After a bitter marriage marked by Mike’s obsession with material wealth, Nicole shockingly agrees to give him everything in their divorce. But as Mike revels in his “victory,” Nicole’s laughter reveals a secret plan in motion. What Mike doesn’t know is that she’s about to make her final move.I stepped out of the lawyer’s office with a blank expression, my shoulders slumped, looking every bit the defeated ex-wife. The rain was coming down hard, and the gray sky matched my mood — or at least the mood I wanted people to think I was in.A woman walking past a window Inside, I was buzzing. My hands clenched the cold steel of the door handle as I headed toward the elevator. No one was around. Good. The elevator door closed behind me with a soft ding, and as soon as I was alone, I let out a little giggle. It wasn’t something I planned; it bubbled up from deep inside like champagne finally uncorked. The more I thought about what I’d just done the more it built up until I was cackling in the elevator like a lunatic.A woman laughing in an elevator | Source: Midjourney If anyone saw me right then, they’d think I had finally snapped, gone over the edge from all the stress, but oh no, this was just the beginning. Everything was falling perfectly into place. The house, the car, the savings — Mike could have them all. It was exactly what I wanted. He thought he’d won, and that was the best part. He didn’t have a clue what was coming. The elevator stopped with a jolt, and I pulled myself together. I glanced at my reflection in the elevator’s mirrored wall: messy hair, tired eyes,and a faint smile still lingering on my lips. I didn’t even care. This was going to be fun.A woman in an elevator | Source: Midjourney A few weeks earlier… Mike and I hadn’t been happy for years, but it wasn’t just the regular kind of falling out of love. Mike was obsessed with his image. He was all about the flashy cars, having the biggest house on the block, and wearing only designer clothes. All of it was a performance, and I had played my part for too long. The cracks had started to show, and when the arguments became more frequent, I knew it wasn’t long before the inevitable happened.A thoughtful woman | Source: Midjourney The thing is,I wasn’t scared of the divorce. I knew Mike, and I knew exactly how this would play out. He didn’t care about saving the marriage. No, what he wanted was to win — win the house, win the money, win the divorce. All I wanted was to be free of this pretentious lifestyle. But that didn’t mean I was going to let him screw me over, either. So, I’d let Mike have what he wanted, but with a catch as sharp as a fishhook.A thoughtful woman | Source: Midjourney It happened on a Tuesday. Mike came home late, again. I was in the kitchen, pretending to scroll through my phone, not bothering to look up when he stormed in. We need to talk.” I sighed, barely masking the boredom in my voice. “What now?” He slammed his keys on the counter, and I could practically feel the frustration radiating off him. He always got like this when things didn’t go his way at work, and of course, I was the easiest target.An irritated man | Source: Midjourney “I’m done,” he said, his voice low and tight. “I want a divorce.” I blinked up at him. Finally. I nodded slowly, like it was sinking in, but really, I had been prepared for this moment for weeks. “Okay,” I said simply. He frowned, clearly taken aback. “That’s it? No fight? No begging?” I shrugged. “What’s the point?”A woman staring ahead | Source: Midjourney For a second, he looked confused, like I had taken the wind out of his sails. He was expecting resistance, expecting me to plead with him to stay. But I just needed to give him enough rope to hang himself with. The divorce negotiations were as awful as I expected. We sat across from each other in a sterile conference room, lawyers flanking us, as Mike outlined every little thing he wanted. The house, the car, the savings; it was like he was reading off a grocery list.Close up of a man’s eyes | Source: Midjourney And the entire time, he had this smug little grin on his face, like he thought I’d break down and cry at any moment. “Fine,” I said, barely listening. “You can have it all.” My lawyer shot me a look, one that clearly said, “Are you sure?” But I just nodded. Mike blinked. “Wait, what?” “I said, you can have it. I don’t want any of it, except for my personal possessions.”A woman | Source: Midjourney He looked stunned. “You… you don’t want the house? Or the money?” “Nope,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “It’s all yours.” His shock quickly morphed into glee. “Great. Then take this afternoon to pack up your belongings. It’s