I really really HATE that you have to live in the UK to go to the castings for the HP-movies!!

I liv in Sweden..I'm a swed and I can speak british-english as good as any Brit. I'm soooo furious!!!! Why can't we who love acting and WANT to show how good we are and how suitable we are for the film go to these castings?!



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wow. calm down, breath. alright, i think J.K wants the actors/actresses to be born a Brit because their accent comes more easily to them. Even in the book, it is like that (i am pretty sure).

LOL yeah calm down, mate. Trust me, you're not the only one. However, that's just the way it is you know.

I believe the reason JKR wanted to keep the cast strictly British is obviously because she's British and the entire HP world was created within a Britain/UK context. Fair enough, I say.

Doesn't mean we can't sulk about the UNfairness of it eh (on our part)...who wouldn't wanna be a part of the HP phenomenon eh?!

i don't live in the UK... but i agree with the people who cast the characters... a lot of people complain that the directors aren't being true to the books, but if they have american actors or other foreign actors, is that staying true to the book... no! i know a lot of people are complaining, but there isn't much you can do about it because i don't think they will be changing the rule anytime soon... just be happy that the movies are pretty good

i see wat your saying and i hear you out mates, but think about it are there many UK actor or actorss

There are actually quite a few. I'm not from the UK personally so I can't rattle off names at the top of my head right this instant, but I've watched quite a few British movies to know that there is some life going on in the British film industry.

Again, I say, I feel it's fair enough for JKR to want to restrict the casting to just British actors. The HP world is set in UK/Britain, and yes, there are enough Hollywood actors out there that can put on a British accent, but where's the authenticity in that?

I sense JKR is someone that is very proud of her heritage, and so she should be. And as creator of the HP world herself, if she wants and feels that her story should be told/conveyed from a purely British-context then so be it.

That are teanagers or children. are a bit. and jkrowling problae don't want so meny people aordistioning.

i tried to be an extra in the 4th one, but was too late and didnt get a reply

You guys are lucky. I'd like to be a cast! LOL

I'm so mad I went all the way to Britain to audition for the part of Dean Thomas and they said no because I wasn't British enough. I'm half British!!!!!!

I want to be an extra (first year person at sorting hat) or Zacharia smith as you can see from my username. im writing to leavsden studios!

I think it's great!

I feel for you guys i really do, here comes a film with loads of teenagers in it and you can't even get an audition let alone a part.

But as a lot of people have said, Harry Potter is a british book and set in britian and everyone is british/irish

I must admit is sends a chill down my back when i hear Americans do Brit accents (i'm not saying not everyone can do one) but they are HARD! hey just look at Ewan Mcgregor in Star Wars...hehehehe and he's only from Scotland (yay! Viva escotia!)

I know that loads of you will disagree, but think...won't you enjoy the film better, with all the proper accents and stuff? Plus it's all filmed in britain well most of it, it's REALLY cold over here, in America it's lovely and warm!

Please don't hate me!

Ygraine

I agree, I guess. It should be an all British Cast. But that doesn't stop me from wanting to be a part of it. If I lived in England instead of at the bottom of Australia , i would have auditioned for Ginny. Bonnie Wright does a good job, but she's not how I imagined Ginny to be. I would have said BRIGHT red hair and freckles, not dark auburn and no freckles. Oh, well that's just my opinion. If only I was British....

I didn't think that Bonnie had the right look for Ginny either, I thought that her hair was bushy, not lovely and straight like Bonnie's.... Grr wish my hair did that. Such a nice colour too...

I'm not bitter honest!

I think that Jk should introduce some foreign characters, (i know there was some in GoF) but more, you know....give some people a chance.

I'm half british, my father was born in gibraltar. Can you say me if I can be an extra in HP films?

Yeah you could probably be an extra if you lived in the UK, i don't see why not. I don't think they would bother with people who lived beyond those borders otherwise it would be too much of an unnecessary hassle to deal with.

But I live in Spain. lol

Hi, my name is Sondre. And I`m from Norway. I wanted to cast for Micheal Corner in OOTF, but they only want english born. So I`m wondering if a norwegian boy could be an extra. If not I hope they have a norwegian role in the 6 th movie!! You know the norwegian dragons don`t you??

I can tottaly see your point I don't live in the U.K and I want to auditon so badly I guess its just they way it has to be .sigh. but im not happy about it

I live in the US and I can see why people get frustrated about it. Young aspiring actors/actresses that want to be apart of something they love and prove their talents and not be allowed the chance. However, anyone who loves the Harry Potter story, the books, the characters and the movies... is already a part of it. All of us are, it's something we can all take part in together, maybe we're not in a movie, but we're still apart of the magic!

