On this blog, I've made it no secret that I love Harry Potter. I've gone on for hours and hours about how it's one of my absolute favorite things on the planet. However, as summer begins to roll around, another thing that I get really excited about is Big Brother. I'm a fairly recent fan (I started watching during BB17) but I've become super invested. I've gotten really into Rob Has a Podcast & listen to all of their BB coverage. I've gone back and watched a lot of older seasons. I even have the live feeds on in the background fairly regularly. It's something that I've gotten really invested in over the summer.
While listening to some RHAP coverage and getting really pumped for the new season, I stumbled across a podcast that Jordan Parhar (of the RHAP Rhappy Hour) guested on that got me so excited. He appeared on a podcast called The Real Weird Sisters, a Harry Potter podcast. I was so excited about this idea that I have yet to listen to any of their other podcasts, but I definitely intend to. They appear to be going through the Harry Potter series, talking about it chapter by chapter (much like I do on my other blog, Specialis Revelio). I'm super excited to listen to their coverage, but first, I wanted to throw in my two cents on this great idea that they had.
As you can tell from the title, on that podcast, they used the typical Big Brother casting stereotypes to cast a season of BB using characters from within the Harry Potter universe. I thought they did a great job and you can check out their podcast here, but I found myself creating my own cast, which didn't always match up with theirs. I'll be using the same casting types as theirs (potentially with one of my own thrown in), and I'll explain each type as I go along, as well as my reasoning for choosing each person. Also, after the official cast, there are some predictions as to how everyone will do, which I'll also get into. I've rambled long enough here. Let's jump into the list!
Sorority girl with nerd glasses
The "nerdy superfan" is a tried and true casting stereotype that we see every season. It's usually a guy, but if it does happen to be a girl, it's usually a girl who's pretty and not actually very nerdy; she just happens to wear glasses. A good example is Nicole from BB16 & 18. Not a knock on the players who fall under this category-- more a knock on the way that casting apparently refuses to cast legitimate female nerds. (Sorry Hermione...)
Anyway, the person who I thought was definitely the clear choice for this category is the one and only Cho Chang.
They chose Cho on the podcast as well, and I wholeheartedly agree. She may not literally have glasses, but she fits the stereotype. She's clearly smart, because she's a Ravenclaw, but the only reason we're really aware of her intelligence is because we're essentially told "Hey, she's smart!" rather than due to any of her actions. Plus, she's definitely the "pretty girl" in school, which is along the lines of a sorority girl. It just fits really well. Important note: I considered Ginny Weasley and Romilda Vane here, because they were Harry Potter superfans, so they would fit in that sense, but I thought that Cho fit a bit better. Also, we'll see one of those two again later...
Male Nerdy Superfan
Like I mentioned, we get this type every single season, especially since we saw Ian in season 14. These guys are always incredibly awkward and huge fans of the show. Think about a stereotypical nerd, and you've got the guy that they usually stick into this spot. And once again, I thought that they absolutely killed it on the podcast: Colin Creevey
I mean, is there any better person to cast here? He's a total Harry Potter fanboy, on top of the fact that he's incredibly over-enthusiastic and over the top. He would make some really interesting TV, because he'd be bouncing around and being silly the entire time. However, I do think he'd be a bit different than the "typical" superfan, because most superfans are very shy and self-conscious, but he's really outgoing and loud. I think it would be a really cool twist on the typical stereotype, but would rub people the wrong way just as much as the typical superfan.
The Old Guy
I found this one incredibly difficult, because literally the only indicators are an age and gender. We've seen so many different iterations of the old guy over the years that it's hard to zone in on just one person. We've had the BB16 Donny type, who's just super sweet and lovable, but we've also had people like BB10's Jerry who was super loud and antagonistic. In the end, I went with someone a little off the beaten path: Kingsley Shacklebolt.
I think pretty much every older guy that they cast for Big Brother has some sort of interesting backstory. Donny was this groundskeeper, but everyone thought he was in the army. Glenn, our most recent old guy, was a police officer and a dog groomer. I went through several different options (Remus Lupin- not old enough? Mad Eye- Interesting, but not my fave. Xenophilius- quirky but probably a bit too quirky for this role). But eventually, I landed on Kingsley. I think that he would be a really interesting, strong strategic player. I think that he fits the mold of the older man really well, but with a slight twist. Most "older guys" are not strong strategic forces. I think Kingsley would be.
Sassy Narrator
For this one, I went back and forth between a couple people, but eventually decided to go with Lee Jordan.
