Best female performance in the movies

I searched and was surprised when I found nothing in the results about the subject.
So, who do you think made the best female performance in the Harry Potter movies?
Myself I think it's Helena Bonham Carter, followed by Maggie Smith and Emma Watson. The three of them Imo made great job in the movies.

Helena Bonham Carter
Maggie Smith
Evanna Lynch

I also love Emma Thompson, she was so perfect in The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Helena Bohnam Carter and Maggie Smith.

Evanna Lynch for sure - brilliant! Go Luna! ;-)

Maggie Smith always gives an enjoyable performance and Imelda Staunton was wonderful as Umbridge.
As for the younger cast members, I really enjoyed watching Evanna Lynch. She played Luna very well.

Helena Bonham Carter was great I thought. And Evanna Lynch.

the actresses that did: trelawney, bellatrix, and petunia. the young actresses, except the one doing luna, were a bit forced or superficial in their deliveries. imho.

regards

Maggie Smith is my favourite. She is exactly how I pictured McGonagall and gets the characterization perfectly.

Other notable performances are Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Thompson, Imelda Staunton and (from a relatively minor role, but she makes me laugh) Gemma Jones. All in my opinion of course.

-Imelda Staunton as Umbridge

Then
-Helena B Carter as Bellatrix
-Emma Thompson as Trelawney is one of the best too.
-Miranda Richarson as Rita Skeeter

Considering acting, not if they look exactly as the characters. But they all are perfect, well acting, everything is great. Maggie Smith of course, McGonagall, well, perfect.

I loved Imelda Staunton - I just hated her so much ! :lol:
And then Helena Bonham Carter Burton was so great, but she always is :love:
And I liked Evanna Lynnch a lot.

The usuals x)

My favorites are Maggie Smith and Emma Thompson, though I also enjoyed Imelda Staunton and Helena Bonham Carter. For the young actresses, Evanna Lynch was an excellent Luna.

My favorites are Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Thompson, Emma Watson, and Evanna Lynch.

Helena Bonham Carter can pull off a perfect Bellatrix Lestrange. She looks and acts just like she was discribed. The part in OotP when she's yelling "you filthy half-blood!" was perfect.

Emma Thompson is kind of funny as Professor Trelawney. With all the goffy looking clothes and with her lines that arn't really supposed to funny, but the way she says them are.

Emma Watson is a pretty Hermione. She looks like how I imagined (except for the hair) and pulls off the book-worm and know-it-all thing pretty well.

Evanna Lynch is GREAT as Luna Lovegood. Luna is one of my favorite characters in the whole series and Evanna just makes Luna come alive.

the actresses that did: trelawney, bellatrix, and petunia. the young actresses, except the one doing luna, were a bit forced or superficial in their deliveries. imho.

regards

Trelawney: Emma Thompson, Bellatrix: Helena Bonham Carter.
Petunia: Fiona Shaw. :D

I really liked Julie Walters performance as Mrs Molly Weasley. She really is very motherly and very classy in the role. The colours in her costumes, the continuous smile and that inane ability to just transform into something angry and still so protective as a parent. She actually really reminds me of my Mom! And I wasn't expecting that at all at all. I thought she would be very angry and stubborn, but she actually stands out as a casually classy lady.

If I had to choose a second, I'd go with Helena Bonham Carter. I never thought she would work in the role, but then when I saw her, I was seriously impressed. The madness in her head and the complete corruptibility of logic is a great way of playing her, and the incessant giggling and harsh cruelty is brilliant. I see her as Voldemort's foremost General, and I love what Bonham Carter did with her role. She really was exceptional.

-Imelda Staunton as Umbridge

Then
-Helena B Carter as Bellatrix
-Emma Thompson as Trelawney is one of the best too.
-Miranda Richarson as Rita Skeeter

Considering acting, not if they look exactly as the characters. But they all are perfect, well acting, everything is great. Maggie Smith of course, McGonagall, well, perfect.

I love Imelda as Umbridge. I'm not a great fan of hers, but she did really well. :tu:

I love Imelda as Umbridge. I'm not a great fan of hers, but she did really well.

I agree. I loathed Umbridge in the series but I wanted to reach into the movie and strangle Umbridge. She was excellent at portraying a villian while able to wear pink and have kittens displayed on plates in her office.

Just her 'naughty children must be punished' and her relish in watching Harry suffer made her wicked.

I think Helena is superb as well. She just looks the part -- "itty, bitty, baby, Potter." was just so sexy and so evil at the same time. :rockon:

Imelda Staunton was fantastic as Umbridge - she was maddening and cruel, just as she was meant to be yet sugary sweet when she wanted to be -made me think the devil wears pink fluff.

Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix- she perfectly portrayed Bella as unhinged and obsessed the line to Neville about "How's Mum and Dad" was a low blow and delivered so casually.

Helena Bohnam-Carter without a doubt. I also think Maggie Smith is great - or would be if she was given more lines.

I agree. I loathed Umbridge in the series but I wanted to reach into the movie and strangle Umbridge.

exactly!! me too! she was the epitome of irritation on a grand scale which is exactly what Umbridge should evoke I think! so Imelda Staunton gets the prize for me.

Other notables include Maggie Smith because she is McGonagall. No one else could have played her, it was made for Maggie Smith. Helena Bonham Carter, absolutely brought Bellatrix to life for me. And Evanna Lynch, just wonderful.

Evanna Lynch as Luna, now Luna is my favorite character because of Evanna,I really admire her! :D
Bonnie Wright as Ginny, I think she has done a great job in all the films.:)
Katie Leung as Cho, I'm SO jelous of her!! :D
Emma Watson as Hermione, she is perfect as Hermione!! :)

Fiona Shaw is utter genius in everything I've ever seen her in, including the HP films.

