The Harry Potter films have become one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, so it was only fitting that it cast the best actors in the business.
The beloved Hogwarts flicks catapulted the acting careers of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, who of course played the main trio Harry, Ron and Hermione.
But they also hosted a star-studded cast of British actors such as Kenneth Branagh, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith and Ralph Fiennes.
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It means fans might have a hard time picturing anyone other than the renowned cast playing their iconic characters spawned from JK Rowling’s best-selling books.
It turns out there were tons of huge actors who nearly starred in the worldwide wand-waving films, but things didn’t work out.
To honour the anniversary of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth film, Daily Star have summoned the stars who could have appeared in your favourite wizard flicks.
Ian McKellen – Dumbledore
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Sir Ian McKellen is already known for playing a well-known wizard; Gandalf in Lord of the Rings.
However, the elite British actor also got offered the role of Dumbledore in the Potter films, but he turned it down.
The filmmakers were searching for the right actor to replace Richard Harris, who sadly passed away after playing Dumbledore in the first two films.
Sir Ian revealed that he couldn’t take the role as he knew Harris wouldn’t have approved of him as the Hogwarts headmaster.
Harris had called McKellen, Derek Jacobi and Kenneth Branagh “technically brilliant, but passionless.”
In a 2017 interview with BBC HARDtalk, he said: “When they called me up and said, ‘Would I be interested in being in the Harry Potter films?’ They didn’t say what part. I worked out what they were thinking and I couldn’t. I couldn’t take over the part from an actor who I’d known didn’t approve of me.”
Luckily, Michael Gambon did a fine job as Dumbledore.
Hugh Grant as Gilderory Lockhart
(Image: Getty Images)
Hugh Grant is famed for playing the charming English gentleman in rom-com movies such as Notting Hill (1999) and Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994).
But he was given the chance to play fraudulent wizard Gilderoy Lockhart, who teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts in the second film.
He reportedly had to decline the role as it would have clashed with his commitments for a romantic comedy he was working on with Sandra Bullock, called Two Weeks Notice.
According to The Guardian, Grant’s then-agent Karin Smith told Teletext: “Sadly Hugh had to turn down the part because he’s committed to doing a movie with Sandra Bullock next February.”
It was Kenneth Branagh who got the part in the end, and he did a rather brilliant job.
Tilda Swinton as Professor Trelawney
(Image: Getty Images North America)
Tilda Swinton played The White Witch in the Narnia flicks, but she was also handed a place at Hogwarts.
The Oscar-winning actress was offered the role of prophesizing Professor Sybil Trelawney, but she turned it down as she doesn’t like boarding schools.
In a 2016 interview with The Scots Magazine, Swinton said: “That’s why I dislike films like ‘Harry Potter.
“I think they are a very cruel setting in which to grow up and I don’t feel children benefit from that type of education. Children need their parents and the love parents can provide.”
Eventually, Emma Thompson landed the role – meaning another Oscar-winner got the part.
Robin Williams as Hagrid
(Image: Getty Images)
The legendary Robin Williams was believed to have been keen on the part of Hogwarts groundskeeper Hagrid, but he didn’t make the cut as Rowling only wanted British actors to play the roles.
In 2016, casting director Janet Hirshensom told HuffPost: “Robin [Williams] had called [director Chris Columbus] because he really wanted to be in the movie, but it was a British-only edict, and once he said no to Robin, he wasn’t going to say yes to anybody else, that’s for sure.”
The late actor himself admitted he was interested in the Potter films when he told the New York Post in 2001: “There were a couple of parts I would have wanted to play, but there was a ban on [using] American actors.”
Rosamund Pike as Rita Skeeter
(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
Rosamund Pike reportedly regretted not taking the role of cunning journalist Rita Skeeter.
The Oscar-nominated Gone Girl actress said: “I just regret not doing the movie because I love Mike (Newell) and I owe him a favor; I don’t know who replaced me, but I wish her the best luck!”
A Harry Potter fan site claimed Pike had rejected the role as she didn’t want to play a part that only had a handful of scenes.
Eddie Redmayne as Tom Riddle
(Image: WireImage)
Eddie auditioned to play Tom Riddle, who eventually becomes the monstrous and murderous Lord Voldermort.
However, it seems he botched his audition as he didn’t get a callback for the Slytherin role, which would have seen him ditch his smiley demeanor.
The actor told Empire: “I actually auditioned to play Tom Riddle when I was back at university. I properly failed and didn’t get a callback.”
But he actually wanted to join the Weasley family, as he added: “Over the years I always hoped I might be cast as a member of the Weasley family, but unfortunately not.”
Luckily for Eddie, he finally caught his Harry Potter break when he was cast as Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, a spin off of the Potter films.
Liam Aiken as Harry Potter
(Image: Getty Images)
Daniel Radcliffe has become so famous for playing Harry that it’s practically impossible to imagine any other actor taking the role.
However, he wasn’t the only actor to audition for the leading role as a young Liam Aiken threw his hat in the ring.
Sadly for Liam, he lost out on the role to Daniel because of the Brits Only rule.
He still scored a major book-to-film franchise though as he starred as Klaus Baudelaire in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Kate Winslet as Helena Ravenclaw
(Image: Getty Images For L’Oréal Paris)
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Kate shot to stardom in James Cameron’s Titanic (1997), but reports suggest she was considered for the minor role of Helena Ravenclaw in Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011).
ScreenRant claims Kate’s agent declined the offer as she thought the actress wouldn’t want to “follow suit with every other actor in Britain by being a part of ‘Harry Potter.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