I can be Tonks, Hermionie, or Mrs. Weasley even when ever I feel like it! I can put on a one woman show for no one or everyone and I can make a connection with the story and the characters, by using my imagination and practcing my ability to portray diverse characters without even leaving my house! So lets all stop whinning about it.... and instead ENJOY IT!

Have a great day everyone! And don't forget your alreaady a part of the magic!

I don't think purple's really my color... lol ;-)

Like I know what you guys are saying..Its British and stuff. But shouldnt other actors have a chance at least? What if you lived in London for a month and you have the accent all ready? I really hope another asian part comes out in the 6th/7th book. I dont know..But I bet a whole bunch of fans are out there hoping to be in one of the movies. Well all I can do..is hope to be in Any MOVIE! haha.

We all hope that. I've wanted to be an actresse since I was a little kid and I practiced home a lot. But, lets face it, all they want is the movie to be good, I guess. If they want a Romanian accent, here I am, lol. Hopeless...

Peace

I agree with the policy: Strictly British. I think the British actors and actresses could act the characters well. It's because, the author of the book where the movie is based is a British. For me, JK would be more happy with that because she could see the character she created more precised if the actors are also like Harry and the others, British.

Though, if they are not implementing the rule, maybe, a Filipina actress will be, well, chosen, to act as Cho Chang. But I'm glad she is not playing the role because I don't like her (the actress).

Overall, for me, the British actors/ actresses are doing a great job. And the rule... Strictly British is a nice idea.

what about Aussies... I am Aussie but live in the States, and would be perfect for Greyback or the huge DE from HBP...

I live in the US but I can talk with a british accent as if it was fluent. I am trying out for it no matter what the policy is. And what if (Im not saying I am) I am the best, and I don't live in the UK, would they bend and let me play?

The following post was written by by Kraze.

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I am a big fan of the Harry Potter book series. I live in the USA, but still would give ANYTHING to at least help with the movie: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Therefore, I was wondering if there would be any way I could at least be able to help out with The Order of the Phoenix. By this, I mean do sidejobs, help make things smoother, etc. Since that cast is restricted to UK citizens, I would at least like to be a part of the movie. Anyone know if this is at all possible?
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i would have liked to audition for any part, but my british accent is horrible, i just think they should break the all british rule and cast sameul L. jackson as kingsley shacklebolt


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Turn to page 394!

Of cource the people who don't live in the UK are mad because they can't audition, and the people who live in UK are mad because they didn't get a part. It's an endless circle! I personally do not live in the UK, I live in Canada, but I still would like to try out! Of cource I would.. wouldn't everyone? I can even do a British accent and don't sound weird! If you can picture that

I am upset, yes... and will be, but that's just life. I will still continue to dream, and feel that one day, I hope, I will be able to audition for a part I want more than HP, and get it, and be the happiest person alive

Too bad there aren't any dutch characters in the books I'd really love to be in the cast, but I my dream isn't really acting (haven't gotten further than a school play ) But I'm not really bothered by it. I mean you can be angry at it and all (and I understand it) but there's nothing you can change about it, can you?

Look not everyone in the movies are from UK the chick playin Cho is from australia/ new zealand. and most of yous at least live near england in like america or europe i live all the down here in australia.
but i would kill anyone for a role in the movies

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sphinx I think that Cho is from Scotland, and is half chinese.. by the way, her name is Katie Leung And right now she is living in England? I'm not sure if i got the facts staight, but there you go

Yeah, she went to Hamilton College a really posh private school in Scotland. It specialises more in the arts and stuff.

Wish mine did, all it was was Science, maths, science maths. Grr Argh! I could have been a musician i tell you! Famous and everything! Althogh i can't sing, I play the sax...*toot toot!*

Any way....Yes, if a character comes up in book 7 that has the weirdest accent on this side of the world (a cross between Scottish/Yorkshire/Geordie Oh yes, that's my accent!) I'm here, all accented up!

*Jumps up and down, hand waving, a perfect expression of our Hermione* 'Here i am! I'll do it for free!'

Or a sax player for that matter....oooh weird sisters...Tom York i think is playing one of them *druels* so talented.

I think i've ad a but too much sugar....

I'd like to audition to this movie, but there i'd definitely be no one, I don't think I'm like any of the characters, and even if I did, I'm puertorrican, and I can do a british accent, but do you know how much it sucks to listen to a prissy american, or puertorrican in my case, doing a british accent. I also can't audition, because England is like half the world away from home, and my mom totally won't let me go, Duh!

