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Potter's 'Scrimgeour' reveals finale hints
It's officially official: Bill Nighy will play Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I and II, the British actor told us exclusively.
"I shoot it when we get back from this trip," Nighy (the Underworld and Pirates of the Caribbean movies) said in an interview in New York, where he was promoting G-Force. "I go home and I shoot, and I am Rufus Scrimgeour. I am a wizard. I am the Minister for Magic, and I am very pleased, because I thought I was going to remain the only English actor who wasn't in Harry Potter, but apparently that's not true." (Spoilers ahead!)
Scrimgeour was actually introduced in the sixth of J.K. Rowling's best-selling books, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but the creative team behind the movies elected to wait until the two-part movie finale (based on the seventh book) to bring him onto the scene.
A long-time fighter against dark wizards, Scrimgeour assumes the Minister title from Cornelius Fudge, makes strides in the battle against Voldemort and the Death Eaters but also indulges in his predecessor's knack of allowing appearances to overshadow actual results.
"Scrimgeour is a rather tragic figure, without giving too much away," Nighy said. "But there's no giving too much away, because everybody's read the books. So he's a kind of tragic figure. You have that element. And he knows what's coming. So that's a very moving thing to play. He's also very powerful, and he's had a very complicated progress to the top. And he has an interesting relationship with Harry [Daniel Radcliffe], because Harry views him initially with complete contempt, but then it's softened by subsequent events."
Nighy smiled when asked if there's a particular scene he's eager to realize before the camera.
"Well, there's one where he comes and delivers Dumbledore's [Michael Gambon] legacy to the three children," Nighy replied, referring to Harry, Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint, with whom Nighy worked on the upcoming action-comedy Wild Target). "He gives them all of the things that Dumbledore has left them, and that's when it's first indicated that he may not be around for much longer. So it's quite an affecting scene."
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is now playing. The Deathly Hallows is currently in production, and the first part debuts Nov. 19, 2010.
By ME at 5:52 PM ON 07/16/09
Awesome!! I can't wait to see the Will scene...it's one of the best in the whole book!! I love Scrimgeour's interactions with Harry and Hermione during that scene.
Bill Nighy is Awesome!
By CCCDude at 8:02 PM ON 07/16/09
Minister OF Magic.
geez - do fact checkers cost that much? Or better yet, let someone who's familiar with the work write the article.
By Asana at 10:11 PM ON 07/16/09
@CCCDude...
Did it ever occur that maybe Nighy said Minister FOR Magic (as it is attributed to a quote by him) and they just entered it as is? And if it is in fact Nighy's mistake what then? Are you going to call for a better actor who fact checks himself before he speaks?
geez indeed.
By Sofia at 11:40 PM ON 07/16/09
also @CCCDude..
in the British versions of the books it's Minister FOR Magic. It's in the American versions that it's OF.. and obviously Bill Nighy being British he's going to say FOR
By harriettapotter at 11:44 PM ON 07/16/09
Actually the British version of the books refer to Fudge and Scrimgeour as the Minster for Magic,so he was correct in referring to his part as minister for magic.
By potterphreak at 8:39 AM ON 07/17/09
Wow! I am REALLY excited for the Deathly Hallows to come out. I mean the Half-Blood Prince was great and I'm sure the next one will be great too especially since it's in two parts. I'm expecting Bill Nighy to be great in this one. He was really great as Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Harry Potter is awesome!!!
By andresf1984 at 4:21 PM ON 07/17/09
@CCCDude
It's because of people like you that Americans get a reputation for being thick and lazy.
And yes, it's Minister FOR Magic, mate.
By Miranda at 3:32 AM ON 07/18/09
Should be interesting to see how the will part goes in the next movie. He gives them all the stuff that dumbledore has left them in his will.
By ajwz24 at 9:51 AM ON 07/18/09
americans.... thick and lazy? wait a minute..... I'll tell ya what, how about you come over here with that 'thick and lazy" and see how far you get! In my books its Minister OF Magic. Before you insult an entire Nation of people and fans, stop and think, MATE!
By Zachary Yap at 10:04 AM ON 07/18/09
I want to be cast in Deathly Hallows so badly. Is there any auditions for it? Are there anymore new characters yet available? I don't mind getting a role even thought I am an experienced actor.
By jampcat9 at 6:06 PM ON 07/19/09
I think its funny how everyone's making a big deal about 'minster for magic'/'minister of magic'. Even if it wasn't 'for' in the British version, does it really matter? Its not like he just called Harry Henry or something. Anyway, although I love Bill Nighy, it seems like they are going to make he and Harry closer than what they really were...and that's silly. I'm sure they'll throw in a few completely unnecessary scenes in place of more important scenes like they've done with the rest of the movies. *sigh*
By dissapointed at 7:37 AM ON 07/20/09
Jampcat9 - I posted a similar comment the other day and it got deleted. I hope that doesn't happen to yours too. If they make Harry and Scrimgeour out to be friends or even remotely close it will fly in the face of the whole relationship between the two. The never liked each other, and Harry never agreed with any of the ministry's philosophies at all. the only reason he showed any remorse for Scrimgeour it because that is why harry is who he is.
By Mad Yank at 10:14 AM ON 07/21/09
All right, MATES, let's all calm down!
I'm an American (check my handle!) and I can understand the difference between the Brit and the American versions of the books!
As Churchill is reputed to have once said (at least, I THINK it was Churchill!), "We are two great nations separated by a common language."
Relax, guys; don't push it. Save the fighting for Voldy and the Death Eaters!
They'll get all of us tired enough.
By Avid Reader at 2:01 PM ON 07/24/09
Did it ever occur to you that in Britain the books says Minister For Magic. After all, these books were written in several different languages, and even though the US & Britain both speak English, we use words differently. I can't wait for the remaining movies - although they will never be as good as the books. If you haven't read them yet, you should!
By Brian P at 7:13 PM ON 07/24/09
For or Of to be honest I don't care. It's the overall product that is important. They have made us wait to long for the movies as it is. The only problem I have with the wholething is that they limited the actors and actresses to UK subjects (direct or Indirect). There are plenty of people of different nationalities that would have been great in the movies. Just my opinion.
By Too Many Thestrals at 8:47 AM ON 08/30/09
"they limited the actors and actresses to UK subjects" you say?
"There are plenty of people of different nationalities that would have been great in the movies" you say?
Clémence Poésy (Fleur) is French.
Predrag Bjelac (Karkaroff) is Serbian.
Stanislav Ianevski (Krum) is Bulgarian.
Richard Harris and Michael Gambon (Dumbledore) and Brendan Gleeson (Mad-Eye) are from the Republic of Ireland.
Just my nitpick.
By Chrisph at 4:14 AM ON 09/03/09
The reason the films use British actors is because JKR wanted them to make a british film unless the characers were of another nationality. This meant the films stayed close to how she saw the characters and so she could help our film industry
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Chrisph:
The reason the films use British actors is because JKR wanted them to make a british film unless the characers were...More »