I mean, this was basically his job at Hogwarts. He was the commentator at the quidditch games, and he was fantastic at it. He was unabashedly biased and hilariously sassy. His commentary on the games was one of the best aspects of the first book. The quidditch matches were already pretty fun, but he made them even more exciting . He would give some hilariously snarky DRs and the viewers would absolutely love him. Plus, Big Brother likes to get diversity in their cast, and Lee Jordan would be a really interesting player that would also check that box.
Religious Fanatic
There were a lot of options of directions I could go for this one. Obviously, there's not really "religion" in Harry Potter, but there are things like Death Eaters and their near-religious following of Voldemort. However, it's still difficult to choose something like this, because these people would have to pass psychological examination, and I don't think many Death Eaters would pass that. Instead, I ended up going with Percy Weasley.
I was going to choose a girl for this spot to even out the guy/girl ratio, but I'll deal with that when we get to the recruits. When Percy popped into my mind, it was too good to pass up. He might not be a literal religious fanatic, but he fits the mold very well. He's definitely the "goody two-shoes" type, and is quick to try to tell other people that they're not doing what they're supposed to. I mean, he basically separates himself from his entire family because, in his eyes, they're not following the ministry as they should. We also see him give servant-esque respect toward his superiors. He fits this role to a T, and I think that he would certainly be really interesting as the antagonistic, holier than thou version of this stereotype (as opposed to someone like Jocasta).
The Meathead
This stereotype was the impetus for deciding to create this list, because this person immediately came to mind, and they didn't talk about him. They made a really great choice, but I thought it would be an absolute shame not to have this guy in the house, because he is the epitome of the type of bros you get in the BB house every single summer: Cormac McLaggen.
If you don't quite remember him, he first pops up in HBP, pining after Hermione in the most douche-bro way possible. Not only does he have the personality of the typical meathead, but he's super athletic as well. I feel like there are so many guys every single season that are very much like McLaggen, and since I've lost a recruit spot (due to putting guys in both of the gender non-specific casting spots), I think that he fits in very nicely here.
The "Offbeat" Girl
Admittedly, there's only one acceptable option for me here. On the podcast, they chose Tonks, and I definitely get it. But I just can't choose her. I don't hate her or anything, but I'm not a fan. And I think that these days, even the "offbeat" girl looks pretty much just like any of the other girls. So I had to go with Luna Lovegood.
I'm trying to avoid the most prominent characters in the series unless they fit really, really well, but this is definitely the only one that fits for me. When I thought of this stereotype, the first person who really came to mind was Christine from BB16. She might've had some piercings and tattoos, but she did look pretty geeky and didn't look too out-there. And I think that'll be Luna's place. She won't look really wacky, but she has a very offbeat personality and would definitely be a very quirky character, maybe along the lines of a Bronte. Plus, Big Brother tends to cast younger people, so I think Luna would be cast before Tonks.
The "Single Mom" Type
I tried to pick someone that they didn't pick on the podcast, but she was the only person who fit: Lavender Brown.
Obviously, she doesn't actually have a kid. But her personality definitely fits the mold of the single mom that they would cast. Even if they aren't in a showmance, they still definitely want a showmance, and get a little bit too invested in having one. That's Lavender to a T. We see her a lot throughout the series, but we don't really get any inkling of her having a crush on Ron until they're suddenly together 24/7 when they start dating in HBP. She was seemingly pretty down for romance regardless of any other factors, and that's kinda the stereotype with the "single mom." I also considered Ginny for this spot, because she's constantly going from relationship to relationship within the series, but I think that she's much stronger than the typical "single mom" types, who are pretty bland. Movie Ginny, on the other hand...
Token Old Lady
Usually, the Token old lady is pretty quirky. Like Renny from BB10. I thought about a few options, but I just couldn't say no to Minerva McGonagall.
Look, Minerva would be BOMB in the DR. Yeah, she's quite a bit older than people that they generally cast now, but think back to how great Jerry was back in BB10. She would be a likable version of Jerry. She would be smart, sassy, and snarky. I thought about going with a less mainstream character, but then I pictured Minerva in the DR and I couldn't help myself. I'm not sure she would necessarily want to go on Big Brother, but hey, I don't have the luxury of asking for her opinion. So, into the BB house she goes.
"Offbeat" Guy
I feel like this could go in many different directions. Someone like Johnny Mac from BB17 fits this really well, but I would also say that someone like Zach Rance from BB16 would also fit, because he was the "loose cannon" of that season. Other guys who would fit this are Paul from BB18, McCrae from BB15 and Frank from BB14. They're all completely different people and are considered "offbeat" for a variety of reasons. However, in the end, I couldn't help but throw in my favorite characters of all time: Fred and George Weasley.