And those are the reason why I can't be on The Harry Potter movies.So that's why it has to be strictly british people that can audition, so you guys, try to put your place in the casting directors place. I magine that!, and you'll feel all the pressure that gets to their head, on auditions.

i'm english and have noticed that most americans idea of a good british accent is what the queen speaks like, no one else in britain speaks like that stupid posh thing

Personnaly I would love to be in a Harry Potter film, but I am just fine not being iin it. Anyways I live in an igloo and in Alaska so I doubt they would look at me. I could be a person who just walks by the camera that would be cool. Anyways I don't have a good British Accent, but still it would be cool to be in a movie. But I am fine without. But I got to jump on my dog sled and travel south to go fishing through the ice. I love my parka.

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I live in a Igloo in alaska and have to ride a dog sled for hours to go fishing. I also sometimes stay in a cave because my dad lives there and I visit. I also love to hang out with the penguins they really are fun to hang out with.

Ok, I'll weigh in on this one.

On the matter of north american actors/actresses being able to do a good british accent: Sorry to burst your bubble, but I would say that 98% of them are horrible at it, or have difficulty maintaining it while "acting" outside of a set range of emotions. This isn't meant to come off as putting down north american actors, it is a simple statement of fact. The same is true of British/Aussie/Kiwi actors putting on North American accents.

The most accurate observation on an American putting on a British accent was Pierce Brosnan observing that Robin Williams' accent as Mrs. Doubtfire was "a little muddled." Soeone pointed out, quite rightly, that most people in the UK don't sound at all like what you hear on BBC (ever noticed anchors in the US all sound the same, no matter where they are from? Same is pretty much true in the UK. A non-regional accent is practiced to make broadcasts easily understandable to everyone) If you've seen movies like Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, The Full Monty, Bend it like Beckham you'll see that there are many, many different accents in the UK; perhaps more than there are in the US and Canada! I don't know if any of you have noticed, but Dan, Rupert and Emma certainly don't sound off with "BBC Standard" accents...

The other point is that British actors will also have a much better idea of what the social dynamics of the society being portrayed in the books would be like. Let's face it, British actors know what growing up in the UK is like, just like actors in Canada or the US know what it's like to grow up there. This will translate in their acting, in the way they approach their characters, how they express their emotions. Some of that is down to the director, but it's always easier to have the right instinctual feel for a scene than having it be directed to death...

I know it can be disappointing to have auditions closed to non-UK residents, but let's also consider that there are many, many very talented young actors in the UK and that, comparatively speaking, there are far fewer opportunities to make it big than there are in the US. If you look at the current movement in Hollywood to stop the trend of shooting movies in, say, Canada, because it "takes away jobs from California", can we really blame the UK studios for doing the same thing?

Once more, I'm not trying to say that one is better than the other here, just trying to put through that there are reasons, which t some seem unfair, but which are there for a reason... Ultimately, we all benefit when we get characters who are believeable in the films!

Cheers!

Here, here!

Heaven only knows that I would quite gladly go down on bended knee and kiss the ground that Alan Rickman walks on...but as much as I absolutely love that guy and as brilliantly talented as he is, he can't pull off an American accent to save his life. 'Dark Harbor' and 'Die Hard' are prime examples of that - and apparently he impressed the filmmakers so much with his American accent during the making of 'Die Hard' that they wrote that scene where he pretends to be one of the hostages for him to showcase it. Americans thinking that he can do an American accent? I mean, did they hear the same thing as me or what?! Now a German accent, yes...very convincing. But American...nooooo. Definitely not.

And vice versa of course. People always think they're good at doing accents, but what you hear in your own mind is very different to what other people hear - you only have to see the talentless people in the audition reels of 'American Idol' and 'The X Factor' to see that people clearly can't judge their own prowess in certain fields and singing and producing convincing accents are two of them.

I know how incredibly unfair it must seem to the thousands of people out there who would sell their relatives for a chance to be in one of the HP movies, but the fact is that even if you were British, the chances of being chosen have to rank somewhere up there with winning the lottery. There's nothing wrong with having dreams - heaven only knows they're all that keep us going sometimes, but it's not healthy to build them up to the extent where you think your life is over if you don't get to fulfil them - again, 'American Idol' and 'The X Factor' are prime examples of people collapsing, totally distraught that their 'dreams are over'...I mean come on....from thousands and thousands, only one can be chosen in the end.

If people are that keen to get into movies, there are far more opportunities in America and Canada than there are over here. I think the passion stems solely from the desire to be in a HP movie and not because acting is all they've ever wanted to do.

That's all concerning the smaller bit parts and extras, but for the main roles, another reason for their choice could be simply that they don't want a big Hollywood name because it would overshadow the ensemble cast. You couldn't have someone like Angelina Jolie playing Bellatrix, even though she certainly does look the part, because it would probably have to be written into her contract that she needs to headline, which will undoubtedly tick off a lot of other people - namely Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Micheal Gambn etc who have to content themselves with an 'in alphabetical order' listing.

