
Saoirse Ronan
You don’t have to feel sorry for Saoirse Ronan. With, inter alia The FrenchDispatch, Little Women and Lady Bird she played in top movie after topmovie in recent years. Consistently scoring with drama films acclaimed bycritics. Fifteen years ago, however, her big dream was to play Luna Lovegoodin the Harry Potter films. She was extremely disappointed when the role wentnot to her, but to Irish actress Evanna Lynch, but in the end Ronan is the onewith the big film career.
Saoirse Ronan (Image: Sony Pictures)
Eddie Redmayne
Eddie Redmayne is of course best known as Newt Scamander, the face of theFantastic Beasts films. In other words, he already has a major role in thewider Harry Potter universe. Before that, however, he was in the running toplay a role in mainstream movies. He auditioned for the part of a young TomRiddle, aka Voldemort. The British actor was not even called back. Well, inthe end he was allowed to play the great hero instead of the great villain.All’s well that ends well.
EddieRedmayne (front) (Image: Warner Bros.)
Jude Law
Jude Law also eventually got the chance to play a major role in the FantasticBeasts films, namely that of Albus Dumbledore. However, many years beforethat, he auditioned for the role of Gilderoy Lockhart, the eccentric DefenseAgainst the Dark Arts teacher from the second film, The Chamber of Secrets.Law almost got the part and was in the race to the end, but it was ultimatelydecided that he was too young. Kenneth Branagh, also not the least name,eventually got the part.
JudeLaw (Image: Warner Bros.)
Henry Cavill
The Witcher , Superman, Warhammer: Henry Cavill can and does it all. Thereare even rumors that the 39-year-old actor will play James Bond. A role he wasin the race for years ago, along with Daniel Craig. That was not the only rolethat Cavill just missed. When he was a lot younger, the Superman actorauditioned for the role of Cedric Diggory, a role that was eventually playedby Robert Pattinson. Too bad, because it would have made the alreadyconsiderable series of mega franchises on his CV even more impressive.
Henry Cavill (Image: ANP)
Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Have you in the run up to Christmas again Love Actually turned on? Then yourecognize the face of Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who became famous as a childthanks to that romantic comedy and later played major roles in, among otherthings, the Maze Runner films and Game of Thrones. Before that, however, heauditioned for another mega role: Brodie-Sangster almost played the role ofRon Weasley alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. In a recent interview,the now 32-year-old actor opened up about how angry and disappointed he waswhen he didn’t get the part.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster(Image: Universal Pictures)
Jason Isaacs
Yes, you immediately recognize that crook head of Jason Isaacs as that ofLucius Malfoy, the father of Draco Malfoy. However, that was not the role heenvisioned. The acclaimed actor was even against the choice at first, due tothe character’s villainy. He came into the producers’ crosshairs because heauditioned for the role of Gilderoy Lockhart just like Jude Law. DirectorChris Columbus saw his audition and asked Isaacs to consider another role. Therest is history.
JasonIsaacs (Image: Warner Bros.)
Robin Williams
Robin Williams desperately wanted to play the role of Hagrid in the films, butwas ultimately turned down for one simple reason: JK Rowling insisted thatevery actor in her films be British. A simple rule, with far-reachingconsequences for the casting process. “Robin Williams had called the directorbecause he wanted to play that part in the film, but the rule was only Britishactors,” casting director Janet Hirshensom explained in 2016.
RobinWilliams (Image: Buena Vista Pictures)
JK Rowling
Okay, JK Rowling is not an actor but the author of the Harry Potter books, butshe could almost put a significant role on her resume. She was offered therole of Lilly Potter, Harry’s mother. Applicable! But Rowling was too afraidshe’d screw it up: “The filmmakers asked me to play Lily Potter in the Mirrorof Erised scene in the first film, but I’m really not cut out to be anactress, even not like someone who just has to stand there waving. I wouldhave screwed up somehow.” Ultimately, the role went to Geraldine Somerville,who looks remarkably like Rowling.