19 Actors Who Almost Cast Their Spells In Harry Potter
Imagine a world where Superman walked the halls of Hogwarts or a comedian became a half-giant gamekeeper. The Harry Potter films are legendary, but the casting process was packed with wild surprises and near-misses that most fans never knew.
Oscar winners, future superheroes, and Hollywood stars came incredibly close to joining the wizarding world alongside Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Discover these magical casting stories and see which famous faces almost took part in the adventures at Hogwarts; you won’t believe who nearly donned the robes!
1. Robin Williams Almost Became Hagrid
Picture Robin Williams, one of the funniest and most lovable humans on the planet, stomping around Hogwarts with a giant umbrella. He actually wanted the role of Hagrid badly!
However, J.K. Rowling had a firm rule: only British actors could join the cast.
Williams was American, so despite his enormous charm and larger-than-life personality, the door was closed. Robbie Coltrane got the part instead, and honestly?
He nailed it perfectly.
2. Henry Cavill Auditioned for Cedric Diggory
Before Henry Cavill was flying around Metropolis in a cape, he was a teenager hoping to land a spot in Hogwarts. Cavill auditioned for Cedric Diggory in Goblet of Fire but lost the role to Robert Pattinson.
How wild is that? Two future blockbuster icons competing for the same part.
Cavill went on to become Superman, while Pattinson became a vampire. Wizarding world, superhero world, vampire world… everybody won somehow.
3. Saoirse Ronan Tried Out for Luna Lovegood
Long before her Oscar nominations, Saoirse Ronan was just a kid with big dreams and an audition tape for Luna Lovegood. Though her talent was already shining bright, the quirky role went to Evanna Lynch instead.
Lynch absolutely became Luna in every sense, bringing a magical authenticity fans adored. Still, imagining Ronan floating through Hogwarts corridors with radish earrings is a fun alternate universe worth daydreaming about on a slow Tuesday.
4. Jamie Campbell Bower Tried for Harry Potter
Jamie Campbell Bower actually auditioned for the lead role of Harry Potter himself before Daniel Radcliffe swept in and claimed the lightning bolt scar. Years later, the universe gave Bower a second chance.
He returned to the wizarding world as young Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts films. From nearly being the hero to actually playing a villain, that is quite the character arc.
Not bad for a second shot!
5. Tilda Swinton Was Eyed for Professor Trelawney
Tilda Swinton practically invented the word otherworldly, so casting her as Divination professor Sybill Trelawney made total creative sense. Somehow, the role went to Emma Thompson, who brought her own brand of theatrical brilliance to the character.
Thompson wore giant glasses and predicted doom with such dramatic flair that fans still quote her today. Swinton, meanwhile, kept being mysterious and iconic elsewhere.
Two legends, one crystal ball, zero wrong answers here.
6. Tim Roth Almost Played Professor Snape
Tim Roth was actually offered the role of the famously brooding Professor Snape before Alan Rickman stepped in and made the character unforgettable. Roth turned it down to star in Planet of the Apes instead.
Looking back, that might have been the toughest Hollywood trade-off ever made. Rickman’s Snape became one of cinema’s most beloved performances.
Meanwhile, Planet of the Apes is mostly remembered as… well, a choice. Respect for the attempt, Tim.
7. Rosie O’Donnell Wanted to Play Hagrid Too
Robin Williams was not the only American comedian eyeing Hagrid’s enormous coat. Rosie O’Donnell also expressed strong interest in playing the beloved half-giant groundskeeper of Hogwarts.
However, J.K. Rowling’s British-only casting rule applied equally to everyone, no exceptions made for fame or enthusiasm.
Robbie Coltrane, a Scottish actor with tremendous warmth and presence, brought Hagrid to life in a way that felt completely irreplaceable. Some roles just find exactly the right person.
8. Hugh Grant Was Considered for Gilderoy Lockhart
If anyone was born to play a vain, self-obsessed celebrity wizard, it might just be Hugh Grant in full charm mode. Grant was reportedly considered for Gilderoy Lockhart, the hilariously self-promoting Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Kenneth Branagh ultimately won the role and played Lockhart with such delightful pomposity that it became a fan favorite performance. Grant playing it would have been equally perfect but in a completely different, more smirky way.
9. Naomi Watts Auditioned for Narcissa Malfoy
Naomi Watts reportedly auditioned for the role of Narcissa Malfoy, the icy and aristocratic mother of Draco. Helen McCrory eventually landed the part and brought a sharp, calculating elegance to the character.
McCrory’s Narcissa had layers, fierce loyalty beneath the cold exterior, making her one of the series’ most complex side characters. Watts certainly had the look and intensity for it.
Honestly, both actresses could have made Narcissa absolutely terrifying in the best way.