I haven't seen OotP, but in clips they've shown on the telly, Imelda Staunton is perfect as Umbridge.

I was also really surprised by how good Miranda Richardson was as Rita Skeeter (I was initially very dubious when I heard they'd cast her)

Although I love Emma Thompson in a lot of things, I'm not wild about her as Trelawney, actually - a bit too much of a caricature, and just doesn't fit how I imagined the character. It's just a personal thing.

Maggie Smith-She just slipped into the character so well, that to me, she is McGonagall.

Julie Walters- Class act as Mrs.Weasley.She captured Molly perfectly and made her all the more lovable.

Miranda Richardson-She made us hate Rita Skeeter with a vengeance and that just shows how good her performance was.

Evanna Lynch-She looks the part and plays the part perfectly.

Fiona Shaw-Near flawless performance as Petunia.

Imelda Staunton-WOW! Amazing performance as Umbridge.

Helena Bohnam-Carter without a doubt. I also think Maggie Smith is great - or would be if she was given more lines.


I so wanted the "would you like a cough drop Dolores?" lineto be use in OotP but NO! It wasn't there! I think Maggie Smith is VERY under-used. And here I'd like to put in a good word for Shirley Henderson (Myrtle) I think she's sooo funny and was just like the Myrtle I'd imagined in the books.

Maggie Smith, especially in PS/SS; In my opinion, her best performance.
Emma Watson, for such a young actress with little-no experience (as of PS/SS) she's done an amazing job.
Helena Bonham-Carter, she was great as Bellatrix, though not how I pictured her in the books
and Evanna Lynch, she portrayed the mystical aurora that Luna has

I so wanted the "would you like a cough drop Dolores?" lineto be use in OotP but NO! It wasn't there! I think Maggie Smith is VERY under-used. And here I'd like to put in a good word for Shirley Henderson (Myrtle) I think she's sooo funny and was just like the Myrtle I'd imagined in the books.

Exactly..I wanted the "Are you sure you dont want a cough drop, Dolores?" line too:agree:.

Travesty that they left it:grumble:.

Maggie Smith is probably under-used..and I wanted the "It unscrews the other way" line too..thats like my most fav McGonagall line:lol:..but again, it wasnt there in the film.

And yeah..Shirley Henderson did a very good job:tu:

Oh Helena Bonham Carter for sure! Everytime she came on screen, i became so excited. She was just so good and evil! Her smirk...just absolutely spot on. I absolutely loved their casting decision for her.

Followed by Evana Lynch: her portrayal of Luna was perfect.

Out of the Kid Cast I have to say Evanna Lynch as Luna. She portrayed a PERFECT Luna. Emma Watson is a good Hermione, and I can't picture anyone else playing the part, but I have to say I was getting a bit nervous when the third and fourth movie started making her part way too serious all the time, but I'm really happy that the fifth movie kind of broke that, and now it's back in Hermione-mode Emma Watson needed IMO. :)

Adult Cast: I love the Adult cast so this one is harder...I love Mrs. Weasley's character (who;s that actress again?) it's done perfectly, and Maggie Smith as McGonnagal is excellent and I LOVE Helena Boham Carter as Bellatrix! :D

Out of the Kid Cast I have to say Evanna Lynch as Luna. She portrayed a PERFECT Luna. Emma Watson is a good Hermione, and I can't picture anyone else playing the part, but I have to say I was getting a bit nervous when the third and fourth movie started making her part way too serious all the time, but I'm really happy that the fifth movie kind of broke that, and now it's back in Hermione-mode Emma Watson needed IMO. :)

Adult Cast: I love the Adult cast so this one is harder...I love Mrs. Weasley's character (who;s that actress again?) it's done perfectly, and Maggie Smith as McGonnagal is excellent and I LOVE Helena Boham Carter as Bellatrix! :D

Kid Cast: Emma Watson. Purely brilliant!
Adult Cast: Maggie Smith as Prof. McGonagall! She is just awesome at being mean and grumpy all the time...

:lol:

Emma Watson, she is just so good at playing Hermione. I love Evanna Lynch, I love that she was a fan of Harry before she joined the cast. She is better than I imagined Luna whilst reading the books. Helena Bonham Carter was is also amazing in the film, but for some reason, I always thought she would be prettier, I dont know why.

exactly!! me too! she was the epitome of irritation on a grand scale which is exactly what Umbridge should evoke I think! so Imelda Staunton gets the prize for me.

Other notables include Maggie Smith because she is McGonagall. No one else could have played her, it was made for Maggie Smith. Helena Bonham Carter, absolutely brought Bellatrix to life for me. And Evanna Lynch, just wonderful.

Maggie Smith and Evanna Lynch are excellent.Evanna's and Imelda's performance is the only reason to watch Order of the Phoenix

As soon as I saw the title here I immediately thought of Helena Bonham Carter, but she's an awesome actress in everything.
I also agree with the comments about Imelda Staunton. I wanted to rip her hair out in the film! She portrayed everything about Umbridge perfectly!
I agree with most of the others too: Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, Miranda Richardson and Evanna Lynch.
I think the majority of the female roles were cast wonderfully!

I think Helena is superb as well. She just looks the part -- "itty, bitty, baby, Potter." was just so sexy and so evil at the same time. :rockon:

I absolutely agree! loved her performance- can't fault it.

Love Emma watson as Hermione- i really admire her =)

Also Maggie Smith as McGonagall- perfect.

Evanna Lynch as Luna- excellent in OotP.

