Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright pitched ideas for future installments and shared what it would take to get her to reprise her role in a future Wizarding World project during an appearance at Calgary Expo.
Agents of Fandom Editor-in-Chief TJ Zwarych attended the event, which took place in front of a packed crowd on Sunday, April 30. Wright, who recently announced her pregnancy, spoke openly about the franchise, but expo staff informed attendees in advance that she would not discuss Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. The Wizarding World architect has generated controversy since 2019 by regularly posting transphobic messages on her Twitter account.
No J.K. Rowling questions allowed
Wright is one of several Potter actors, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, who have publicly disagreed with Rowling’s transphobic views in the past. In 2020, Wright tweeted in support of the trans community, stating “Transwomen are Women.”
Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright surprised about reboot
But Wright didn’t appear at Calgary Expo to talk about Rowling’s ongoing controversies. Instead, she spoke about her book, Go Gently, which focuses on taking care of oneself and the Earth, and how everyone can make a difference in their own lives. A television adaptation is in the works.
She also expressed gratitude for her experiences growing up on the Potter film sets from the age of nine. She praised Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes, calling his performance “chilling,” and noted that the epilogue in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is now comparable to her real life, as she’s currently pregnant with her first child and on-screen husband Radcliffe recently became a father.
She shared her surprise that Warner Bros. is rebooting the series and spoke about the franchise’s future, which she hopes will include a project that follows several fan-favorite characters.
Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright pitches Wizarding World prequel
“I would much more be interested in seeing a prequel, maybe,” Wright said, later noting that many fans have asked for the same or a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child adaptation:
“Seeing Harry’s parents and Sirius at school. I think that is a great storyline. It sets you up for the world. Order of the Phoenix is my favorite book, and I would love to see the Order and see that group of amazing Aurors together. I just love all those characters so much. I would love to see Tonks and Lupin and Sirius.”
—Bonnie Wright at Calgary Expo 2023
She also said she’s always open to returning as Ginny and shared ideas on what she’d like to see. After the events of Deathly Hallows, Ginny goes on to become a professional Quidditch player. Wright says she would love to portray that aspect of Ginny’s character in a future Wizarding World project.
Bonnie Wright on the Harry Potter streaming series
Wright also hopes that the streaming series will find a way to differentiate itself from the iconic film series.
“I’m just interested in how, hopefully, they’ll change it slightly. I understand that they’ll follow the seven years of Harry’s school life. But I really hope that they do something differently, just to make it feel different and relevant.”
—Bonnie Wright at Calgary Expo 2023
Wright also added that she hopes the episodic nature of the storytelling will allow for the inclusion of content from the books that never made it into the films. She says her biggest frustration with the films stemmed from much of Ginny and Harry’s romantic story being cut.
“For me, there were so many parts of Ginny that were in the book that I didn’t get to portray in the movie because it couldn’t be a 5-hour long film. So I wonder if they’ll be able to include more of what’s in the book in the TV show, just because there’s more hours. That’s one thing I’m hoping for.”
—Bonnie Wright at Calgary Expo 2023
How would you like to see Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright return to the Wizarding World? Which Harry Potter stories do you want to see adapted for film or television? Let us know in the comments below, or hit us up on our socials!
