It's time once again to talk about...
!!!
In a little over a month, my hometown of Portland, Oregon, will be home to Leakycon, a 4-day-long Harry Potter convention. Currently, the guest list is a little... well... how do I say this without insulting anybody? It could be more impressive? That's it -- thank you.
As of this posting, three actors from the films are scheduled to be in attendance. They are:
*The girl who played Pansy Parkinson in Movies 6-8.
*The girl who played young Lily for a couple of minutes in Movie #8.
*The guy who played Seamus Finnigan, he of the eyebrow incinerations, beginning in Movie #1.
And while I would totally be happy to see any of those people, and would graciously welcome them to Oregon, I just have to say... I mean, ask....
Could we maybe get THESE people, too?
Could we maybe get THESE people, too?
My Top 14: Harry Potter Actors Who Should Come To Portland
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
14. Miriam Margolyes
Professor Sprout
Miriam seems like an interesting lady, and I quite enjoyed watching her in A Little Princess (1986) when I was growing up. So yeah. I'd dig meeting her.
13. Luke Youngblood
(Lee Jordan)
Luke disappeared from the radar after the first two HP films, but popped (pun intended) up again as a recurring character on NBC's Community a half a dozen years later. He played Magnitude, who was cool enough on his own, but even cooler when you realized that he's actually... a wizard. Pop, pop!
8. Bonnie Wright
Ginny Weasley
I always thought Bonnie Wright had one of the best roles in the franchise. She got to be in every movie. In movie two, she got to have a dramatic scene with Harry Potter. Then we just barely saw her in the next two movies, before she began to appear more often in five and six. Which is to say that Bonnie got to be a lead character without having to put in even 1/5th as much time as Rupert or Daniel or Emma. Some people complain that Ginny wasn't that interesting in the movies -- in the books she's a pretty headstrong chick -- but hey, I liked her, and I'd love to meet Bonnie.
12. Pam Ferris
Aunt Marge
Aunt Marge
I will go on record as saying I do not like Aunt Marge. I do, however, like Pam Ferris as an actress. She's great on Call The Midwife. And Mara Wilson, who worked alongside her on Matilda, recalls her as being one of the nicest people to work with. So even though she's been known to play some intimidating characters, I feel she'd be a treat to meet.
9. Gary Oldman
Sirius Black
I may be She Of The Unpopular Opinion, but I didn't exactly understand Oldman being cast as Sirius Black. (I also wasn't completely on board with Alan Rickman as Snape, or Maggie Smith as McGonagall, because I pictured -- and still do -- all their characters as being 20 years younger than what we saw on screen.) But you know what? If they were GOING to go with the character(s) being older, who better than Gary Oldman? Right? He's so dang cool. Everything he touches becomes doubly cool. That being said, if he showed up at a HP convention I would probably bring him a Batman Begins poster to sign. ;)
11. Emma Watson
Hermione Granger
Why not Rupert? Why not Daniel? Well, I'd be thrilled to meet Harry OR Ron, but personally, I'm a Hermione shipper myself. She's the smartest person in the whole dang school and everybody knows it. Emma managed to play her as adorable in the first couple films, awkward in the next few, and then kickass-and-lovely in the last few. You go, woman.
10. Sean Biggerstaff
Oliver Wood
Because he's freakin' cute!
(The Scottish accent doesn't hurt, either.)
Oliver Wood
Because he's freakin' cute!
(The Scottish accent doesn't hurt, either.)
9. Gary Oldman
Sirius Black
I may be She Of The Unpopular Opinion, but I didn't exactly understand Oldman being cast as Sirius Black. (I also wasn't completely on board with Alan Rickman as Snape, or Maggie Smith as McGonagall, because I pictured -- and still do -- all their characters as being 20 years younger than what we saw on screen.) But you know what? If they were GOING to go with the character(s) being older, who better than Gary Oldman? Right? He's so dang cool. Everything he touches becomes doubly cool. That being said, if he showed up at a HP convention I would probably bring him a Batman Begins poster to sign. ;)
8. Bonnie Wright
Ginny Weasley
I always thought Bonnie Wright had one of the best roles in the franchise. She got to be in every movie. In movie two, she got to have a dramatic scene with Harry Potter. Then we just barely saw her in the next two movies, before she began to appear more often in five and six. Which is to say that Bonnie got to be a lead character without having to put in even 1/5th as much time as Rupert or Daniel or Emma. Some people complain that Ginny wasn't that interesting in the movies -- in the books she's a pretty headstrong chick -- but hey, I liked her, and I'd love to meet Bonnie.
7. Warwick Davis
Professor Flitwick/Griphook/Etc.
Warwick Davis may have the most eclectic Potter experience out of... well, everybody. Over the course of the series, he played two different goblins and two different incarnations of Professor Flitwick (one older dude, then a younger one who directs the creepy choir). But forget HP for a minute, and take a look at this guy's resume.... Star Wars, the old BBC Narnia series, Willow... what the heck, even the more recent Narnia series. Good gracious, this guy's practically a film legend!
Professor Flitwick/Griphook/Etc.
