hmmm I dont know, something about Helena that to me it doesnt quite fit, but i can only see that in the movie, i hope she can do a good job

Hmmm, well, that came as a bit of a shock... I always thought that Helena Bonham Carter would make a perfect Merope. Not that I don't think she can't play Bellatrix - she's an excellent actress and I have faith in her, but physically, she doesn't look like Bellatrix in my opinion (for one thing, she seems a bit too small and fragile, and also looks a bit too pretty and youngish for the part...). BUT the good acting and the ability to convey a character's personality are more important than looks, I believe. :-) Also, in reply to all those grumbles about "casting unnecessary characters" - I strongly believe that OOTP will be split into two movies. Seriously. They can't possibly make it into one 3-hour film without changing it into a fast-moving, incomprehensible, confusing mess that was GOF. I very much hope that they will have enough sense to split it. That way they wouldn't have to cut it too drastically and the movie wouldn't have to be so rushed. And the first part could end with the Christmas break, for example, that would come very natural.

WHOA! Apple Brook looks EXACTLY like I pictures Grubbly-Plank! That's perfect!

Young Snape is too freakin cute!!!!!!! I cannot wait to see him all wigged up!!!! Great Choice WB and thank you so much for FINALLY letting me sleep at night!!!

YAY!!!!!! OMG!!!!! we have SIRIUS!!! James Walters better be good!!!!

Noooooooo!!! I really like Helena Bonham Carter! And now she's playing one of my least favorite characters of all time!!! *Tear* And I cannot image someone else playing Snape other than Alan Rickman, even a younger version of him! He'll never live up to the standards I'll have for him! He probably won't even look anything like Alan Rickman and he'll probably suck at acting the part. I hope desperately I'm wrong.

Can Helen McCrory be the evil crazy Voldey suck up we all know and hate? I shure hope so!! She looks perky to say the least!! *mumbles* Stupid evil Moldey-Butt suck up...She should be a girl scout with all the brownie points she is trying to rack up....

YES!

YES!

omg omg omg!! this is huge news.. how did i miss this?

WOOOO!! Yeah Helen Bonham Carter! I love her, I'm so excited.

oohh...good! i love helena bonham carter! she is so fun and interesting

BRILLIANT!!!! Helena Bohnam Carter is a much better choice. Seriously, if anyone has doubts about this go watch Merlin. She does a good job of playing a bad guy in that, and my god, does the look the part!!!

SQUEEEE!!! Helena Bonham Carter is wonderful and always takes on very different roles. I think she will play Bellatrix brilliantly and won't hold back. Woot- I'm so stoked for the showdown between her and Sirius- teehee!!! I'm happy to hear that they've cast the young parts though I can't picture that kid as snape at all... Hopefully they'll have some pictures up soon of the other actors. =0)

http://i4.tinypic.com/10pvo2g.jpg This is A James Walters, but we don't know if it's the one playing Sirius. I mean, come on, it's a really generic name, isn't it? This is the picture going around right now, so no one's really sure yet. Suppose it's up to WB to tell us if it's him or not.

I'd rather get Tony Blair to plat Lestrange than this woman.

Cissa, I totally agree with you. HP needs Tim Curry. That would be so cool. I hope he replaces Ralph Fiennes. He would be an amazing Voldemort. I hope we hear even better news, that David Thewlis won't come back and we end up with Ewan McGregor. Gambon siriusly needs to be replaced, Christopher Lee anyone? That would be the ultimate HP movie. On another note, since WB have cast grubbly-Plank, can we take that to mean that GP could infact be an important character in book 7?

TDeSou, Tony Blair?!? Well he probably will need a new job soon. I think Helena Bonham Carter will do a good job as Bellatrix Lestrange, she's a very good actress.

yayayayay! Helena Bonham Carter is a great actress!!!!!!!! woohoo cant w8 for OOTP!

Helena-excellent choice...but no info on Dumbledore!! Whats happening with him? Please, please no Gambon!!! Patric Stewart anyone??? Only 1 year, 1 month and 18 days to go...before the destruction begins again...hope your right about the 2 parter...that would be brilliant!!

I personally think Helen McCrory would be a better potrayal of Bellatrix but I guess Helena would be just as good since she's a great actress.

i loved her ahh im so excited!!! but actually i thought she would've been a better merope gaunt. oh well... i cant wait for snape's worst memory.... woo hoo i

They had the best actor for Bella in the first place, but you can't criticise Helen McCrory for starting a family. From her portrayal of Barbara Villiers in Charles II - The Power and The Passion, she would've been the perfect Bella. I am going to reserve judgement on Helena Bonham -Carter. In response to Kadaj - why on earth would you want Tim Curry to replace Ralph Fiennes? Ralph was the best part of GoF. You couldn't want for a more chilling Voldemort. As for replacing David Thewlis with Ewan McGregor!! I can't begin to think how dreadful that would be.

I did not find Ralph's portrayal of voldemort chilling what so ever. He was not scary at all. The way he moved, the way he talked, eww. I cannot believe that I am the only on who disliked David Thewlis' performance.

i can just hear the next pottercast john noe:wasn't bellatrix pregneant in book 5

Oooh, I hope Jason Piper's face is in the film. :)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK no! Sorry but i think HBC isn't right for the part...which sucks because i though bellatrix was a very interesting character.

BELLATRIX IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PRETTY, GORGEOUS, OR EVEN REMOTELY NICE LOOKING AFTER AZKABAN. Phew. Sorry, I'm not mad, it's just people don't seem to get that through their heads. The actress isn't even ugly, she's cute in her own way, but dang it people, quit throwing a fit because Bellatrix isn't gorgeous enough. Bellatrix is hideous after azkaban. Good looks are all gone.

