Harry Potter movies actor returns in new role for new adaptation with epic cast

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Audible has announced the complete cast for its audio versions of the Harry Potter series, and Bill Nighy is among the new actors joining the project.

Bill Nighy portrayed Rufus Scrimgeour in the Harry Potter movies produced by Warner Bros. Now, he’ll be lending his voice to a different character – Professor Slughorn – in the new Harry Potter full-cast audiobooks.

The cast is growing with exciting new additions! Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, known for ‘Black Rabbit,’ will play Sirius Black, while Anna Maxwell Martin (‘Motherland’) joins as Rita Skeeter. Saoirse-Monica Jackson (‘Derry Girls’) is set to portray Professor Trelawney, and Mackenzie Crook (‘The Office’) will play Kreacher. Rounding out the new cast members are Stephen Mangan (‘The Split’) as Nearly Headless Nick and Tracy-Ann Oberman (‘EastEnders’) as Madam Hooch.

David Holmes, the stunt double for Daniel Radcliffe in the Harry Potter films, is going to provide the voice for Stan Shunpike, the conductor of the Knight Bus.

For the audiobooks, Jude Farrant will be the voice of young Draco Malfoy in the first three books, and Maximus Evans will take over the role for books four through seven. Jake Sigsworth will voice Neville Longbottom in the first three audiobooks, then Archie Mountain will continue as the character for the remaining books.

Bill Nighy expressed his excitement about being cast as the Professor, especially since he’d previously played a magical Minister. He jokingly wondered if he was the only actor to have played both roles, and said it’s wonderful to know his work will likely be enjoyed by audiences for years to come.

I really appreciate being involved in educational projects, even though I don’t have a formal education in that field. My goal is to help create something fun and engaging for kids, whether they’re on long trips or just commuting to school.

Holmes shared his excitement about voicing Stan Shunpike in the new full-cast Harry Potter audiobook from Pottermore and Audible. He noted it feels like a perfect fit, as he previously worked on the Harry Potter films as Harry’s stunt double during the Knight Bus scenes in ‘Prisoner of Azkaban’.

Hugh Laurie, Matthew Macfadyen, Riz Ahmed, Cush Jumbo, Kit Harington, Keira Knightley, Iwan Rheon, Ruth Wilson, and Ambika Mod are all joining the cast. They’ll be playing Albus Dumbledore, Lord Voldemort, Professor Snape, the narrator, Professor Lockhart, Professor Umbridge, Professor Lupin, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Nymphadora Tonks, respectively.

The cast also includes Leo Woodall as Bill Weasley, Simon Pegg as Arthur Weasley, James McAvoy as Mad-Eye Moody, Gemma Whelan as Professor Sprout, Matt Berry as Sir Cadogan, Michelle Gomez as Professor McGonagall, Mark Addy as Hagrid, Alex Hassell as Lucius Malfoy, Daniel Mays as Dobby, and twins Sara and Avni Deshmukh as Padma and Parvati Patil.

Frankie Treadaway, Max Lester, and Arabella Stanton will voice young Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger in the first three audiobooks. Interestingly, Arabella Stanton is also portraying Hermione in the new HBO series.

For the final installments of the audiobook series, Jaxon Knopf, Rhys Mulligan, and Nina Barker-Francis will voice the characters as adults.

The first Harry Potter audiobook, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, will be available on Audible starting November 4th, 2025. The other six English-language audiobooks will then be released one each month following that.

The audiobook will be released a year before the HBO series is scheduled to premiere. Filming for the series has already started, but it won’t be available to watch until 2027.

JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, has received criticism for her opinions on transgender rights. In 2020, she published a detailed essay explaining her views on sex and gender, which was challenged and refuted by LGBTQ+ organizations like Stonewall.

Rowling has publicly expressed her opinions on social media, most recently in a 2024 post on X (formerly Twitter). In that post, she stated her belief that children are not transgender and rejected the concept of being assigned the wrong gender at birth.

In May 2025, J.K. Rowling created the JK Rowling Women’s Fund. The fund provides financial support for legal battles aimed at protecting women’s rights as defined by biological sex.

Stars of the Harry Potter films, like Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, have spoken out against J.K. Rowling’s views and expressed support for the transgender community. However, other actors from the series, including Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, and Jim Broadbent, have come to Rowling’s defense amid criticism.

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2025-10-22 20:42