Keira Knightley's Official Introduction As Evil Harry Potter Villain Is Brilliantly Unrecognizable In New Adaptation
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Published Mar 10, 2026, 1:20 PM EDT
Jordan is the Senior Editor for Movies & TV News at Screen Rant. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Media Studies. An editor, writer, and digital media specialist based in New York City, you can also find her bylines on Business Insider.
Jordan originally hails from Washington State, giving her an undying loyalty to any Seattle sports team, though she's also spent time in Virginia, Oregon, and New Orleans. She runs on coffee and classic movies, taking pride in having seen every film on AFI's 100 Greatest Films list and every Best Picture Oscar winner.
Keira Knightley's performance as one of Harry Potter's most-hated villains has finally been revealed, and the two-time Oscar nominee is unrecognizable.
Coinciding with the audiobook's anticipated release, Parade has shared an audio clip revealing Knightley's interpretation of Umbridge. After the character was memorably played by Imelda Staunton in Harry Potter's movie series cast, Knightley brings her own new inflections to the unique voice of Dolores Umbridge.
The audio clip shared by Parade covers the excruciating scene from Order of the Phoenix in which Professor Umbridge punishes Harry for his claims that Lord Voldemort had returned, forcing him to repeatedly write "I must not tell lies." However, when Harry writes the words on his paper, they're also painfully etched into his skin due to a spell cast by Umbridge. In addition to Knightley as Umbridge, the three-minute clip features Jaxon Knopf voicing Harry Potter with Crush Jumbo serving as the narrator.
As she pitches her voice higher and puts on a more villainous tone, Knightley is almost unrecognizable in the audiobook. However, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix isn't the first time that movie star Keira Knightley has lent her voice to an audiobook on Audible, as she previously narrated the children's book I Love You Just the Same in October 2025.
Knightley's debut in the latest Harry Potter audiobook release sees her join an all-star voice cast for the new iteration of the fifth novel in the classic series. Among the actors featured in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Full-Cast Edition) voice ensemble are Hugh Laurie as Albus Dumbledore, Riz Ahmed as Professor Snape, Matthew Macfadyen as Lord Voldemort, James McAvoy as Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody, Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart, Ruth Wilson as Bellatrix Lestrange, Simon Pegg as Arthur Weasley, and Leo Woodall as Bill Weasley.
The next generation of Harry Potter stars continues to assemble, and the latest addition recasts an actor from the original movies in a new role.
Portraying the main three are Jaxon Knopf as Harry Potter, Rhys Mulligan as Ron Weasley, and Nina Barker-Francis as Hermione Granger. The majority of these actors will reprise their roles in the next entry, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Full-Cast Edition), though it's unclear whether Knightley will return for the upcoming audiobooks.
The arrival of the new audiobook series provides an exciting segue into the highly anticipated release of HBO's Harry Potter TV adaptation. While an official release date is still unconfirmed, Harry Potter season 1 is set to premiere in early 2027 and will consist of eight episodes.
Movie(s)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
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English (US) ·