Have you seen Big Fish? She plays a rather scary witch there and it looks great. With a bit of smart makeup, she'll look all right, don't worry. ;-)

How come all the young versions of the people from Snapes Worst Memory and sitting on strange objects?

Bane looks good! :D

Mmmmm....that is one SEXY centaur....

Okay, don't get me wrong, I like Helena Bonham Carter enough, but Bellatrix? Are you kidding me? No way. Aaah well.

Hm.. I was a bit skeptical about Hopkins as young Snape first, when I looked at the picture... But after quickly adding longer, black hair to it, to get a better idea of him as Snape.. I think it might actually work quite well :D (if you want to take a look yourself: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v680/strawberry-acid/hopkins-manip.jpg ) I'm really curious to see him and the young Marauders in the movie~ (and Tonks, and Bella and... well, everyone lol)

yess! i love helena bonham carter1 she'll be perfect!

NOOOO!!!! I was so looking forward to Helen as Bellatrix. You mean to tell me with all the CGI and special effects that goes into an HP Movie, they could not have her stunt double do the stunts and she act them? Whatever.

Kadaj, your absolutly right. I DISPISE David Thewlis as Lupin, just URGGGGGG. I know that not EVERYTHING can be how we fanatics picture it. But David crosses the line. He is absolutly nothing like my Remus. Ewan McGregor would not be my first choice, but I would be satisfied. My ideal Lupin is here (he plays Joe Dubois on 'Medium'): http://www.crazyabouttv.com/Images/medium.jpg And thats about the closest an actor has ever come to looking like the Lupin in my head. Now if only he was british... Christopher Lee as Dumbledore? OMFG!!1 That is the awesomest thing EVER. I would never have thought of that. As for Bella and Snape, I could *not* be any happier. I might not boycott the fifth movie afterall...

ew! i dont like that lady from charlie and the chocolate factory shes creepy and ugly but i guess thats what the parts supposed to be like.

Hmm. The Snape kid looks a bit off. Well, it's a wonder what make up can do. Perhap Alan will let him borrow his wig. ¬__¬''

yah i agree i think they need to put a wig on him. he so isnt like how i expected snape to look. o well i guess they dont find appearance as important as us. oh and i like the helena better then helen for the choice of bellatrix. what are you guys talking about, she is really pretty, its just shes older now. look at her old pics. i checked as i was like wow, nasty.she has very inappropriate pictures of her. i dont think she will do for bella, way to nasty:P

The only problem I have with the suggestion that Helena would be better to play Merope is Merope's age. When we see Merope in "The House of Gaunt" she is only 18, and, as much as I like Bohnam Carter, she is far too old for that part. No, I think she has been exceptionally well cast for the role of Bellatrix and I am greatly looking forward to it. As for all of these suggestions that certain roles should be changed, like Lupin, Voldemort and Dumbledore, people must understand that it is too late for that. Personally I have no problem with Thewlis and Fiennes, quite the opposite actually, however in the case of Gambon, now he has been cast as the mighty headmaster of Hogwarts, he has that film secured for the next two films. It's a very bad idea to replace a cast member of the one character between films as it greatly ruins the consistency. The only reason why this happened previously with the role of Dumbledore now being played by Gambon and not Richard is simply because, well, Richard Harris unfortunately passed away. The only thing that can be done now is in the directors hands. If the directors of the next two films request for Gambon to tone down on his shouting and harshness and instead adopt a more gentle, witty and friendly personality to play Dumbledore, then all the better.

mmmm I love Helena to death, I think she's a GREEEAAT actress... but I don't know it I see her as Bella

This is great news! She will portray her pefectly. She is who I imagine as Bella...and no one else!!! Finally some good news on a crappy day!

oh my gosh, yes, they picked the actors, i want to see sirius and remus, i need to see them, i will die if i don't i hope i see them soon, they should be hot, i'm saying that now! lol and oh, i liked Helen McCory, she was perfect, she looked the part and everything, oh, i am so upset, but although i have not seen Helena's acting i have a feeling she'll do well. I am so happy that helen mcCory is pregnant though, babies are wonderful!

As yues_woman states, changing actors at this point for main characters would be a bad thing(imagine a new Harry, Ron or Hermione!). I personally loved Fiennes as Voldy & Lupin was good also, although I also have to agree with the other poster that he wasn't quite what I had pictured in my head, but thats the make-up depts. fault, not his acting abilities. He at least had some of the relationship with Harry that was portrayed in the book. As for Gambon, he is the worst, I'm sorry to those who endure him, but I am highly disappointed. I had sat with fingers crossed watching the "cast" list on here and have yet to see him confirmed, although all the other main characters are listed...hhmm makes me think theres still hope...and I will continue hoping until I see otherwise, still hoping for Patric Stewart (he was Cptn. of the Enterprise after all, dealing with romulons, the borg, Q, etc. could easily handle dementors & horcruxes!) Ewan McGeggor would be good too, maybe as Bill, he's got the looks!!! How about Malcolm McDowell...pure evil...has to be a place for him...greyback in human form?

i still think HBC it weird and creepy

This is great! I can totally see Helena Bonham Carter play Belatrix! What a great day!

Can anyone tell me which actors are playing which parts? Which James is playing Harry's father and which one is playing Sirius? If no one knows, do we know when WB will say or when we will find out?

I agree, does anyone know who is playing what part? Whats the good of knowing their names if we don't know what part they are playing?

kool