Weekly Round-Up: Imelda Staunton Talks Umbridge & Social Distancing, Daniel Radcliffe’s ‘Kimmy Schmidt’ Special & More!

May 03, 2020

Posted by: Becki Osborne

Casting, Charity, Events, Fantastic Beasts Round-Up, Felton, Fiennes, Films, Fry, Harry Potter Round-Up, HP Cast, Info, Interactive, Interviews, Lynch, Movies, News, Phelps, Radcliffe, Round-Up, Shaw, Staunton, Television Programmes, Tennant, Thompson, Trailers

Congratulations on making it to May Potterheads! This week we commemorated the Battle of Hogwarts, announced our Harry Potter reread discussion group, reviewed Tom Felton’s new film Braking for Whales, shared a venue for Harry Potter themed weddings and covered updates on Universal Orlando’s future fourth park Epic Universe. In addition, Wizarding World graphic designers MinaLima announced their postcards for heroes campaign and LEGO unveiled their brand new Harry Potter brick sets including The Burrow and the Room of Requirement!

This week in Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Actors news a good look at Daniel Radcliffe in the upcoming Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Interactive Special, Ralph Fiennes confirmed as Miss Trunchbull in the Matilda movie musical, David Tennant appears in Good Omens online anniversary special, Tom Felton is recording personal messages on Cameo, Evanna Lynch co-hosts a BBC podcast, episode two from the Phelps’ Double Trouble , an interview with Fiona Shaw and more!

A New Trailer and an Appearance for Daniel Radcliffe

Netflix has shared their trailer for the upcoming Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt interactive episode!

Title character, Kimmy Schmidt (Ellie Kemper) sets off on her biggest adventure yet, and the viewer, gets to decide how the story unfolds! Will she make it to her wedding on time? YOU decide!!

UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT Daniel Radcliffe

Stars appearing in the special episode include, Tituss Burgess, Carol Kane, Daniel Radcliffe (pictured above), Jon Hamm, Sara Chase, Lauren Adams, Donna Maria, Amy Sedaris, Jack McBrayer, and Johnny Knoxville.

The exciting Interactive Special premieres on Netflix on Tuesday 12th May!

Ralph Fiennes Confirmed as Miss Trunchbull Matilda

Matilda the Musical is heading to the big screen! Ralph Fiennes will be stepping into shoes of Headteacher, Agatha Trunchbull the story’s villain, it has been confirmed this week. Filming was originally expected to begin shooting in August 2020, however, this has been put on hold due to the current coronavirus pandemic.

matilda-the-musical-40427


Matilda the Musical is currently running on London’s West End, where it began in November 2011. It ran on Broadway from April 2013 to January 2017.


The musical, written by Dennis Kelly with music and lyrics by comedian Tim Minchin is based on the book of the same name by Roald Dahl, originally released in 1988. Matilda tells the tale of a schoolgirl with very special powers who uses her skills to help those around her, while dealing with the spiteful Miss Trunchbull.

David Tennant Returns to Good Omens for Anniversary Mini-Special

May of 2020, marks the 30th anniversary of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s novel Good Omens, and to celebrate, Gaiman has written a special lockdown mini-episode with Michael Sheen and David Tennant, reprising their roles from the Amazon series, released May 2019.

Aziraphale (Sheen) & Crowley (Tennant) in Amazon's Good Omens

The short audio clip follows the pair as they check in with one another during their time in quarantine. Angel, Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) is content to sit in his closed book store all day, reading and baking cakes, while demon Crowley (David Tennant) is stuck with only his houseplants for company, and can’t bring himself to spread fear or discontent while the pandemic is already doing such a good job.

“This is our present to all of you. It’s to make people happy, because too many of us are sad.” Gaiman told his 2.8 million twitter followers.

Click here to watch the clip now!

Personalized Video Messages from Tom Felton

Hogwarts’ bad-boy Tom Felton is continuing to delight his fans by joining the long list of celebrities recording personalised video shout-outs on Cameo, an online marketplace for personalised videos from your favourite movie stars, athletes and more!

Tom’s videos are priced at £239.04 or $288 per request. According to the Cameo website, it is the talent who sets their price, which can be changed based on the marketplace at any time.

Tom Felton!

Tom Felton!

Feltons’ Cameo profile has a 4.9 rating out of 5 stars. Boasting  91 glowing reviews from happy recipients.

“Tom Makes all his videos so genuine. Love love love it. My Bestfriend is going to flip when she sees it.” Writes one happy fan!

Other Harry Potter stars on Cameo include Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), James Peyton (Frank Longbottom) and Leaky’s dear friend, Chris Rankin (Percy Weasley).

