Actors in the News Weekly Roundup

As we move away from reports of cast wrapping “Deathly Hallows” filming, a few stories have popped up about new projects and appearances for the Harry Potter actors. Firstly, the BBC reports that Emma Thompson (Professor Trelawney) and Alan Rickman (Severus Snape) are to star in a television adaptation of Christopher Reid’s poem The Song of Lunch for BBC Two. Rickman is to play a “disillusioned editor who has lunch with his former mistress at the Soho restaurant where they used to meet.” The adaptation will air on National Poetry Day, the 7th of October.

Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) is to appear on the third episode of Series 15 of the popular television programme, “Top Gear.” The actor will be one of the two Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car to take to the test track on the 11th of July and try to beat the records set by previous celebrities on the show. The programme is due to air on BBC Two Scotland at 7pm and at 8pm in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. A high definition version will be shown at 10pm on BBC HD.

On a related note, acclaimed film director Martin Scorsese recently spoke to The Sun about the promise in Rupert Grint’s acting. Scorsese told the British tabloid:

I thought [Grint] was a great actor in the Harry Potter movies. In a lot of scenes, the boy stole the show. He will always have respect for the movies that gave him such a huge break, but at his age it’s important he doesn’t become typecast.

He has to do something really out of his comfort zone in the next few years – play a gangster, play a dirty cop, play a kid with learning difficulties.

I would be interested in working with him. I would have no issues in casting him as a gangster, he is a very talented young man.

Scorsese went on to comment that Grint could become one of the greatest actors of all time. Read more on The Sun website at this link.

The Guardian‘s Film Weekly spoke to Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) about his role in “Skeletons,” which won the Michael Powell award at the Edinburgh film festival this year. Isaacs spoke to Film Weekly from the Harry Potter set and talked briefly about the packing up stages of the Harry Potter films. “[The Harry Potter films] have given me the middle name I never had. I always wanted a middle name and I’m now Jason brackets Lucius Malfoy Isaacs, and will be to the day I die! But it’s a label I wear quite proudly,” said the actor fondly. Isaacs talks about how he was drawn to the supporting role in “Skeletons” and how the short film was expanded into a full length feature film. You can listen to the interview here on The Guardian website. “Skeletons” has been released in the UK as of the 2nd of July and you can find out where you can watch it on the New British Cinema Quarterly website.