10. Liam Aiken Lost Harry Potter to Daniel Radcliffe
American child actor Liam Aiken came very close to becoming the Boy Who Lived. He reportedly impressed producers during auditions and was seriously considered for the role of Harry Potter.
However, J.K. Rowling’s British-only casting preference ultimately removed him from contention.
Aiken later starred in A Series of Unfortunate Events, so he clearly had a thing for quirky, magical-adjacent stories. Sometimes losing one role leads you straight toward another adventure entirely.
11. Lily Allen Auditioned for Hermione Granger
Before she became a chart-topping pop star, Lily Allen actually auditioned for the role of Hermione Granger. Surprising, right?
Emma Watson won the part and became one of the most iconic characters in film history.
Allen went on to dominate music instead, which worked out spectacularly for everyone. Still, imagining a pop star Hermione casting Wingardium Leviosa is a crossover nobody knew they needed.
Two wildly different paths, both absolutely legendary in their own right.
12. Kate Winslet Was Approached for Sybill Trelawney
Fresh off the Titanic wave of global fame, Kate Winslet was reportedly approached about playing the eccentric Divination teacher Sybill Trelawney. The role ultimately went to Emma Thompson, whose performance was so memorably over-the-top and theatrical that it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the part.
Winslet continued collecting awards and delivering powerhouse dramatic performances elsewhere. Both women are so talented that either choice would have been spectacular.
13. Sean Connery Turned Down Dumbledore
Sean Connery was reportedly offered the role of Albus Dumbledore, the wise and powerful headmaster of Hogwarts. He turned it down, allegedly admitting he simply did not understand the script.
Richard Harris originally played Dumbledore with incredible warmth before passing away, after which Michael Gambon took over the role brilliantly. Connery as Dumbledore would have been a completely different, more commanding presence.
Still, turning down one of cinema’s most beloved characters remains a legendary Hollywood “what if” moment.
14. Ian McKellen Declined Dumbledore After Harris Died
After Richard Harris passed away following the second film, Ian McKellen was approached to take over as Dumbledore. He declined out of deep respect for Harris, who had reportedly been critical of McKellen’s acting style.
McKellen felt it would be disrespectful to step into a role the late actor had held. Michael Gambon accepted instead and brought a more fiery intensity to the character.
McKellen’s reason for declining is genuinely one of the most honorable stories in Hollywood history.
15. Helena Bonham Carter Almost Missed Bellatrix Lestrange
Here is a wild twist: Helena Bonham Carter, who became the definitive Bellatrix Lestrange, almost did not get the role at all. Other actresses were considered before she was cast, and fans cannot imagine anyone else now.
Her portrayal was completely unhinged in the most brilliant way possible, cackling through every scene like she was having the time of her life. Sometimes the right actor finds the right role, and the entire universe just clicks into perfect place.
16. Mel Gibson Was Considered for Arthur Weasley
The lovably eccentric Arthur Weasley, the Muggle-obsessed patriarch of the Weasley family, was almost played by Mel Gibson. The role ultimately went to an actor who brought such warmth and bumbling enthusiasm that fans adored him completely.
Arthur feels like someone’s actual dad, the kind who gets way too excited about rubber ducks and little magical gadgets. A very different energy might have come from Gibson, but the final performance was so perfect it’s impossible to picture anyone else in the role.
17. Russell Crowe Was Offered Severus Snape
Russell Crowe was reportedly offered the role of Professor Snape before Alan Rickman accepted it and proceeded to define the character for an entire generation. Crowe declined the offer.
Rickman brought an unmatched combination of menace, sarcasm, and hidden heartbreak to Snape that became legendary. Crowe’s version would likely have been more physically imposing and gruff.
However, Rickman’s quiet, controlled intensity made every single scene he appeared in completely unforgettable and deeply moving.
18. Joanne Froggatt Auditioned for Hermione Granger
Long before Downton Abbey made her a household name, Joanne Froggatt auditioned for the role of Hermione Granger. Emma Watson ultimately won the part and became one of the most recognized faces in global cinema.
Froggatt went on to earn Golden Globe recognition for her dramatic television work, proving that missing one role never defines a career. If anything, this story shows how many talented British actresses were competing for that iconic role back in 2000.
19. David Thewlis Almost Did Not Play Lupin
The role of Professor Lupin almost slipped away due to scheduling conflicts and competing considerations during the casting of Prisoner of Azkaban. Thankfully, everything worked out, bringing a quiet, melancholy dignity to Lupin that made the character one of the most emotionally resonant in the entire series.
The performance felt real and grounded, which made the character’s tragic story hit even harder. Casting decisions really do shape everything.
David Thewlis’ portrayal remains a standout, proving how the right actor can elevate a beloved character to unforgettable heights.