Chris Rankin Creates “Virtual Chorus” For Cover Of ‘Any Dream Will Do’

Speaking of Chris Rankin, he took to YouTube recently to post a cover of ‘Any Dream Will Do’:

“Through the wonders of modern technology, a chorus of over 40 voices have come together to perform “Any Dream Will Do” from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat!”

Chris brought together the singers via a call for submissions on social media, and edited them together to produce this wonderfully uplifting chorus – just what we needed to raise our spirits during lockdown!

Evanna Lynch CoHosts BBC Podcast Normal People

Actress and vegan activist Evanna Lynch has co-hosted a BBC podcast with Documentary filmmaker and YouTuber, Riyadh Khalaf, discussing Normal People, a BBC3 adaption of Sally Rooney’s 2018 novel of the same name.

Obsessed with...Normal People podcast, available at BBC Sounds now!

Normal People spins the tale of Connell and Marianne, two people seemingly perfect for each other, which begins when they’re at school in a small town in West Ireland and continues – on and off – for another four years while they’re at college in Dublin.

With the extra wonderful @RiyadhK chatted a LOT about catholic guilt, and Irish boys being almost surgically detached from their emotions. My accent is now twice as Irish. It was very fun and the tv show is brilliant. Tweeted Evanna.

All episodes of Normal People are available now on BBCiPlayer. Find the podcast Obsessed with…Normal People on BBC sounds now!

Rupert Grint and Gemma Chan  Get Involved With NHS Campaign

95752430_724172821458742_8139126170252738560_n

We recently celebrated the news that Rupert Grint and girlfriend Georgia Groome are expecting their first child, and now the pair are supporting the NHS in a new campaign.

The campaign, selling a range of  ‘Choose Love’ £20 limited edition t-shirts is exclusive to ASOS, Choose Our Carers and Choose Our NHS. All proceeds will go to The Care Workers Charity and NHS Charities Together. Other than Rupert Grint, other celebrities involved includes Fantastic Beasts‘s Gemma Chan, as well as   Dermot O’Leary, Judi Dench,  Suki Waterhouse, Daisy Lowe, Noel Fielding, Rupert Grint, Stacey Dooley, Nick Grimshaw, Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling.

 

Find out more about the campaign here.

Emma Thompson Supports the Environment in Short Film

Extinction, A new short film starring Emma Thompson, depicts a fictionalised version of the protests held by the activist group Extinction Rebellion last April, which culminated in the UK becoming the first country to declare a climate emergency.

The production tells the story of a group of climate activists meeting with the Environment Minister in the midst of an ongoing rebellion. Emma Thompson explained the importance of both the piece and the movement more generally, saying:

Everything depends on what we do now. In a crisis, you have to convince people to take positive and immediate action. The suffragettes taught us that. You have to be active in your disobedience.”

Emma Thompson

The team behind Extinction have emphasised that the project involved an even split of genders, with the labour divided equally among the team. Emma Thompson, for example, made her own costume.
Writer, Sam Haygarth explained that it was important to the group, particularly director and co-writer Jack Cooper Stimpson that the ethics of the movement were carried throughout the production. Stating:

“It was really important to us that this film was not just a film about climate justice, but a film which embodied the values it seeks to advance.”

Extinction is available to stream now, here!

A New Episode of the Phelps Podcast

The beloved Weasley twins of the Harry Potter universe, James and Oliver Phelps, have brought their podcast Double Trouble back for a second season!

James and Oliver Phelps' podcast, Double Trouble!

The first episode of season two features an interview with Johanna Konta, a British professional tennis player who represented Australia until 2012.

In episode two, the twins chat to Haley Joel Osmoent – an American actor who starred in Teachers and What We Do in the Shadows.

James and Oliver launched the first season of the podcast in November 2017, talking about their travel adventures and discussing Madrid, New York City, Pennsylvania; and Orlando. There are plenty of laughs to be shared with the mischievous brothers in the relaxed, chatty format.

Subscribe today, wherever you listen to podcasts, or on their official YouTube channel to keep up to date!

 

BBC Monologue Remake Starring Imelda Staunton

The BBC has dusted off British playwright Alan Bennett’s series of Talking Heads monologues, remaking them for the modern age with a spellbinding cast.

Killing Eve actress Jodie ComerThe Hobbit’s Martin Freeman and everyone’s least favourite headmistress, Imelda Staunton, are among the stars signed up to the project, breathing new life into the BAFTA-winning show.