Helena Bonham Carter was absolutely spectacular! She's so good at playing sinister roles (Sweeny Todd, Big Fish, etc.) I also adored Evanna Lynch as Luna. She had just the right amount of spacey thoughtfulness that I pictured Luna having in the books.

I liked Helena but I felt it was a little over the top. I didn't pictures her as SO crazy in my head. In the films I see her as a crazy, lucky witch. In the books she seems more cunning then lucky.

I think that Emma Watson's performance in HBP was head and shoulders above all her other performances in the other movies.

As for best over all the movies, I will probably have to go with Maggie Smith for trueness to the book charactor and consistancy throughout all the films. I really missed the scene where she duels and gets stunned during the exams. That scene was the scene where I went from liking Prof. McGonagall as a charactor to loving her. Guess you can't have everything.

-JR

Emma Watson has really improved an actress. Though I didn't like the HBP movie, I was very surprised at her performance. She seems to have learned what subtlety in acting is, which is something she never really mastered before. No eyebrows this time! She really portrayed a very sweet and endearing side of Hermione.

And in general I just like Emma Watson as Hermione. She just looks like how I would imagine her. It's true that they sort of "prettify" her in the movies but that's not really her fault.

Helena Bonham-Carter. I love her HP interviews, she really brought a lot to her character. While I love Maggie Smith and Prof. McGonagall, I don't feel she really stretched herself for the role. She already IS Prof. McGonagall in mannerism and demeanor. Evanna Lynch did a great job too, imho. Interviews with her leave me stunned at how she can turn into the head-in-the-clouds Luna Lovegood we see on screen.

Adult Actresses: Maggie Smith and Emma Thompson.
Maggie Smith is McGonagall and Emma gave a superb performance in PoA

Younger Actresses: Emma Watson and Evanna Lynch
Emma's acting has really improved over the years and Evanna portrays Luna perfectly.

Emma Watson improved considerably on HBP. It's the first time I can truly say her performance left me impressed, but I still think that Evanna Lynch is the best female performer. She just knows her character so well that on screen she does not act Luna, she is Luna.

I would have to say Helena as Bellatrix.

She fits perfect for the role and has great experience in acting.

Maggie does excellent as Minerva too, though.

It's a tie for me there.

I also think the actress for Molly Weasley fits the role too.

That's a hard one...
I'd have to say Helena simply because i like her as an actress the most.

Definitely Ms Lynch! And I love the way she sent after the role!

Emma and Evanna rule! I mean, seriously.

I thought the best female preformance was, without a doubt, by Evanna Lynch . She was exactly the way I've always pictured Luna to be...

I second that Evanna is Luna
Maggie is great as McGonnagal very underused in OtPh
And definately the actress who plays Moaning Myrtle

I think the younger actors are let down by their lack of experience, to date none of them have captured their characters as I have pictured them in the books and there is sometimes a timing issue – particularly in the last two films, which makes it impossible for me to find their performances believable.
I definitely believe the more established actors carry the films, possibly with the exception of the first two films, which were children’s films and not trying to be anything more.

Walters and Smith give consistent performances, but are not given much room for development – it’s hardly surprising because there are so many characters, who are more important to the plots the films have chosen to focus on.
Helena Bonham Carter and Staunton as more prominent characters are given much more room to perform and both were excellent in their roles (though I don’t like Bella’s reduction to a petty thief in HBP, but this is not HBC fault)

For me the best performance was Helen McCrory as Narcissa, which probably seems contradictory because she has had the least screen time, but her performance was outstanding. Narcissa is rarely seen in the books up to this point (she has her largest role in DH), but the little that is written of her poured out in McCrory’s scene with Snape. It wasn’t a scene I was particularity concerned about them getting right in the HBP, but it blew me away. She was perfect, the haughtiness and absolute fear for her child were present in a powerful performance. She is not how I visualized Narcissa or even how I pictured her in the scene, I saw Narcissa hysterical and expressive, But McCrory’s performance not only managed to convey her desperation and despair, but also the common traits of snobbery and reserve I associate with Narcissa.

Of the kids, I would say Evanna is probably the best. I think she does Luna justice.

Of the adults...it is a bit difficult to choose. I think Maggie Smith is excellent, as is Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Thompson and Julie Walters. They're all extremely capable actresses and I think their performances so far have been great.

Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange wihtout a doubt. She was so awesome in that last movie... just love her!

For me there are 5 outstanding performers in this category. Evanna Lynch, Emma Thompson, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters and Helena B. Carter. They are all exactly the way I picture them in the books. However I can only pick one, and for me that would have to be Maggie Smith :)

Maggie Smith, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham-Carter, Imelda Staunton were all excellent in their roles. IMO, the first two movies were treated too much like children's movies and the actors chosen for Hermoine and some of the other female roles did not have the acting abilities to carry off the parts as well as might have been accomplished by more experienced actors. Hermoine was described as pretty unattractive, with bushy hair and prominent front teeth. Emma Watson was too cute.

...female roles did not have the acting abilities to carry off the parts as well as might have been accomplished by more experienced actors...Hermoine was described as pretty unattractive, with bushy hair and prominent front teeth. Emma Watson was too cute.

I agree with you that Emma doesn't look like the Hermione described in the books, although she does have the bushy hair in PS/SS. However IMO just because she doesn't look exactly like the Hermione from the book, should not stain her acting abilities for the role. She was brilliant in the first movie IMO. Many other characters look nothing like their counter-parts from the books. Most notably Lockhart, Slughorn, Umbrigde and even Gambons Dumbledore. And moreover it would be extremely hard to cast a 'more experianced' female actor at the ripe old age of 10/11 years old :).

Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, and Julie Walters. Evanna Lynch is pretty good too as Luna.

Even though Emma stopped resembling Hermione after the first two movies, I still adore her performance. I can't imagine how silly it would have looked in the movies to have an actress with prominent front teeth and bushy hair, unless they wanted to use some manipulation. Emma nails Hermione's personality, IMO, which is precisely what matters.

Evanna Lynch: awesome Luna!
Maggie Smith and Helena Bonham Carter: perfect!

Evanna Lynch and Imelda Staunton, IMO, both portrayed their characters exactly like the books had said.

I really don't know.
I do know I don't like Hermione at all, not sure if it is Emma's fault or the director's fault. She's becoming too hysterical and she shouts all the time.
I do like Trelawney, Umbridge, Narcissa and McGonagall. Sometimes Bella seems way crazier than in the books. Mrs Weasly is ok as well, too bad they all have very little screen time.
I really never thought about Luna, I don't like that character at all. Same with Ginny.

Imelda Staunton!

By FAR.

She really stole the show in OotP and she was the best actor to come late into the series.

I also have high praise for Evanna Lynch, who embodies her role perfectly.

I really don't know.
I do know I don't like Hermione at all, not sure if it is Emma's fault or the director's fault. She's becoming too hysterical and she shouts all the time.
I do like Trelawney, Umbridge, Narcissa and McGonagall. Sometimes Bella seems way crazier than in the books. Mrs Weasly is ok as well, too bad they all have very little screen time.
I really never thought about Luna, I don't like that character at all. Same with Ginny.

What do you mean by Hermione shouting "all of the time"? In HBP, she was quite calm if you don't count all of the scenes with Ron/Lavender, which were supposed to be incredibly emotional. Otherwise, I don't understand what you mean at all. I've never seen any instances of Hermione shouting in the movie beyond a few scenes that had strong emotions, such as the argument with Ron following the conclusion of the Yule Ball.

Not liking the character of Luna? :err: Ah, well. Not everything works for everyone.

Helena Bonham Carter without a doubt. She is how I pictured Bellatrix when I was reading. She gets the evilness of Bellatrix without going over the top with it. Her acting is amazing too.

I really like Evanna Lynch. She is a great Luna. She is also just how I pictured Luna when I was reading. Her voice is just how I imagined Luna's voice.:tu:

Emma Watson - her performance in HBP was absolutely wonderful. She nailed the part with perfection. She stole the show in PoA's climax, easily. I can't wait to see Emma's performance in Deathly Hallows - she has a lot of emotional and intense scenes. I have no doubt that she will impress.

Evanna Lynch - she embodies Luna Lovegood. I was stunned when I first saw her - since her voice has that dream-like quality of Luna's! She was born to play Luna.

Helena Bonham Carter - I love, love, love her as Bellatrix. She is simply mesmerizing whenever she's on screen, it's amazing how she steals the scenes she's in. I'm so happy we will see a lot more of her in Deathly Hallows.

Maggie Smith - perfect as McGonagall.

Julie Walter - a fantastic Mrs. Weasley. She easily displays the warmth of the mother.

Helen McCrory - yes, she had VERY little screen time in HBP, but her facial expressions and the way she expressed her concern for her son was spectacular. She displayed both a snobbish attitude and a mother scared for her son. She'd better get a lot of lines in DH - I was quite ticked off a lot of her lines were given to Bella in Spinner's End.

In the first four movies, I'd say Maggie Smith as McGonagall. In the later movies I don't think she gets enough screen time to shine.

In OotP, I'd pick Imelda Staunton as Umbridge. Staunton somehow manages to turn a little woman with a pink handbag and collectible kitten plates into something evil and intimidating.

In HBP, Emma Watson. She's improved over the course of the series and I think in HBP she really delivers as Hermione. Desperate infatuation, adolescent angst, heartbreak, happiness, sly humor -- she plays every note skillfully.

Evanna Lynch as Luna deserves an honorable mention for both OotP and HBP.

Helena Bonham Carter was teriffic as Bellatriz! :tu:

And among the students, it doesnt get better...big thumbs up to Evanna Lynch..just the most perfect Luna Lovegood..

Helena Bonham Carter was teriffic as Bellatriz! :tu:

And among the students, it doesnt get better...big thumbs up to Evanna Lynch..just the most perfect Luna Lovegood..

Same vote for both of them. Then again Maggie Smith was amazing too. I think Emma Watson did well too as well as Bonnie Hunt. My biggest dissapointments were Fleur and Cho. Cho was just not the girl in my head I guess and Fleur was supposed to be drop dead gorgeous, part veela for god sakes. Didn't see that in her actress.

Evanna Lynch was amazing as Luna. She had that dreamy quality that Luna should have, that kind of unworldliness that makes people want to stay away from her. I love her bluntness as well - and on the other hand of the scale, I love how she cares fiercely for all her friends - and how she comforts Harry after his godfather has died. She was excellent. I recall JK saying that Evanna Lynch was 'perfect' as Luna, and I couldn't agree more. (And I love her dress in HBP, the christmas tree one, it was amazingly like Luna!)

Imelda Stauton as Umbridge was brilliant too. I loved it when she did that tiny little giggle at the beginning at the Feast, and I loved how they made her; that perfectly permed hair, the awful frilly pink clothes, and that kind of cruel nastiness lurking underneath the sickly sweet demaneour. I especially loved it when Harry kept talking "out of turn" in her class, and then she just screamed, "ENOUGH!" And then the, "You know, I really hate children." That just admitting of it - and when she slaps Harry, then the "What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him". That was wonderful, exactly Umbridge.

