„I Ended Up Playing Him Because I Didn’t Want To.” Harry Potter Actor Tried to Sabotage His Audition, but It Backfired on Him
Harry Potter actor found out that not everything goes our way when he applied for a role in the film. But while his sabotage didn't work out, he is happy with who he came to play.
It is hard to imagine Lucius Malfoy or Jason Isaacs in another role in the Harry Potter series. The actor played Draco's cruel father perfectly, yet he was auditioning for a completely different role and completely uninterested in playing the Death Eater. He was so opposed to the role that when he was asked to read Lucius' lines, Isaacs tried to sabotage his casting.
The actor talked about the situation in a program marking the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter, Harry Potter: Return to Hogwarts. There he confessed that he had auditioned for the role of Gilderoy Lockhart, who, as we already know, was eventually played by Kenneth Branagh in the films. Isaacs, on the other hand, was perfect for the role of Malfoy, and apparently director Chris Columbus saw this as well.
I’m convinced I ended up playing Lucius because I didn’t want to. I went to audition for Gilderoy Lockhart and Chris said, “That was great, would you mind reading a different part?”
Isaacs, due to the fact that he was already supposed to play Captain Hook, didn’t want to take on the role of another villain from a children's story, so he tried to sabotage his casting. He didn't foresee that just by doing so, he would come off as the perfect Lucius.
I was about to play Captain Hook in Peter Pan, and I thought, “Well, I don’t want to play two children’s villains.” And I read through gritted teeth, deeply bitter, and of course, that’s exactly what was necessary and they asked me to play Lucius, and thank God they did.
Despite his initial reluctance, Jason Isaacs is happy to have been given the role of Lucius, who he played in the Harry Potter films. The actor excelled as a Death Eater trying to prove his worth before Lord Voldemort.