I almost put these two as the sassy narrator. In fact, I did put them there, and then moved them. They fit both roles, but I think that they're best suited here, and I'll explain why. First off, there aren't too many people who would fit this role from the series. And those who would fit are on the older end of the spectrum-- people who would only be cast in "old people" roles. And the "offbeat" guy is often the one giving funny DRs or just generally being silly or weird. And that's definitely Fred and George. They would give amazing DRs, and they would be actually funny rather than just jumping out at people in the dark and playing other "pranks" that no one likes. They're so likable, but on top of that, they're really clever. They're smart. They could pull off a twin twist much better than the most recent twins on Big Brother, and they would do it while being legitimately likable. There isn't really anyone who dislikes Fred and George. Even Hermione, who gets sick of confiscating their items, still really likes them. I could definitely see them being people who are well-liked both inside and outside of the house.
The "Obvious Recruits" (2-3 apiece)
I'm going to be going with 4 female recruits and 2 male recruits to even out the players a bit here.
Fleur Delacour. Fleur is basically the obvious first choice when picking recruits. The female recruits are always really pretty, and that was definitely Fleur's thing. However, I think her personality also really fits. She clearly has a bit of a fame-bug, because she decided to enter the Tri-Wizard Tournament. And if not, then she certainly did it for the competition, and if she's competitive, that's also a plus on Big Brother. She could definitely use her veela charms to make people do what she wants, and I think that she would be pretty decent at manipulating people. She'd also probably be really underestimated. I think she'd be a really interesting player.
Angelina Johnson. Although it's not a solid "type," it's really common for there to be at least one female recruit who's the sporty one. And that's definitely Angelina. She's not an incredibly prominent character throughout the Harry Potter series, but she's a constant presence and has shown herself to be a capable and intelligent leader, while also being athletic. I think that she could definitely be a really interesting recruit who picks up on the game quickly and could potentially do really well.
Romilda Vane. Look, I hate the girl. But it's so much fun to have a hateable character. And given that she fawns over Harry just because he's famous, she's clearly a bit of an attention-seeker, so she would be down to be on Big Brother. Plus, she's shown that she can be manipulative. I think that she would be a super interesting villain for the season. I get more and more excited about the idea just talking about it.
Pansy Parkinson. I think I'm using these recruit spots to get some sort of antagonists into this cast. I feel like a lot of the people who fit into the defined "types" are pretty rootable characters, but without some obnoxious people in the mix, it wouldn't be a very fun season. So throw in a couple good antagonists and you've got yourself a good show. I think Pansy could've possibly fit into the sassy narrator role, except she's completely unlikable. So she finds herself here, among the recruits, and I'd hope for a really snarky few weeks before everyone gets sick of her and evicts her.
Cedric Diggory. I mean, he's the epitome of a Big Brother recruit, right? He's good-looking, athletic, and probably not the sharpest tool in the shed. And like with typical good-looking recruits, he seems like a decent guy and has a pretty vanilla personality. He's not necessarily an alpha bro, but he could definitely fall in with the brolliance.
Draco Malfoy. I originally had Oliver Wood in this spot, but I couldn't help but put Draco Malfoy here. While we certainly have some unlikable people in this cast so far, we don't have any true villains, and Draco would fit that spot perfectly. First of all, he's a young, good-looking guy. Those get cast a lot. Plus, he's just unabashedly willing to sneer at people, call them out, and just generally berate people. If you take the Death Eater/Voldemort aspect out, he's such a great antagonist for a season of Big Brother.
Our cast is now complete, so here's a quick recap of the players before we jump into my predictions.
Females: Cho Chang, Luna Lovegood, Lavender Brown, Minerva McGonagall, Fleur Delacour, Angelina Johnson, Romilda Vane, & Pansy Parkinson.
Males: Colin Creevy, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Lee Jordan, Percy Weasley, Cormac McLaggen, Fred & George Weasley, Draco Malfoy, & Cedric Diggory.
Our cast is now complete, so here's a quick recap of the players before we jump into my predictions.
Females: Cho Chang, Luna Lovegood, Lavender Brown, Minerva McGonagall, Fleur Delacour, Angelina Johnson, Romilda Vane, & Pansy Parkinson.
Males: Colin Creevy, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Lee Jordan, Percy Weasley, Cormac McLaggen, Fred & George Weasley, Draco Malfoy, & Cedric Diggory.