not much, so that should be plenty of time.” Mike glanced at his watch. “I’ll expect you to be out by six.” “No problem,” I replied.A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney He sat up straighter, his chest puffing out like he’d just won the lottery. And I let him think it. And that brings me back to that moment when I stepped into the elevator in the lawyer’s office building, and couldn’t contain my laughter anymore. As I stepped out of the elevator, I pulled out my phone. My fingers hovered over the screen for a second before I typed out a quick message: I’m heading to the house to pack up my things. I’ll call you when it’s time to make your move. I hit send and smiled. Time for the real fun to begin.A cell phone | Source: PexelsPacking up the house was easier than I thought it would be. I didn’t want much, just a few personal things, mostly items that held memories that weren’t tainted by Mike. The house was too big for just the two of us anyway, and it always felt more like his house than mine. I was taping up the last box when I picked up the phone to make the call. My mom, Barbara, answered on the second ring. “Hey,” I said, keeping my voice light. “It’s time.”A woman making a phone call | Source: Midjourney There was a pause, and then Mom’s familiar, no-nonsense tone came through. “Finally. I’ve been waiting for this moment.” Mom couldn’t stand Mike. She saw right through his flashy facade the day I introduced them. But the best part? She had helped us buy this house. She was the reason Mike thought he had scored such a great deal on it, and now she was going to be the reason he lost it. I hung up, feeling a strange sense of relief as I looked around. I was done pretending.A woman holding her phone | Source: Midjourney The next morning, I was making breakfast in my new little apartment when my phone rang. I smirked as Mike’s name flashed across the screen. “Hello?” I answered sweetly. “You set me up!” Mike’s voice was furious, practically frothing at the mouth. I put the phone on speaker, grabbing a piece of toast as I leaned against the counter. “I’m sorry, what are you talking about?”A slice of toast | Source: Midjourney “Your mother!” he spat. “She’s… she’s in my house! She’s taken over everything!” “Oh, right,” I said, biting into my toast. “Remember that agreement we signed when she gave us the down payment? The one that lets her live there whenever she wants, for as long as she wants?” There was a long pause, and I could practically hear the gears turning in his brain. I could imagine the look on his face, realization dawning.A woman speaking on the phone | Source: Midjourney He had signed that paper years ago, too blinded by the allure of a fancy house to even think twice about the fine print. “You! You cheated me! This isn’t over. I’m getting my lawyers—” Before he could finish, I heard Mom’s voice in the background, sharp and cutting through the phone. “Michael, you better get your feet off that coffee table! And stop hogging the remote!” There was a muffled sound as if Mike had turned away from the phone, trying to whisper. “Barbara, this is my house—”A smiling woman on a phone call | Source: Midjourney “Oh, hush,” Mom interrupted, louder now. “It’s my house just as much as yours. And another thing, what’s with all these cheap snacks? Do you know how to grocery shop? I’m not living off frozen dinners!” I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. Mike mumbled something incoherent, his frustration barely contained, but before he could get another word in, I heard her again. “And turn down that TV! You think I want to listen to that nonsense all day? If you’re going to watch those ridiculous car shows, at least mute it!”A woman smiling | Source: Midjourney There was a loud crash, followed by some more muttering, and then the phone clicked off abruptly. I took a deep breath, smiling as I sat down at the table. Freedom never tasted so sweet.
14+ Actors Who Almost Played Key Characters in “Harry Potter”
Many factors come into play when producers are casting actors for a big hit like Harry Potter. These choices are often so well-made that the viewer creates a powerful relationship with the character. This powerful relationship makes it hard to dissociate the image of the actor and their on-screen role. For instance, can you imagine a Harry Potter played by someone other than Daniel Radcliffe, or a Hermione not played by Emma Watson? Well, even though many of us think that these actors were “born” to play these roles, it is possible that on several occasions the producers did not agree at first and they may have even chosen someone else. It’s hard to believe, but true.
