Bill Nighy Discards Science for Magic, Signs Onto Last Potter Films

Posted by Dr. Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on July 1, 2009

So word is traveling around pretty fast in the Potter world that Bill Nighy has finally, finally been cast in a Harry Potter film despite complaining about being the last British actor to be involved and despite being friends with director David Yates.

That word is also coming with a very confusing tag on it – that Bill Nighy is going to be playing Rufus Scrimgeour, the newly instated Minister of Magic that takes over after Cornelius Fudge leaves the post. It’s a pretty solid character that factors in heavily during the last book, so it’ll be great to see Nighy in the part.

But – I have no idea why people are claiming that’s the role he’s going to play. It’s not that I don’t believe it; it’s one of the last large adult roles left in the series that doesn’t appear in other books. However, the only source that I can really find for it is The Leaky Cauldron (the huge Harry Potter fansite) who simply says that he is without citing down how they know the information. In fact, Nighy himself is staying tight-lipped about the whole thing as I’m sure he’s under contract to be. So is it fandom’s wishful thinking? Or is it bona fide casting news?

What is for sure is that he’ll be involved. But as for his role, I think I’ll be waiting just a bit longer for confirmation or at least an errant quote from someone.

This news comes at perfect timing with two weeks to go until Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince comes out. It’s almost like the production planned it to build buzz!

What do you think? Do you think he’ll make a good Scrimgeour?

Read more articles by Dr. Cole Abaius