Warwick Davis may have the most eclectic Potter experience out of... well, everybody. Over the course of the series, he played two different goblins and two different incarnations of Professor Flitwick (one older dude, then a younger one who directs the creepy choir). But forget HP for a minute, and take a look at this guy's resume.... Star Wars, the old BBC Narnia series, Willow... what the heck, even the more recent Narnia series. Good gracious, this guy's practically a film legend!
6. Tom Felton
Draco Malfoy
On screen, he got creepier-looking and more sinister with each passing year. But in real life? Total cutie who's funny in interviews. Most likely to have a successful post-Potter film career? Putting my money on this guy. Aaand maybe Emma Watson.
5. Alan Rickman
Severus Snape
Because it's Alan Rickman, hello. Sure, in the books, Snape's supposed to be a little bit younger, but... but... oh who cares, the fact that they got Alan for all the movies is just awesome. I would love to meet him and try to get him to say a line from... the... films... really... sloooowllllyyyy.... Then get him to do that line from Robin Hood where he orders his minions to cancel Christmas. AND THEN... that line from Die Hard where... okay, well, you get the idea.
4. Matthew Lewis
Neville Longbottom
Poor Neville. He spends the first handful of books being bullied, ridiculed, pitied, and ignored. But then something begins to change, and by book seven, he's a freaking warrior. In a similar evolution, Matthew Lewis started out the franchise as this cute little kid, then hit an awkward phase we weren't sure he would ever emerge from, and then, wait what? All of a sudden, he got... really, really attractive. And then he totally killed that stupid snake. F*** YEAH NEVILLE!, indeed.
Poor Neville. He spends the first handful of books being bullied, ridiculed, pitied, and ignored. But then something begins to change, and by book seven, he's a freaking warrior. In a similar evolution, Matthew Lewis started out the franchise as this cute little kid, then hit an awkward phase we weren't sure he would ever emerge from, and then, wait what? All of a sudden, he got... really, really attractive. And then he totally killed that stupid snake. F*** YEAH NEVILLE!, indeed.
3. Evanna Lynch
Luna Lovegood
Evanna did something with Luna I think is incredible -- she turned a ditzy, brilliant, crazy, oft-annoying character into a ditzy, brilliant, crazy, not-annoying character. There are quite a few characters in the books who got on my nerves (Rita Skeeter, Dobby, Professor Lockhart), and they ended up being just as aggravating -- or worse -- on screen. Somehow Luna just managed to sparkle. If Evanna Lynch is anywhere near as cool as Luna, I want to be her BFF.
Luna Lovegood
Evanna did something with Luna I think is incredible -- she turned a ditzy, brilliant, crazy, oft-annoying character into a ditzy, brilliant, crazy, not-annoying character. There are quite a few characters in the books who got on my nerves (Rita Skeeter, Dobby, Professor Lockhart), and they ended up being just as aggravating -- or worse -- on screen. Somehow Luna just managed to sparkle. If Evanna Lynch is anywhere near as cool as Luna, I want to be her BFF.
2. Jim Broadbent
Professor Slughorn
There are few actors in the HP series who I feel were so good in their role that no one else could have done it (except maybe Colin Firth... because I'm determined he can do anything. ANYTHING.) Evanna Lynch is one of them. Jim Broadbent is another. In 30 years, when they reboot the franchise, I will put extra scrutiny on the guy they get to play Slughorn. And he will still never compare. Jim Broadbent, man.... I love the way he portrayed his character. Kinda slimy but ultimately lovable. When I re-read the books I can totally imagine him in the role (even though JKR describes Slughorn as a rather portly man) whereas with a lot of other characters I struggle to see the actor when I read the books, preferring to picture my own "actor". Does that make one speck of sense?
Professor Slughorn
There are few actors in the HP series who I feel were so good in their role that no one else could have done it (except maybe Colin Firth... because I'm determined he can do anything. ANYTHING.) Evanna Lynch is one of them. Jim Broadbent is another. In 30 years, when they reboot the franchise, I will put extra scrutiny on the guy they get to play Slughorn. And he will still never compare. Jim Broadbent, man.... I love the way he portrayed his character. Kinda slimy but ultimately lovable. When I re-read the books I can totally imagine him in the role (even though JKR describes Slughorn as a rather portly man) whereas with a lot of other characters I struggle to see the actor when I read the books, preferring to picture my own "actor". Does that make one speck of sense?
1. Jason Isaacs
Lucius Malfoy
Okay, so Lucius Malfoy is a total slimeball, but somehow I can't help but kinda love him in the films. Jason Isaacs is totally underrated, and that needs to change. If HP's the only thing you've ever seen him in, I beg you to seek out his other work, because underneath that (admittedly luxurious) blonde wig is a man of kickass acting skills. Have you seen him as Captain Hook?
Lucius Malfoy
Okay, so Lucius Malfoy is a total slimeball, but somehow I can't help but kinda love him in the films. Jason Isaacs is totally underrated, and that needs to change. If HP's the only thing you've ever seen him in, I beg you to seek out his other work, because underneath that (admittedly luxurious) blonde wig is a man of kickass acting skills. Have you seen him as Captain Hook?
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