At Bright Side, we’re all Potterheads. That’s why we’d love to share with you all the fun facts about the “wizarding world” that we found out there. We’d also like to extend an invitation to a parallel universe where other actors that were about to play some of the most famous wizards in the world actually did get the roles. Don’t forget to check out the bonus at the end of the article!
1. Ian McKellen — Albus Dumbledore
Sir Ian McKellen, known for the amazing performances he delivered in movies like The Lord of the Rings and The Da Vinci Code, as well as in many theater plays, was asked to bring the famous wizard Albus Dumbledore to the big screen after actor Richard Harris, the then-Dumbledore interpreter, sadly passed away. This happened back in 2002, but McKellen had to face a tough dilemma after which he decided to turn down the opportunity.
It all started when, back in the day, Richard Harris said that even though he found McKellan to be a brilliant actor in terms of technique, he lacked passion when acting. McKellan had to decide whether he’d take on the legacy of a man who disapproved of him as an actor. We all know how the story ended. McKellen refused, saying that he “couldn’t take on the role of an actor who didn’t approve of me.” While we all think he would have played an amazing role as Dumbledore, it was Michael Gambon who eventually landed the role.
2. Saoirse Ronan — Luna Lovegood
Actress Saoirse Ronan became popular after she appeared in films like The Lovely Bones and Little Women. But few people know that she actually auditioned to play the role of Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter saga. Unfortunately, she did not get the role, which Evanna Lynch ended up landing because she was specifically chosen by the creator of the story, J.K. Rowling. According to her, Lynch was the perfect person to play this character.
Saoirse, however, admitted that she was disappointed when she learned that she was not chosen. During an interview Ronan said that she “was too young — but at the time I thought, ’I’d love to be in Harry Potter.’ When I was younger, I used to think they had the best job in the world.” Today, with more than 3 Oscar nominations in her pocket, we wonder what a Luna played by Saoirse would look like and what vibe she would have given to the whole franchise.
3. Liam Aiken — Harry Potter
Originally, Liam Aiken, the star of the saga A Series of Unfortunate Events, was supposed to have starred in the role of Harry Potter on the big screen. However, J.K. Rowling had her say once again, and that changed everything. The writer demanded that the whole cast of the movie be composed of only British actors. This instantly ruled out Aiken and that opened the door for British actor Daniel Radcliff to land the role that defined his career when he was barely 11 years old.
According to the British newspaper The Guardian, J.K. Rowling even took the time to call producer Chris Columbus, who was in charge of adapting her books to the movies just to make sure that Aiken didn’t get the part. It is believed that the reasoning behind Rowling’s decision was to ensure that the films remained faithful to the books, which were supposed to be British in every sense of the word. It’s unclear as to whether Aiken would have delivered a better performance than Radcliff, who in any case did a great job.
4. Robin Williams — Rubeus Hagrid
Once again, J. K. Rowling was very adamant when it came to not allowing the movie about the most famous wizard to be cast using American actors… Being British herself, she put enormous pressure on the production team to get what she wanted. In the end, she got it her way: the cast ended up being entirely British, which indeed, gave a special feeling to the movies. So, in addition to Liam Aiken, Robin Williams, who was cast to play the iconic Rubeus Hagrid, was also vetoed from the saga. This beloved character was, in the end, portrayed with great mastery by Robbie Coltrane. We are sure that, like Coltrane, Williams would have done a great job!