I doubt Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp would allow themselves to slip into such a listing.

ok i've been told my post was offensive, even racist so heres the toned down version, sorry to anone i insulted, it wasn't ment to be insulting.

i'm a brit and i'm glad it's only brits who can be cast for main parts, it's a british work and one of the best we've got, there are people from other nationalities who can do good british accents but it's not the same. another thing hogwarts students are from all over britain accent and slang change soo much you practicaly need an interpriter for a southerner and a northener with strong accents to talk to each other (watch snatch). and besides as has been mentioned americans have made enough films which brits couldn't audition for.

MOD EDIT : Alright, that's quite enough. You've been warned about your tone before and now you're adding racism to the list - great. I think you're possibly one of the rudest people on this forum. Check your PM box.

Whoa... That was quite a mouthful...

I'm guessing here, but I'm thinking you may not be realizing that you managed to probably insult most people on here...

I happen to be French, well, French Canadian anyway, anI hate to break it to you but the "talking through their nose" indicates, to me at least, a certain ignorance of the language itself. Let's start off with nasal vowels.

A nasal vowel is a sound made by expelling air through the mouth and nose without obstruction of the lips, tongue, or throat. Nasal pronunciation can be very different from the normal pronunciation of the same vowels.

Vowels followed by M or N are usually nasal, except when the nasal consonant is followed by another vowel, in which case the vowel and consonant are both voiced.

It may help you to know that there are nasal vowels in English, but they are a bit different than French nasal vowels. In English, the nasal consonant (M or N) is pronounced and thus nasalizes the vowel that precedes it, whereas in French the vowel is nasal and the consonant is not pronounced.

Germans are perpetually angry? Do you know many Germans? I do. Interestingly, they are surprisingly a lot like most other people... Some are nice, some aren't...

Come on, mate. There are ways to express your opinion without resorting to what amounts to childish name calling.

I'm sure you can do much better...

Cheers!

I completly agree with Omerus - that was quite an insulting post, and im british!

The reason for british casting isnt "nasal vowels" or "high pitched" voices. The reason is continuity. Jk and Warner Bros are trying to keep to the novels as best they can, ergo keeping the same nationalities and accents within the films.

On the side of accents, I know there are a lot of actresses and actors who can easily speak with a "british" accent, but thats just not the same as having a british actor. Imagine having an american actress playing fleur, whos "attempting" to fain a french accent?! There is no way that could compare to having a french born actress with the natural accent.

The same goes for the rest of the cast. Imagine seeing Lord Voldemort for the first time, your expecting (in anticipation of the books) a strong, deep british tone, and out pops something from forest gump?! (no offence intended) It just wouldnt suit the character, and therefore cannot be done.

what about this? ( i see that you guys kno alot about this so help me out ) ihave both nationalities, british and american.( british mother and amercian father ) i have experience on modeling/acting and if gon to british schools all my life and used to the accent problem. could i audition then?

To be honest, as no-one who uses this forum is connected to the casting process, I doubt anyone can answer for certian.

In my own opinion though, I would say that you may be eligible for auditions, depending on place of birth (America or UK) and where you've lived all your live.

For example, if your fathers American, but you were born in the UK and have lived most of your life in the UK, you would probably be eligable.

But as I say, as no-one is involved with casting, you'd just have to apply and hope for the best.

tanks nick.





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I'm italian and i live in the UK from 1 year but even if I speak quite a good english it's very difficult to speak with a perfect british accent because you will always speak in your language accent. I'm really sorry for you because I know how you feel I personally would like to be in the film, but even if you can do a really good british accent you will never be able to speak like a british person.

Dana, was alan rickman meant to be doing an American accent in that scene in Die Hard? (great film btw) i don't know what accent he was meant to be doing, British-y i persume, i thought that it was a bit weird

As for what Omerus said, i agree with you, i don't think people realise how hard British accents are!! I mean i can't put on a cockney accent to safe my life! And if you do put one in, you can't act in it, believe me i tried once in drama it was a complete disaster!!

There are so many accents in Britain, more than people realise, it's not just british.

And like someone said earlier, we don't sound at all like the queen, all posh and every thing. (well i have yet to meet someone who does anyway.)


OMG Nick, Voldemort sounding like he came from Alabama, that would almost be worth seeing! (no offense to any one from Alabama ) but it would be rather funny. No, i think Ralph Fiennes is perfect for the job. Nice english accent, very Voldemort-y.

How come in American films the brits always seem to be bad guys? I've laways wondered it.

I don't like the rule either because i live in america but originated in england and i have the accent and all. Also i look alot like sirius black in snapes worst memory so i'm trying for the part and i hope i make it
im 5'7
black long hair