In an interview with Empire Online, Emma Thompson talks a bit more about her role as Professor Sybil Trelawney in the upcoming POA movie. She says “I decided that, since she was someone who saw the future, she had to be someone who couldn’t see anything at all in the present.”

Young Valera Ashcheulov has more in common with Harry than just the dark hair and glasses that recently won him a look-alike contest at a Moscow bookstore; he is also an orphan. Born with a serious congenital problem, Valera was abandoned at birth by his parents, who told his two siblings that he had died. …read more!

A group of fans have decided to wish Harry Potter actor Alan Rickman a happy February birthday by setting up a link that allows donations to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. In the words of the organizers, ‘let’s hope that the donation will make life a little easier for the future Alan Rickman, Ralph …read more!

The new 2004 movie line-up is bringing lots of toy opportunities. “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” will bring new playsets and a Championship Quidditch game. From Mattel, the new game will let kids compete to catch the golden snitch. Thanks Amy!

In a show to air on the BBC3 “Top 50 Cultural Movers and Shakers“, author JK Rowling has come in at second on the list. Compiled by fashion, film, media, and design industry experts, the creator of the iPod topped the list of most influential people in British culture.

Our friends at HP4U have posted some close-up pictures ,taken by Sarah, of the props at the Japanese HP store that we reported on Jan 5th. Included is a detailed transcript of a page from the DADA prop book used in the film. This book goes into some detail about werewolves that are interesting to …read more!

Matthew Lewis(Neville), Devon Murray(Seamus), James & Oliver Phelps(Fred & George) will be making several appearances here in the US.As we first reported back in January, their appearance at the Celebrity Autograph Expo will be on March 13th in Santa Ana, CA and on March 14th in Canoga Park, CA. They will also be making an …read more!

The San Jose Mercury News has an article on actor John Cleese, and on how he’s done more in his career than Monty Python: He created and starred in one of the most acclaimed British sitcoms (“Fawlty Towers”) and has secured recurring roles in the James Bond, Harry Potter and Shrek film franchises. He has …read more!

From Wellington’s The Dominion Post: Popular British actor Dame Maggie Smith is to perform in Wellington in May. Dame Maggie, who won Oscars for the movies The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and California Suite, as well as nominations for four other films, will star in the Alan Bennett play Talking Heads. Her latest film …read more!

The Harry Potter convention Convention Alley – “panels, presentations and discussion of the J. K. Rowling series that has given us so much food for thought in the past few years” – is open for registration. To read the convention FAQ, please visit their registration page.