HBO’sHarry Potterremake isreportedly closing in on its Snape and McGonagall actors, and that’s exciting news, especially on the heels ofJohn Lithgow’s Albus Dumbledore casting. Paapa Essiedu has been expected to take on therole of Severus Snape since rumors surfacedback in December, but the emergence of Janet McTeer as the likely Professor McGonagall is a new development. And with an impressive acting career and a history of playing intimidating women, there’s little doubt that McTeer will excel if she accepts the role.
Of course, theharshest reality about theHarry Potterremakeis that it will inevitably be compared to the movies — and McTeer has big shoes to fill after the lateMaggie Smith’s time as Professor McGonagall. Both iterations of the Hogwarts professor will be distinct, and they should be. Butit’s worth looking at how McTeer’s version of the character is likely to hold up to Smith’s, taking their ages, backgrounds, and previous projects into account. There are similarities between the actors that could benefitHBO’sHarry Pottershow.
How The Harry Potter Remake’s Rumored McGonagall Compares To Maggie Smith
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We’ll have to wait until 2026 for a complete picture of McTeer as Professor McGonagall, but the rumored actor has a few things going for her — including a couple of qualities she shares with Smith’s version of the character. For one,at 63, McTeer is just a few years younger than Smith was when she first took on the role inHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.Smith was 67 during the first movie. Since McGonagall is older in the books, McTeer’s casting is a step up fromthe prior McGonagall rumors, which floated 54-year-old Sharon Horgan as a possibility.
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Like Smith, McTeer is also British, so theHarry Potterremake does seem to be prioritizing actors from the U.K., even if it’s bringing anAmerican star on board to play Dumbledore. This suggests the TV series isn’t totally abandoningtheHarry Pottermovies' cardinal rule, and it ensures McGonagall’s show character won’t feel drastically from her movie counterpart. And McTeer’s characteristics even resemble Smith’s to a certain extent.
McTeer’s previous credits confirm that she’ll capture McGonagall’s stern and intimidating side, perhaps even better than the former actress.
As far as acting histories go, McTeer has an impressive career behind her, just like Smith when she first joinedHarry Potter. And McTeer’s previous credits confirm that she’ll capture McGonagall’s stern and intimidating side, perhaps even better than the former actress. McTeer’s time as Helen Pierce inOzarkand Hera inKaosproves that she can be intimidating, which is a requirement for the head of Gryffindor house. And McTeer’s work onJessica Jonesshows she can lean into a character’s softer nature. That’s a balancing act Smith succeeded at, and McTeer is well-positioned to as well.
How Janet McTeer & Maggie Smith Compare To McGonagall’s Book Description
The Only Big Difference Is Their Hair Color
There’s no denying thatMaggie Smith was the perfect McGonagall, as she truly fit the book’s description of the character personality-wise — and she wasn’t far off physically, even if she lacked McGonagall’s canonically black hair. It’s possible McTeer will dye her locks if chosen for the role, but she also doesn’t fit the character’s book description in that regard. Like Smith, she’s otherwise close to the character’s description and capable of pulling off her stern-but-kind persona. This ensures a faithful enough take for both theHarry Pottermovies and the upcoming TV series.