Emma Watson is perfect for Hermione. She's got that "Hermione"-ness just right; the bossy tone, the pronounication of every word - and I loved it in PS when she was waving her hand in the air a lot. It seems to me that she's grown a lot as a person in her acting skills - and as her character more, which is perfect, as Hermione matures quite a bit through the books - and it's good to see that the actors and actresses are maturing too. (And I just loved when Buckbeak had his head "chopped off" and she immediately turned to Ron, wrapping her arms around his neck. YAY for Hermione/Ron! :clap:)

Maggie Smith is excellent as McGonagall. I love the sternness she displays - which I think is also part of who she is a person - but then again I love the little moments of affection she has with her students - especially with Harry. I loved it when she danced with Ron in GoF and when she told Harry to get down from the wall and go to Potions in HBP, and to "take Weasley with you, he looks far too happy over there". I can't wait to see her scream, "NO!" in DH when she thinks Harry has died.

Then Julie Walters as Mrs Weasley is wonderful. She's so lovable, she's so believable. I didn't know what to expect when I saw her, but she was just right - she was exactly how I'd imagined her. I love how she always hugs Harry when she sees him - and in OotP, when she pats him on the face and says, "A bit peaky but you'll have to do until the meeting's finished." I love how she cares for him so much, like he's her proper son - and not just one of her own son's friends. She really, truly loves him, and I think Julie Walters plays that so well.

Jessie Cave as Lavender was exceptionally good, too. I loved how she's so giggly and airheaded and so...obsessed with Ron; she's like a little fan girl. It's hilarious, she's a brilliant actress. I loved the scene where she jumped on Ron's back, giggling after he promised he'd wear that obnoxious necklace, or where they were in the train compartment and she breathed along the door, writing her and Ron's initials together. (I also loved Harry and Ron's expressions, and how Hermione refused to go inside the compartment when she saw the writing. That was a bittersweet moment.)

Finally, I think Helena Bonham Carter was superb as Bellatrix. She captured that wonderful craziness that Bellatrix has - that cruel insanity that causes her to be such an formidable opponent. I loved the way she called, "I KILLED SIRIUS BLACK!" in that baby voice, just to taunt Harry - it was so perfect as Bellatrix, and when she hissed words at Snape about how "he'll just slither back to his little hole". She's perfect for Bellatrix, she's superb.

1- Helena Bonham Carter
2- Julie Walters
3- Maggie Smith
4- Imelda Staunton
5- Emma Watson


All simply could not be improved upon as perfect embodiments of what their characters should have been

My personal favorites are the following (in no particular order; Its too hard for me to choose a number one for this):

Emma Watson:
I just can't imagine Hermione being played by anyone other than her. She gets the aspects of her character down pat.

Evanna Lynch:
Lynch just pulls off the dreamy personality of Luna perfectly; her voice helps a lot in that area! She manages to make Luna just as much as an enigma (though I'm not sure "enigma" is the right word) as she is in the books.

Imelda Staunton:
Although her Umbridge didn't look how I imagined her to be in the books, I still think that Staunton's portrayal of Umbridge was superb. She could seem sweet at one moment and mean, the next. The high-pitched giggle didn't hurt either.

I think I like all the female actors in the movies except Bonnie [she cant act].

Helena Bonham Carter does a ridiculously PERFECT job as Bellatrix. It's a little freaky actually.

People are tough on Bonnie but let's be fair. She has been given hardly any lines and her character is in some sort of limbo. Unlike the books where Ginny underwent a transformation. Ginny in the movies hasn't been given any moments of characterization. So Bonnie is stuck between playing Ginny as the shy, quiet girl from CoS with her little dialogue and subdued manner and Ginny the hell raiser who is outgoing, daring, funny and a little wild (her "Shut up" bit in HBP, "it's ghastly" from GoF, the Reducto bit in OotP). If Kloves wrote her a better part and changed Ginny a little bit Bonnie could have done better. I don't think she has the flare and the energy appropriate of Ginny but she's cast now and it's up to Kloves to change it so it suits Bonnie's strengths but remains true to the character. For example, Bonnie has a bit of a deadpan voice which, I think, hampers her when she tries to be a bit more expressive. So make Ginny a bit more deadpan and sarcastic. She's described as having a biting sense of humor so it wouldn't be out of character. A good example is her bit about Harry's blood in HBP.

I think Evanna Lynch is absolutely perfect as Luna. She kind of seems like that in interviews also, so I'm not sure that she's actually acting, but she's still my favorite! And I wasn't a fan of Emma Watson before HBP, but I think she was tons better in that one. I love how the acting has improved with each movie - it just makes me that much more excited for DH! :clap:

Helena Bonham Carter...wow. She made me hate/love Bellatrix! How can such a beautiful lady capture such a sinister, crazy, evil person so well?!

Julie Walters...captured that mom role well!

Maggie Smith..the perfect McGonagall.

Actually, I think for the "main" female characters, they were all pretty well portrayed.

I root for Helena-- she was the absolute BEST Bellatrix, played her like the psychopath she is! And then Emma Watson-- she's the perfect Hermione!

Almost all of them were awesome to me, ecpecially the Bellatrix(!) and Luna Lovegood. I was disappointed however, from Fleur and Tonks. I was really looking forward to the actress who would play the so-called gorgeous veela, and well, let's just say I wasn't what we could call "impressed" :lol: And Tonks, well, even though I don't like Tonks in the books either, she should go for Tonks-ier hair and clothes. She reminded me of a soldier in the movies :rotfl: And she should have a little more screen time, just to let people who haven't read the books that she IS actually there.