Imelda Staunton

The programme will combined the following performances:

A Lady of Letters
Imelda Staunton (originally Patricia Routledge in 1988)

Bed Among the Lentils
Lesley Manville (originally Maggie Smith 1988)

Her Big Chance
Jodie Comer (originally Julie Walters in 1988)

The BBC has claimed that the series will air on BBC One in the “coming months” and we cant wait!

Imelda Staunton also appeared on this week’s Graham Norton Show to discuss how her Harry Potter character, Dolores Umbridge was the first for social distancing! See the clip below:

Fiona Shaw Talks season 3 of Killing Eve

Fiona shaw graces the cover of June’s Good Housekeeping magazine to talk about her current role in the BBC’s gripping, hit TV show, Killing Eve.

Good Housekeeping, June 2020, With cover star Fiona Shaw

Good Housekeeping, June 2020, With cover star Fiona Shaw

Shaw plays the the shrewd MI6 boss, Carolyn Martens in the brand new third season telling Good Housekeeping’s Megan Sutton:

“I feel I’ve waited all my life for Killing Eve. Why weren’t they making series about this sort of stuff 20 years ago when I was in my late 30s? I would have enjoyed them.”

Read the full interview in the June issue of Good Housekeeping, on sale now!
Killing Eve Season 3 is on BBC iPlayer now, with new episodes aired Sundays at 21:15.

Carmen Ejogo Supports Healthcare Workers

Jeffrey Wright (The Batman and Westworld), actor and co-founder of the The Brooklyn for Life! Initiative with restaurant-owner friends and a vice president of Brooklyn Hospital, have raised more than $386,000 to deliver meals from local restaurants to vital front-line health care workers. The  GoFundMe drive was launched on 25th March and is getting major support from a star-studded list of Brooklynites.

Brooklyn For Life!

“We started Brooklyn for Life! out of love for Brooklyn and out of solidarity with our neighbours,” said Wright in a statement. “This is home. The hope is that Brooklyn emerges from this global pandemic as strong and as beautiful as she was before COVID, and our community is coming together to help make that happen. The video tries to celebrate that and express gratitude for those on the front lines of that effort.”

Wright gathered a team of friends and backers to appear in a two-and-a-half minute video to raise awareness of the initiative. Stars include, Daniel Craig, Spike Lee, Jimmy Kimmel, Lupita Nyong’o, Peter Dinklage, Taylor Schilling, Rose Byrne,  John Turturro, Ethan Hawke, Steve Buscemi and Fantastic Beasts and where to find them’s Madam President Seraphina Picquery, played by Carmen Ejogo.

To watch the clip now, click here!

A New Netflix Series for Darren Criss

Streaming service Netflix will debut their new series from Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story) and Ian Brennan (Glee, Scream Queens), titled HOLLYWOOD.
The seven episodes follow a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood as they try to make it big – no matter the cost.
Each character offers a glimpse behind the scenes of Hollywood’s Golden Age, highlighting the unfair biases across race, gender and sexuality that continue to this day.

Darren Criss, of Team Starkid, Glee and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: AMERICAN CRIME STORY fame, stars in the limited series as Raymond Ainsley, and the series will be available for streaming on Netflix from Friday 1st May.

Darren Criss, David Corenswet, Jake Picking, and Jeremy Pope

Criss is also currently an acting, producing, and writing for Royalties, a new show on Quibi that will be released on June 1, 2020!

Stephen Fry Imogen Heap Pen Cultural Appeal

More than 400 figures in the UK’s creative industries have signed a letter sent to the Culture Secretary warning that the country could become a “cultural wasteland” if more is not done to support creative workers during the current pandemic.

The letter was written by the Creative Industries Federation (CIF), the country’s creative sector. It claims that more than 50% of creative organisations and professionals have already lost 100% of their income

Signatories include Nick Cave, Simon Callow, Anish Kapoor, Paloma Faith, Johnny Marr,  Jonathan Pryce, Katie Melua, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Sophie Dahl, Imogen Heap and Stephen Fry.

Grammy award-winning British musician Imogen Heap.  Heap created four “contemporary suites” from her background music for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage production.

Stephen Fry - voice of the UK edition Harry Potter audiobooks

“The creative arts have always been a refuge, an important voice in times of joy, pain and heartache. They unite people in their shared experiences. and make people feel less alone, punctuating our memories and articulating the feelings we don’t have the words for”, commented Only Love Can Hurt Like This singer, Paloma Faith.

That’s all the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Actors info for this week friends! Until we meet again check out our Theater Round-up for the latest Wizarding World news from the stage and get ready for our upcoming series reread!





The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.