Jason Isaacs Suggests Unexpected Actor for Lucius Malfoy in HBO's Harry Potter Series

Thailand might be a world away from the magical halls of Hogwarts, but that hasn't stopped Jason Isaacs, star of The White Lotus Season 3, from sharing his thoughts on who should succeed him as Lucius Malfoy in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter TV series. In a recent interview with Variety, Isaacs suggested none other than Meryl Streep for the role, praising her versatility and talent. "She can do anything, that woman. There’s literally no limit to what she can do," he stated, referencing Streep's past performance as an elderly male rabbi in the HBO miniseries Angels in America.

Meryl Streep. Photo by Christopher Polk/GG2025/Penske Media via Getty Images.

Despite his high praise for Streep, Isaacs refrained from offering any advice to potential successors, saying, "I wouldn’t have any advice at all. Why would I bother? 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 brought Lucius Malfoy to life in the second Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and continued to portray the character through to the final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. As for the upcoming adaptation, the only confirmed casting at the time of this article's publication is John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, a role previously played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon.

Other roles nearing casting include professors Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall, originally portrayed by Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith, respectively. Reports suggest that Black Mirror star Paapa Essiedu is close to being cast as Snape, while Jessica Jones star Janet McTeer is rumored to be in the running for McGonagall, though these have yet to be officially confirmed.

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