-Imelda Staunton was fantastic as Umbridge. She looked perfect for the part, and her mannerisms (down to the little "hem, hem" cough) were spot on! I loved watching her performance, even if she made me loathe the character even more. ;)
-Maggie Smith and Julie Walters are brilliant in their roles; they're stern sometimes, yet you love them.
-Emma Thompson, of course, did an awesome job as Trelawney.
-As for the younger actors, I love Evanna Lynch, Emma Watson (some of the time), and Jessie Cave actually :)

I absolutely despise Umbridge (obviously) but Imelda Staunton was wonderful, portrayed her perfectly.

I'm also surprised to see that not many people have mention Julie Walters who played Molly Weasley, I thought she was great, definitely my favourite :)

Emma Watson was pretty terrible at acting in the first three in my opinion, but she's definitely improved. But Bonnie Wright would have to be my favourite of the younger ones. I don't really know why...

I really liked Julie Walters performance as Mrs Molly Weasley. She really is very motherly and very classy in the role. The colours in her costumes, the continuous smile and that inane ability to just transform into something angry and still so protective as a parent. She actually really reminds me of my Mom! And I wasn't expecting that at all at all. I thought she would be very angry and stubborn, but she actually stands out as a casually classy lady.

If I had to choose a second, I'd go with Helena Bonham Carter. I never thought she would work in the role, but then when I saw her, I was seriously impressed. The madness in her head and the complete corruptibility of logic is a great way of playing her, and the incessant giggling and harsh cruelty is brilliant. I see her as Voldemort's foremost General, and I love what Bonham Carter did with her role. She really was exceptional.

You honestly didn't think Helena wasn't going to make a good Belletrix? Seriously? Out of all the characters in the books and the possible actors/actresses that could possibly play them, Helena was a no brainer. Helena has a long history of playing a mad witch like character in almost every single movie she's ever been in.

If I had to choose a second, I'd go with Helena Bonham Carter. I never thought she would work in the role, but then when I saw her, I was seriously impressed. The madness in her head and the complete corruptibility of logic is a great way of playing her, and the incessant giggling and harsh cruelty is brilliant. I see her as Voldemort's foremost General, and I love what Bonham Carter did with her role. She really was exceptional.

She's my first favourite female actress! I think she was a shoo-in for the role. I heard she had to tone down her performance. Tone down? :wow: Someone give her a ladyship, quick!

You honestly didn't think Helena wasn't going to make a good Belletrix? Seriously? Out of all the characters in the books and the possible actors/actresses that could possibly play them, Helena was a no brainer. Helena has a long history of playing a mad witch like character in almost every single movie she's ever been in.
But I think that's exactly what I didn't like about her performances. When she's on screen I see the actress, not the character. Maybe it's the way she plays it, maybe it's the screenplay, or maybe it's me, but her Bellatrix seems jarringly out of place, as though the character were superimposed onto the script at the last second and nobody really put any thought into it.

But I think that's exactly what I didn't like about her performances. When she's on screen I see the actress, not the character.

I think HBC is unable to transform herself which is quite devastating for an actress. If you look at her films from the last ten years or so you will see that all her characters have the same hairdos that she herself sports in her real life. (And this is just one example.) While other actresses go blond, short, red, put on weight or lose weight, Helena seems to be expecting the character to transform into her and not the other way around. In my opinion she hasn't made much attempt to understand Bella's personality or give her some depth. .She simplified Bella, IMO while other actors, like Ralph Fiennes, tried to give their characters more depth rather than take away some. For while Bellatrix is unstable she is also talented, aristocratic, arrogant and dangerous. In the movies, I for one didn't see any of these traits and the witch Helena plays could hardly be called dangerous or prodigiously skilled. Just my opinion of course. :)

Howdy Pards,

Ah...the truth of it is, then, that I thought all of the ladies in the Harry Potter films did a truly outstanding job in portrayin' their particular characters. Every last one of them.

Adios for now. Talk to ya on down the trail.

Wild Ol' Dan

Helena Bonham Carter was great. I liked her portrayal except I wish she was a little more aristocratic, not just completely crazy, which is what Helena does best.

I agree with the argument that Carter forces roles to fit her, and has really only one character, but she does that character type so well that I don't think it will hurt her in the future, because crazy villains are always popular.

Maggie Smith was excellent as always.

Most of the characters in the movies were excellently cast really, I was impressed.

But I think that's exactly what I didn't like about her performances. When she's on screen I see the actress, not the character. Maybe it's the way she plays it, maybe it's the screenplay, or maybe it's me, but her Bellatrix seems jarringly out of place, as though the character were superimposed onto the script at the last second and nobody really put any thought into it.

I guess my point is Bellatrix is sadistic, evil, obsessive, and many other things which fits the same persona that Helena is known for so it was an obvious fit. I do agree though, like in HBP, they could have done her character on screen more justice. But I don't think its Helena's fault, I think its more the screen play or directing myself.

Helena Bonham Carter and Emma Watson are amazing. Also Maggie Smith plays a wonderful McGonagall

All of them are great! Julie Walters and Maggie Smith fit their roles perfectly, they're so commanding but lovable. Emma Thompson is absolutely hilarious, I laugh every time she's on screen - her eating in OotP is just so funny :lol: And, I think Emma Watson was one of the standouts in HPB.

Helena Bonham Carter: she really captures the deranged and sadistic side of Bella and it's really creepy (in a good way of course).
Evanna Lynch - my perfect Luna, she completely does her justice.
Emma Watson - an amazing Hermione.
Julie Walters - I can't imagine anyone else as Mrs Weasley - she's just awesome - especially in Chamber of Secrets.