5. Helen McCrory — Bellatrix Lestrange
The great and scary witch, Bellatrix Lestrange, was originally going to be played by Helen McCrory. With McCrory being English, there was no possible veto coming from J.K. Rowling. However, at the time in which the Harry Potter movies were to be shot, the star from Netflix’s drama series Peaky Blinders became pregnant. There’s probably no better reason to give up playing such an amazing character. Eventually, it was Helena Bonham Carter who replaced McCrory and she delivered one of the best performances of the saga. Still, McCrory hadn’t said her final words on the matter. Luckily for us, she managed to come back to the casting in the last 3 movies, but this time as Narcissa Malfoy.
6. Henry Cavill — Cedric Diggory
Before Cavill even dreamt of becoming the famous Superman who won the hearts of thousands of viewers around the world, things weren’t looking so bright for him. In fact, Cavill managed to lose not one, but 2 roles to Robert Pattinson. The first one is maybe lesser known by the public. He tried to get into Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, where he auditioned to play Cedric Diggory. The second role he lost to Pattinson is a well-known story. Cavill came close to playing the role of Edward Cullen, the protagonist in the Twilight saga.
In fact, in the latter, he even turned out to be the first choice of writer Stephenie Meyer, creator of the “Cullen universe.” However, as you probably know, both roles, in the end, went to Pattinson. Cavill simply thought of the rejections as “something good” that happened in his life. After all, things happen in due time and there’s no reason to rush anything.
7. Hatty Jones — Hermione Granger
As for the role of Hermione Granger, producers had a hard time deciding between 2 young actresses that were equally fit to play the smarter sorceress of Hogwarts: Hatty Jones, star of the feature film Madeline, and Emma Watson, who until then was an unknown actress. Interestingly enough, the decision was made based on casting director Janet Hirshenson’s impressions of Emma. Hirshernson believed the young woman would bring a much-needed “dull” side to the whole story. In the end, it seems like she did the right thing, given that Watson managed to steal the audience’s hearts and souls thanks to her skills and empathic nature.
“A star is born,” Hirshenson said during an interview. Hirshenson’s decision was so accurate that today it would be impossible to imagine any other actress playing Hermione.
8. Jamie Campbell Bower — Tom Riddle (Lord Voldemort when he was a young man)
Actor Jamie Campbell Bower is most likely a big fan of the wizard sagas. This beloved star had not only been part of the cast of Twilight, but he also appeared in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Of course, little did he know back then that he would also appear in other movies based on J.K. Rowling’s work Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a franchise that acts as a sort of spin-off for the Harry Potter world. He played Grindelwald in both Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
And we’re saying that because we want to clarify something that many people still don’t know: before landing that role, Jamie Campbell Bower had auditioned to play the young version of Tom Riddle (Lord Voldemort) in the sixth film of the Harry Potter saga. Not only that, but he was even featured in Teen Vogue magazine. In the end, he was not chosen to play the part, but the reasons behind his rejection remain unclear. The role was, as you know, left in the hands of Frank Dillane.
9. Eddie Redmayne — Another version of Tom Riddle (Lord Voldemort when he was a teenager)
Jamie Campbell Bower wasn’t the only actor who was interested in playing the young version of Harry Potter’s nemesis, Lord Voldemort, also known as Tom Riddle. Much like Campbell Bower, Eddie Redmayne didn’t manage to land the role of the larger-than-life villain, but his patience was also rewarded when he was cast in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise, this time as the main character, Newt Scamander.
During an interview, Eddie revealed that even though he didn’t even receive any feedback after the audition, over the years he still had a ray of hope shining somewhere inside his soul that he would at least be cast as one of the Weasley family members. Of course, as we all well know, this didn’t happen. But fortunately, this brilliant actor did manage to get to play his part in a universe created by J. K. Rowling and he did a great job. In the end, it was Christian Coulson who played Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
10. Tilda Swinton — Sybill Trelawney
Oscar winner Emma Thompson took on the role of Professor Sybill Trelawney. However, before the deal was closed between the producers and Thompson, the character was first offered to fellow Golden Statuette winner Tilda Swinton, who turned it down. While her decision might come across as something strange when looking back, as Swinton explained in an interview, according to her the saga romanticized boarding school life and she didn’t really want to be a part of that:
“I think this is a very cruel environment that children have to grow up in, and I don’t think it’s beneficial to their education.” We’re not entirely sure if Swinton was right or not to reject the role, but one thing we can all agree with is that Emma Thompson was as perfect for the role as Swinton would have been, would she have decided to jump on board.
