Thailand may be worlds away from Hogwarts, but that hasn't stopped Jason Isaacs, star of The White Lotus Season 3, from sharing his thoughts on who should step into his shoes as Lucius Malfoy in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter TV series. In a candid interview with Variety focused on his latest project, Isaacs humorously suggested none other than Meryl Streep for the role.
"Meryl Streep," Isaacs declared, praising the What If...? voice actor's versatility. "She can do anything, that woman. There’s literally no limit to what she can do." Streep, known for her transformative performances, has already played a male character in the HBO miniseries adaptation of Angels in America, portraying an elderly male rabbi among other roles. This precedent suggests she could indeed bring a unique flair to Lucius Malfoy.
Despite his playful casting suggestion, Isaacs remains confident in the project's direction and the talents involved. "I wouldn’t have any advice at all. Why would I bother?" he remarked. "I know some of the people they’re casting already. They’re brilliant actors. It’s going to be fantastic, and the last thing they need is advice from some old fart like me."
Isaacs first portrayed Lucius Malfoy in the second Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and continued to play the character through to the series' conclusion in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. As for the new adaptation, only one casting decision has been confirmed at the time of this article's publication.
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John Lithgow has been announced to take on the iconic role of Albus Dumbledore, previously portrayed by Richard Harris and then Michael Gambon. Casting rumors also suggest Black Mirror's Paapa Essiedu for the role of Severus Snape, originally played by Alan Rickman, and Jessica Jones' Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, originally portrayed by Maggie Smith. However, these casting choices have not yet been officially confirmed.
