The perferct actors for the parts of The Witches

[hibern8]

Please, please, please...

Please can someone with the money and the expertise to make a TV movie/miniseries or even a feature length dvd, approach the following actors for the parts of the witches... I think they'd be ideal;

Granny Weatherwax - Dame Maggie Smith
Nanny Ogg - Dawn French (Pity that Liz Smith is a wee bit over the hill but Dawn French would be great).
Magrat - Emma Chambers or, even better, Siobhan Hayes fom the BBC sitcom 'My Family'.
Fot the part of Agnes Nitt... either Ruth Jones, Jenny McAlpine or Natalie Cassidy with the aid of a fat suit.

What do you think?

 

[Tonyblack]

Hi hibern8 and welcome!

I agree with Dame Maggie and Emma Chambers

Although I think using Dame Maggie would be a mistake after her already playing a witch in the Harry Potter series.

Seriously, I think Dawn French is just too young. There must be plenty of great actresses who are more of an age who could play here. I think Liz Smith would be to thin for the part anyhow. But those are interesting choices.

 

[chuckie]

Dawn French would be a good choice if she was made up to look older but i always picture Miriam margoyles when i think of Nanny Ogg.
Emma chambers is, i think, a little too old to play Magrat. Having googled Siobhan hayes, i think she would be an excellent choice.
Welcome to the site Hibern8.

 

[Penfold]

I was thinking Patsy Byrne (Nursie in Blackadder) for Nanny Ogg and maybe Miranda Hart for Perditta X. although both would need a lot of assistance from the make-up and wardrobe departments. When it comes to Magrat, I haven't a clue (Kiera Knightly, Maybe? ).

Welcome to the site Hibern8

 

[Sjoerd3000]

welcome to the site hibern8

 

[chris.ph]

welcome to the site hibern8

 

[CrysaniaMajere]

Welcome from me too, hibern8, I've always thought of Maggie Smith as the perfect Granny, even if someone got her before for witch Mcgonagall, but she would be perfect anyway. Welcome again

 

[Tone The Phone]

Emma Chambers is spot on for Magrat, but I think that Kathy Burke would also make a wonderful Nanny Ogg.

And I think that Alison Moyet would do rather well as Agnes. Statuesque and with a great voice. I saw her in a theatre show a few years ago, with Dawn French. The show wasn't that great, but Ms Moyet was rather special.

Tony

 

[Dotsie]

Hi hibern8 and Tone. Wouldn't Alison Moyet be a bit old for Agnes? I think Agnes is quite young. It would be even worse than when Emma Thompson played a teenager in Sense and Sensibility!

 

[Penfold]

I agree about Alison Moyet being too old for Agnes, although she is one of my favourite female vocalists.

This might be slightly 'outside the box' casting, but what about June Brown (of Eastenders fame) for Granny Weatherwax? I've seen her in a few other roles (I can't stand Eastenders) and think she's a great actress.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

Welcome to the site Hibern8, Joanna Lumley as granny. :

 

[Danny B]

I think Emma Chambers is absolutely perfect for the role of Magrat. I've noticed a few people mentioning her age, but I never got the impression that Magrat was in the first flush of her youth. She always seemed to me to be a woman in her thirties, who'd simply led a sheltered sort of life.

My vote for Granny would be Shirley Stelfox. (Image)

For Granny I'd go with a Keeping Up Appearances theme and cast Patricia Routledge. Everyone thinks of her as Hyacinth Bucket, but she has far greater range than that.

Agnes/Perdita has me at a loss, though.

 

[CrysaniaMajere]

Good image of Shirley Stelfox, I didn't know her, never seen her before, but it's really a good choice. I agree

 

[Willem]

I've always pictured Liz Smith as Nanny Ogg, although she's too thin I guess. She's the right type in my mind though. She was the grandma in the Royle Family, and the old crazy woman in the first seasons of the Vicar of Dibley.

For Granny Weatherwax, I'd see Dame Judi Dench in that role. She's got the stare right. I still picture my own grandmother as Granny, more for looks than personality

Emma Chambers has already been mentioned for Magrat, she looks the part.

 

[Dotsie]

A younger Liz Smith maybe. I think Nanny would be in her sixties at the most (I think an active life has lead to her looking older than she is )

 

[Danny B]

My vote for Granny would be Shirley Stelfox.

For Granny I'd go with a Keeping Up Appearances theme and cast Patricia Routledge. Everyone thinks of her as Hyacinth Bucket, but she has far greater range than that.

GAH!

I've done it again and mistyped what I meant in a "casting call" thread. I meant Patricia Routledge for Nanny.

*Wanders off, chuntering to himself like Muttley*

 

[Tonyblack]

I had a flash of inspiration - how about Maureen Lipman to play Granny. I bet she'd be brilliant!

 

[Jan Van Quirm]

She'd need to have blue contacts - but yeah she'd be really good

 

[Tristan]

What about Alyson Hannigan for Magrat? (picture)

I agree with you on Maggie Smith and Miriam Margoyles. And for Perdita... Mia Tyler, the half-sister of Liv Tyler? (picture)

DannyB, I liked your choices, too.

And I was wondering, what about the other witches... like Tiffany, Miss Tick/Level/Treason, Annagramma Hawking etc. I know they are not that important, but we can still cast them.

 

[Tonyblack]

I watched Dr Who (Last of the Time Lords) earlier and saw an actress named Ellie Haddington. I've seen her before in Foyle's War and thought then that she's be great as Granny. I'm even more convinced now.

Failing that - she could be Mrs Earwig.