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

Thailand may be a world away from the magical realm of Hogwarts, but that hasn't stopped Jason Isaacs, star of The White Lotus Season 3, from sharing his thoughts on who should take over his iconic role as Lucius Malfoy in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter TV series. In a recent interview with Variety, focused primarily on his work in The White Lotus, Isaacs suggested a surprising choice: Meryl Streep.

"Meryl Streep," Isaacs declared confidently. "She can do anything, that woman. There’s literally no limit to what she can do." Streep's versatility is well-documented, having previously portrayed a male character—an elderly rabbi—in the HBO miniseries adaptation of the epic play Angels in America. Given her range, Isaacs believes Streep could seamlessly step into the shoes of the cunning Lucius Malfoy.

However, Isaacs refrains from offering any advice to Streep or any other actor who might take on the role. "I wouldn’t have any advice at all. Why would I bother?" he remarked. "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 of now, the only confirmed casting for the new adaptation is John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, a role previously filled by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon.

There are also whispers about other roles nearing casting decisions. Black Mirror star Paapa Essiedu is reportedly close to being cast as Severus Snape, originally portrayed by Alan Rickman, while Jessica Jones star Janet McTeer is allegedly in talks to play Minerva McGonagall, originally played by Maggie Smith. However, these roles have yet to be officially confirmed.

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