11. Jason Isaacs — Gilderoy Lockhart
Jason Isaacs, known today for having played Lucius Malfoy, initially wanted to play a completely different role: half-blood wizard Gilderoy Lockhart. However, the producers felt that Isaacs would be a much better fit for Draco Malfoy’s father and also one of the greatest adversaries that Potter has had to deal with during the whole saga. The funny thing is that, at the same time, the actor was already slated to play Captain Hook in Peter Pan, so he didn’t want to be linked to the image of 2 childish villains. This is the reasoning that led him to turn down the role in the first place.
Luckily for us and all Potterheads, Isaacs’ family stepped in and convinced him to play the wizard known for having long, smooth blond hair. “Over the weekend, everyone who knew me called me: nieces, nephews, godchildren, and then their parents,” he said. “They all tried to persuade me to take the job, not because they cared about me, but because they wanted to visit the set!” he added laughingly.
12. Kate Winslet — Helena Ravenclaw
When one of the most popular sagas of the time was coming to an end, producers thought they had to come up with a great way to say goodbye. They wanted every detail to be perfect and that included finding an actress who could live up to the greatness of Helena Ravenclaw, a character whose part in the narrative was kind of short, but of the utmost importance. The name at the top of the list was Kate Winslet. Unfortunately, her agent rejected the script even before checking to see if she was interested at all in taking part in the project. That’s how the Grey Lady ended up being played by the equally brilliant Kelly Macdonald.
13. Thomas Brodie-Sangster — Ron Weasley
Thomas Brodie-Sangster revealed that he would have loved to play Ron Weasley on the big screen. Not only that, but he actually gave it a try and ended up losing the opportunity to Rupert Grint, the little redhead that is now very well-known to all of the fans of the saga. However, despite not having passed the test, the actor from Nanny McPhee, also said that this first “tough” experience of rejection in the entertainment industry “allowed him to maintain a more ’optimistic’ attitude during the audition processes for future roles.” As the popular saying goes, “Every cloud has a silver lining.”
14. Tom Felton — Ron Weasley and Harry Potter
You might find this hard to believe, but it’s true. Before becoming the naughty Draco Malfoy, Tom Felton auditioned to play Ron Weasley and even Harry Potter. Despite not being chosen for either role, the actor claims there was never any jealousy or rivalry behind the scenes between him and Radcliffe or Grint. On the contrary, he was very grateful to have the opportunity to appear in the movies at all. “I’m even more grateful that I got the character of Draco, there was a great sense of kind of being on a team,” he said. And it seems that the choices were indeed perfect, like Felton mentioned, as that’s how each of the actors becomes a living legend in their own role.
Bonus: The creator of the Harry Potter universe, writer J. K. Rowling, was asked by producers to play Lily, the mother of The Boy Who Lived.
There’s no point in denying that there is a great similarity between J. K. Rowling and Geraldine Somerville. Maybe that is why the producers of the saga wanted the writer to take on the role of Lily Potter in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, since she fit “the profile” so well. However, Rowling politely declined the invitation: “The filmmakers did ask me to play Lily Potter in the first film, but I really am not cut out to be an actress, even one who just has to stand there and wave. I would have messed it up somehow.” It’s hard to believe that maybe we could have had the chance to see J. K. Rowling on the big screen, but it’s true. And we actually think that she would have done a great job!
Most people think that producers made the right call with the cast they chose for the Potter movies. Do you agree or is there someone who you think would have done a better job? Is there anybody you would have wanted to see casting a spell on the big screen?
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