Role Call: Tales from the Red Carpet

In this week’s Casting News, Kenneth Branagh experiences a huge success with his theatre company, Domhnall Gleeson is given an unconventional title, and Stephen Fry is celebrated. All that and more in MuggleNet’s Role Call!

Domhnall Gleeson (Bill Weasley) is set to attend the Los Angeles premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens next month on December 14, according to a radio interview with his friend and fellow actor, Laurence Kinlan. He also revealed that Domhnall has kept the lid on the Star Wars storyline, not even telling his father, actor Brendan Gleeson (Mad-Eye Moody). Kinlan also told listeners that fame hasn’t changed Domhnall, saying,

Things have already changed for him. But he’s so grounded and so lovely so it’s great that all these amazing things are happening to him.

In addition, Domhnall was also named by Vogue as one of the 10 Unconventional Alternatives to the Sexiest Man Alive. He landed at number one on the list, thanks in part (we think) to his spread with Gigi Hadid:

Who says red hair and freckles can’t be sexy? One need only see Gleeson steaming it up next to Gigi Hadid in December’s Vogue to fully appreciate his appeal.

The first clip from the audio series for Doctor Who, starring Sir John Hurt (Garrick Ollivander) as the War Doctor, has surfaced, thanks to the Radio Times. You can listen to the clip here, from the first in the Only the Monstrous boxed series, called The Innocent. David Tennant has also recorded for the audio series, with his episode is set to release in May 2016.

Speaking of David Tennant (Barty Crouch, Jr.), he’s also been revealed to have participated in a centennial special about Albert Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. You can view the video below:

The career and life of actor and Harry Potter audiobook narrator Stephen Fry will be celebrated with a documentary by BBC Two. The program, an hour long production titled Stephen Fry: A Life on Screen, will air next month thanks to BAFTA and Whizz Kid Entertainment. BAFTA director of production, Clare Brown, announced the special this week, saying,

BAFTA is delighted to have this opportunity to shine the spotlight on Stephen Fry, who has hosted our Film Awards with such great style for an incredible ten years.

Timothy Spall (Peter Pettigrew/Wormtail) made an appearance on the red carpet for the premiere of his television show, Fungus the Bogeyman. The series is set to air in December on Sky 1 and the actor is excited to be a part of the fun series, stating,

Fungus has brought joy to generations of children and I am so thrilled to be playing such a beloved character. It’s great to be working with Sky again and the skilled folk at Imaginarium to bring Fungus the Bogeyman out of the pages of Raymond Briggs’ book and onto the small screen this Christmas.

A deleted scene from Love, Actually featuring Frances de la Tour (Madame Maxime) was revealed earlier this week. According to director and creator Richard Curtis, the film’s plot was also to include a same-sex relationship, but it was cut before the film premiered. You can see the deleted scene below, which also includes an introduction from Curtis.

John Cleese (Nearly Headless Nick) recently revealed that he has written a play which he believes will debut on the West End. The actor told Shortlist magazine that he can now pursue projects he loves rather than projects that help pay the bills:

The past seven years I’ve been earning to pay off the alimony. But I’m now free to do things that interest me. I’ve adapted a Georges Feydeau farce called Bang Bang. There’s a good chance it will be on in the West End.

The first image from Sir Kenneth Branagh‘s (Gilderoy Lockhart) May 2016 production of Romeo and Juliet have surfaced, starring his Cinderella lead actors, Richard Madden and Lily James. The play will also air in cinemas around the world this July, as part of the latest trend of live cinema broadcasts of stage productions.

It is no surprise that Branagh’s plays will continue to air in cinemas, as it was recently announced that the live presentation of The Winter’s Tale has topped the UK cinema box office, taking in more than £1.1 million after being streamed to over 520 cinemas in the UK and over 100 around the world. Branagh had this to say about the success:

To be able to celebrate our production of The Winter’s Tale with cinema audiences is a true privilege.

Take a look at the photo below and get your tickets for the play or cinema presentation here:

If you missed the television series, Brotherhood, starring Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), you are in luck! All three season of the series will now be available for purchase in a boxed set, which is set to release on December 2. Here’s a synopsis of the series:

A working-class Irish family is torn between right and wrong when two brothers live out their destinies on opposite sides of the law. While Tommy pursues ambitions as a rising star in politics, Michael seeks power the only way he knows how – amidst the gritty underworld of violence and crime. And in a world where mothers choose favorites, wives keep secrets, and friends are won and lost by the deals that they make, doing what is right – and doing what is necessary – are rarely the same. Brotherhood tells the story of two brothers who sometimes share a twisted sense of moral compromise — each with his own skewed, idealistic vision of what makes the American dream.

You can preorder the series here.

That’s all for this week’s Casting News! Make sure to check back next week to get all the scoop on the latest roles and projects the cast have taken on!