Imelda Staunton and Helena Bonham Carter. They're both so much the character, especially Imelda Staunton because she's so sweet and so evil. Even the expressions on her face are sweet and evil. And these are two women I've seen in a few other films playing very different characters so I know it's not a case of them just playing the same character for every movie.

1. Helena Bonham Carter
2. Evanna Lynch
3. Emma Watson


Wit beyond measure is mans greatest treasure
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Proud Ravenclaw!!

Supporter of S.P.E.W
Huge Harry Potter fan

Helena Bonham Carter is absolutely my #1 without competition. Harry Potter was the first time I'd ever seen her / heard of her, but I fell in love with her acting right away. She was just so perfect in the role. I went on to watch some of her other movies with completely different roles, but she was just as perfect. For people who think that HBC can only take roles of one type: Have you seen her as Anne Boleyn? What about Lady Jane Gray

Maggie Smith was a great McGonagall. She was one of the only people whose image I could never replace with my own while reading the books (Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Felton, Jason Isaacs, and David Thewlis). Such a presence and faultless portrayal.

Other standouts for me were Evanna Lynch and Emma Thompson.

Helena Bonham Carter and Emma Watson are great.
Maggie Smith as McGonagall is quite adorable.....

Helena Bonham Carter had me bewitched since her first appearance. She's awesome!
Evanna Lynch is cute as Luna.
And Emma Watson of course :)

They all fit perfectly in their characters.

Emma Watson is great at being the brainy Hermione but also showing depth/emotion
Helena is pure evil and really seems to enjoy it, she's really awesome at her role
Evanna Lynch is also perfectly cast, she nails the whole dreamy thing
Maggie Smith is also wonderful, particularly at being stern with a soft side

I like all the females! I think everyone does a really great job performing.

McGonagall. Hands down.

Molly Weasley is, to me, a close second.

Bellatrix does some things that kind of irk me, some times. I'm not entirely sure, from what I've heard, that Evanna Lynch is actually acting, rather than being herself, and Emma Watson is good enough, but just isn't quite in Maggie Smith's league.

Oh how to choose between such talented women? :hmm: The first ones that pooped into my brain were Emma Thompson as Trelawny and Maggie Smith as MacGonagall. But then people mentioned Evanna Lynch, Helena Bonham Carter and Imelda Staunton. The only ones I thoroughly disliked are ironically two of the most important roles: Emma Watson as Hermione and that girl who plays Ginny (can't even be bothered to know her name).

I will say out of all of the women Imelda is the closest to my interpretation of her character from the book...she made you want to slap her :) I remember when OOTP came out I was blown away by Helena, I thought she was so brave and powerful in her portrayal. But then HBP came out, and she just seemed to be all off her rocker...I think my problems with that come from my disappointment of that movie and esp. the lack of Hogwarts battle. I just really can't choose!

Helena Bonham Carter is absolutely my #1 without competition. Harry Potter was the first time I'd ever seen her / heard of her, but I fell in love with her acting right away. She was just so perfect in the role. I went on to watch some of her other movies with completely different roles, but she was just as perfect. For people who think that HBC can only take roles of one type: Have you seen her as Anne Boleyn? What about Lady Jane Gray.

When did she portray Anne Boleyn? I would love to see that. Have you seen her in Twelfth Night? I liked her in that too..and she wasn't a bad Ophelia in Hamlet (but I think Kate Winslet out-performed her in that role)

Evanna doesn't seem to be acting to me either, honestly. She's a good Luna, obviously, but.... *shrug* :lol:

To me, that's not much of an issue because Evanna's regular personality appears to fit Luna so well and the role is something that, I think, has to come naturally instead of being acted out. What matters most is how much of herself she invests into the character, going so far as to craft some of the items that the character is seen wearing in the films. Evanna is not Luna, in my opinion; Luna is Evanna.

After watching the movies again, I'll re-submit my candidates:

1) Maggie Smith. Stern, yet soft and sometimes quite humorous. Plus, she's apparently one of the first choices that Jo had in mind when she was thinking about performers for her characters, along with Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid.

2) Imelda Staunton. It's a testament to her skill as an actress that she disappears into the role, making all issues with her appearance irrelevant as she captures every twitch of Umbridge's manufactured sweetness.

3) Evanna Lynch. It's like Luna herself leaped out of the books and presented herself to the fans.

4) Emma Watson. I know that some fans strongly dislike her, while others absolutely adore her. I'm firmly in the camp, then, that absolutely adores her and is thankful that she has been a part of the films. In HBP especially, she captures the vulnerabilities of the character with as little as a glance, yet she knows how to balance the more serious moments with a touch of humor and warmth. She may very well be the next Natalie Portman with her qualities: gorgeous, intelligent and a superb female actress who starts out majorly in fantasy and is then taken seriously in juicy roles.

When did she portray Anne Boleyn? I would love to see that. Have you seen her in Twelfth Night? I liked her in that too..and she wasn't a bad Ophelia in Hamlet (but I think Kate Winslet out-performed her in that role)

She was Anne Boleyn in the 2001 version of Henry VIII, I think. Apparently, she couldn't do her best performance because she was pregnant at the time and was rushing to finish filming before it became visible.
I didn't watch Twelfth Night or Hamlet, but I do intend to watch them soon. I've never imagined her as the type to play Ophelia, but I think it should be interesting to watch.

