Janet McTeer eyed to play Professor McGonagall in ‘Harry Potter’ series
Janet McTeer (left) and the late Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall in the “Harry Potter” film series. Photo by Rodin Eckenroth, Getty Images via AFP/Instagram, @harrypotter
“Ozark” actress Janet McTeer is reportedly the primary choice to play the new Professor McGonagall in the upcoming “Harry Potter” TV show.
Deadline reported that McTeer is in negotiations with HBO to assume the role once portrayed by the late veteran actress Maggie Smith in the film series.
“Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actress Janet McTeer is in negotiations to play Professor Minerva McGonagall, sources tell Deadline,” wrote the outlet.
HBO declined to directly confirm or deny McTeer’s casting, stressing that they are currently in the process of finalizing deals.
“We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation,” the network said in a statement. “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”
View this post on Instagram
This comes after award-winning actor John Lithgow confirmed that he will portray Headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the series, which is currently targeting a late 2026 or early 2027 release.
McTeer first made waves in Broadway for her performance in “A Doll’s House” in 1997, which won her a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.
In 1999, McTeer received her Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her role in “Tumbleweeds,” the same film that gave her a Golden Globe. She then received another Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actress for “Albert Nobbs” in 2011.
The 63-year-old actress recently starred in the Netflix series “Kaos” and the HBO film “Into the Storm,” where she played Winston Churchill’s wife Clementine, earning her an Emmy nomination.
McTeer will next be seen in the Tom Cruise-starrer “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”
Aside from McTeer’s rumored casting, British actor Paapa Essiedu is reportedly the leading contender to play Professor Severus Snape, previously portrayed by the late Allan Rickman.
