One of the most important characters in Harry Potter is Professor McGonagall, and while the casting choices for the children will be vital, the adult roles are just as significant. Since the series was announced, many rumors have been flying about who will be tapped to play these roles, and the recent actors demonstrate that HBO's Harry Potter TV show is going to distinguish itself from the movies. While this is a good thing, change can be polarizing, and as much as the series needs to be unique, it also needs to live up to critical and audience expectations.
The new actors must bring a new spin on the roles while simultaneously paying tribute to the performers who came before them. Maggie Smith's greatest moments as Professor McGonagall make it hard to imagine anyone else stepping into her shoes to take on the role. However, the person that's reportedly been eyed for McGonagall wouldn't just be different from Smith, but from the canonical book description of the character. This could either be a genius move or a massive mistake for the show, and only time will tell if viewers will appreciate the changes or long for the films.
Harry Potter's Rumored McGonagall Casting Suggests She'll Be Younger In The Remake
Sharon Horgan is reported to be in the running for McGonagall
The Harry Potter show casting rumors indicate that Sharon Horgan is in the running for McGonagall, and at 54 years old, this makes her over a decade younger than Smith was in The Sorcerer's Stone. Like many of the magical beings in Harry Potter, McGonagall is older than she looks and has an extended life span, so this makes her much older than Horgan. While it makes sense that an actress a little younger than McGonagall's actual age would step into the role, she shouldn't look like a middle-aged adult. McGonagall is defined by her age and intensity.
Knowing that Horgan is so much younger might be off-putting.
While there's no confirmation that Horgan will be cast, if she's an actress in the running, then it's likely that women her age are also in talks to potentially take on the role. Having younger actors embody characters like Snape makes sense, as Alan Rickman was a good deal older than Snape was in the books, but it doesn't seem as logical for characters like McGonagall. Though she isn't supposed to be as old as Dumbledore, her experience and authority are enhanced by her age. Knowing that Horgan is so much younger might be off-putting.
A Younger McGonagall May Not Come Off As Intimidating In The Harry Potter Show
Horgan might not have the commanding presence of McGonagall
McGonagall is the first professor that Harry meets when he gets to Hogwarts in The Sorcerer's Stone, and he's thoroughly impressed and intimated by her presence. Frequently described as severe and someone the students don't want to mess with, McGonagall is able to have their separation and command over the children at Hogwarts because she's so much older than them. With young professors like Lupin or even Lockhart, Harry either felt kinship or didn't respect them because they were close enough in age that their authority didn't translate. This is never the case with McGonagall, who Harry always respects.
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Without this domineering characterization, McGonagall's later actions wouldn't have the same impact. When she takes on Umbridge in The Order of the Phoenix or even when she challenges Dumbledore's actions at different points throughout the series, she can do this because she's on a level playing field with the most advanced wizards in the story. Seeing her in such a different light and context might take the audience out of the narrative. Though the way the actress portrays her will heavily play into this, her age can't be taken out of the equation completely.
The Harry Potter Show Can Use Makeup & Effects To Solve Its McGonagall Age Gap
This could allow an actress like Horgan to step into the role
If Hagrid was Bret Goldstein's Harry Potter role, the series would already be tackling more advanced prosthetics and makeup for individual characters rather than the monsters and creatures. Using these techniques will allow the series to cast younger actors who don't necessarily meet all the physical descriptions to portray these iconic characters. Though there are likely plenty of older actresses who would brilliantly portray McGonagall, if the series wants to divert the budget to practical effects, then there's no reason not to cast someone like Horgan as the Gryffindor professor.
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The Harry Potter TV show has a long road ahead, and every decision that's announced, in terms of casting or otherwise, will be heavily discussed by critics and fans. It will be impossible to please everyone, but making bold and definitive choices for the actors shows that the series isn't going to simply follow the example of the films. If anything, it would make sense for the show to follow the books as closely as possible and adapt the parts of the novels that the movies omitted. If this is the case, then McGonagall will be plenty intimidating.
Harry Potter is HBO's remake of the iconic Wizarding World film series that consisted of eight films between 2001 and 2011. Each season adapts a book from JK Rowling's popular series and provides more book-accurate details than the movies did. Upon the announcement of the Harry Potter TV show, the series received harsh criticism for the involvement of Rowling and for many thinking a reboot was unnecessary.
Main Genre Adventure
Seasons 1
Directors Mark Mylod
Showrunner Francisca Gardiner
English (US) ·