Evanna Lynch could not play Luna any better than it was written... She is comical and lighthearted, but you can still see her pain..
Helen Bonham Carter gives me nightmares and def helped bring Bellatrix to life
Emma Watson managed to keep a naive look about her while playing Hermione, but when you saw her in real life, you see how glamorous she is

The one that takes the cake in Maggie Smith as Minvera McGonagall, from the moment she changes from a cat to herself in the very beginning of the series, to her strict, yet cunning nature that made Harry think he was getting expelled instead of put on the Quiddich team, to her argument with Umbridge in Order of the Phoenix regarding loyalty (in the movie) you see how poised and perfect she is.. LOVE the casting for her

Imelda Staunton
Maggie Smith
Emma Watson (though in GoF I thought she was dreadful)
Miranda Richardson

These four actors are the only ones that I loved. The rest were mediocre for me. I would have said Carter before DH but she really overdid it there.

Julie Walters was good too and I would place her above mediocre but not in the same league as the other four.

Philosopher's Stone: There was no best performance.
Chamber of Secrets: Julie Walters
Prisoner of Azkaban: Pam Ferris
Goblet of Fire: Miranda Richardson
Order of the Phoenix: Imelda Stauton
Half-Blood Prince: Jessie Cave
Deathly Hallows Part 1: Emma Watson
Deathly Hallows Part 2: Helena Bonham Carter

PS- Maggie Smith
CoS- Julie Walters
PoA- Emma Watson
GoF- Miranda Richardson
OotP- Evanna Lynch, Imelda Staunton
HBP- Emma Watson
DH 1 and 2- Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter

I would say the top three for me were, in no particular order, Julie Walters, Maggie Smith, and Imelda Stauton.

Julie Walters: She maintains that motherly look about her, and really gets into the role of Molly Weasley. We don't see much of her in PS/SS, but CoS was when we really got to begin to know her as a character, particularly in that scene when Fred, George, Ron, and Harry come back after a flight back to the Burrow in the flying Ford Anglia. Though mad at her sons for flying that enchanted car, she is also very quick to assure Harry that she's not angry at him at all. Definitely shows that she would become a strong mother figure to Harry, and Julie Walters pulled this off perfectly.

Maggie Smith: She WAS Minerva! To me, her acting was absolutely flawless, and showed McGonagall's personality to a tee. Though strict and stern, she does have her lighter moments, particularly in DH2 when she
performs a spell to make the statues animate in the Battle of Hogwarts.
"I've always wanted to use that spell!"

Imelda Stauton: Oh my...she embodied Umbridge so well that you find it very easy to hate the character Professor Umbridge, even if you haven't read the books. That voice manages to inch its way into your very nerves, annoying you with her presence (Umbridge's that is!), which was most certainly how I felt about Umbridge in the book.

And as an honorary mention, Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood--she was perfect in the role of aforementioned character, and her voice was just how I imagined Luna's might have been.

Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, Imelda Stauton are amazing :)

I don't Emma that much..but I can't seem to picture anyone else as Hermione.

Maggie Smith is amazing, and Helena Boham Carter just... perfect. She is perfect no matter what :') Emma Watson is great too, considering she was at such a young age when she first started acting in the HP movies :)

It is hard to pick just one out of each movie, but the two that really stood out the most in fitting the characters perfectly for me were Helena Bonham Carter and Evanna Lynch. They both fit the roles of Bellatrix and Luna wonderfully!

Well... this is hard. The first person who comes to mind is Emma, but that may just be because she has so much screen time. She is a wonderful actress and no one else can be Hermione, but sometimes she overdoes it (and she has that eyebrow problem). I think I liked her better when she was younger. She was suitable for the role, precocious, and so darn cute! But there are other actresses in the films you know.
Maggie Smith is absolutely excellent as McGonagall. In my opinion, she is very underrated as an actress and I think in the last film she finally got some attention.
Helena Bonham Carter was a wise choice to play Bellatrix. She adds that insanity on-screen that perfectly complements Bella in the books. Not to mention she is gorgeous.
Evanna was made for the role of Luna. Perfect voice. Enough said.
I don't know why so many people don't like Bonnie Wright. I think she's cool and did a good job with Ginny. Of course she didn't stand out as much as she should have, but I blame the direction and writing for that.
Overall, I can't decide on just one female performance. I feel that the entire cast gave their best, which is fitting because this the last chance they'll be able to do so in their respective HP characters.

I think the one female character/actor who doesnt get enough credit is moaning myrtle.. she was perfectly cast and seemed staright from book.. her voice, dialogue delivery was spot on..

There are so many amazing female performances in the films. I think Helena Bonham Carter was my favourite she played Bellatrix perfectly and stood out even in the earlier films despite little screen time. Evanna's voice is perfect for Luna, and Imelda Staunton did and awesome job as Umbridge too, definately made you love to hate her.

My favourite is definitely Maggie Smith. She manages to look strict and impressive when needed, yet is also able to show McGonagall's soft side and is able to deliver a joke perfectly.

Helena Bonham Carter is amazing too. She can get that real glimmer of madness in her eyes.

And Evanna Lynch's voice has really shaped how I hear Luna's voice when I read the books.

But then, I feel like I'm forgetting so many other great performances, like Imelda Staunton and Julie Walters.

Definitely Helena Bonham Carter! And Maggie Smith as well <3 They are both amazing actresses who I admire a lot.

I absolutely love Emma Watson. I think that she's a gorgeous girl, and plays Hermione so perfectly. She's one of the few actors from these movies that I would actually go see another movie she was in, just because she was in it. (Perks Of Being A Wallflower, Omg, Cannot wait.)

Then obviously, it's been said a million times but Helena Bonham Carter. Wow. Just wow. She's so talented. The scene where she plays Hermione pretending to be her is eerily good. And I think the scene when she's torturing Hermione is fantastic as well. Just overall, she looks the part, she acts the part, and I bet she has a blast doing it too XD