Most likely to be first out
Trying to logic this out is a bit difficult, because I'm trying to figure out which of these players would be at the crossroads of "doesn't fit in with the other players" and "most likely to annoy everyone." While people like Kingsley and McGonagall are clear outliers, I think that they would be able to be likable and personable enough to at least make it to week 2. So I think that in this spot, I have to go with Luna Lovegood.
Honestly, I think people would just be a bit weirded out by her. Looking through the cast, I struggle to find a good landing spot for her. She could potentially work with Colin, but other than that, I think that no one else would be down to be in an alliance with her. Percy Weasley would also be at risk for this position, but he has Fred & George there. While they would probably not want to work with him, I think they would recognize the inherent leg up they would have on the competition in that case. So I think Luna would have to be the first boot.
Person who tries to hide their profession
I mean, that has to be Kingsley Shacklebolt, right? He's an auror, which is one of the most highly regarded positions in the wizarding world. We know from Harry's schooling that the classes are difficult and it's hard to even get into the classes you need, so clearly Kingsley is very smart, and he also clearly seems to be very skilled at his job. Telling everyone he's an auror right off the bat would be like Derrick telling everyone he's an undercover cop-- not a good idea. He'd certainly be a game player in BB and he would definitely have the instinct to cover up his true profession.
Most likely to go on a POV streak
POV comps can be so varied, so you typically have to be both a mental and physical force to be able to go on a POV streak. I think the best fit for that would have to be Angelina Johnson. She's certainly a physical threat because she is one of the more athletic players, but I think she's also proven to be someone with a cool head who's intelligent and can think under pressure. I see her definitely being capable of going on a POV run.
Showmance?
Well, we have a few already set pairs in the house: Pansy & Draco, Fred/George & Angelina (because if you remember, George marries her but Fred was the one who dated her at Hogwarts so that could be interesting to watch), and Cho & Cedric. I think Pansy & Draco would be the dramatic one- Draco would probably stab her in the back pretty early. The twins and Angelina would probably be the "actually skilled" showmance, potentially downplaying that aspect and being able to use it to their advantage. And then Cho & Cedric would be the cute showmance who end up throwing away their games for each other.
However, I think that people like Lavender Brown and Romilda Vane will absolutely be looking to showmance, and I could see them just honestly bouncing around and picking up whoever they can. I don't think they really have any choices left, but I could see either one of them trying to vie for Cedric or Cormac at the beginning. I could easily see Cormac playing one of them like a fiddle and ousting them quickly.
Biggest blindside?
Definitely one of the twins, most likely Fred. I think that the twins will be super likable in the house. Yes, they're really goofy and play pranks, but unlike a certain BB17&18 player, they're clever and would know if they were getting annoying. But, given that they're twins and potentially have a showmance, I think that they would be on everyone's radar as someone to split up. So I could see it getting down to the second double eviction of the season & someone taking that opportunity to knock out one of the twins. And it would probably be Fred, because he's usually the dominant one of the pair.
Screwed by a twist
It would probably have to be a strategic player whose game gets completely derailed by something dumb. I'm beginning to realize that I don't have a ton of strategic powerhouses in this, so I think someone like Kingsley Shacklebolt will have to fit here. He's likely to be one of the most strategic players in the house, but I think that he's also likely to be one of the more obvious strategic players in the house. And I'm not sure how good he would be at adapting to a twist thrown his way. So I have to think that he would be the one screwed over in that situation.
Villain of the season
I mean, it has to be the Pansy/Draco showmance, right? With Draco as the clear villain of the two? I mean, viewers will hate them because we'll have another Aaryn/Gina Marie moment with them calling everyone derogatory slurs. But on top of that, if Draco cuts Pansy at some point, I think he would be seen as even more of a villain.
Biggest meltdown/freak out
I think the person who's clearly the most likely to have some sort of freak out is Lavender Brown. She'd get turned down by a guy that she wanted to showmance and it would be so upsetting to her that she would lose it and either end up yelling at someone or sobbing to one of her alliance partners.
Make jury and have mean jury speech
Definitely Percy. Need I say more? He's incredibly willing to speak his mind very candidly and has a bit of a mean streak, even toward family. I could definitely see him falling into this slot easily.
Final 2- winner & goat or potential ally next to them
I'm probably a bit biased here, but I really see George making his way to the final 2. Like I said earlier, I really think that Fred, as the dominant twin, would be the one targeted and potentially taken out in a double eviction near the end of the season. But I think that George would be able to make his way to the F2 even without Fred. However, I think the clearest path for him to make it to F2 is with Angelina because I think that she's the one who's best at comps. I can't really see him being able to make it there with a goat. Yes, it's a showmance and I have a lot of reservations saying that a showmance could make it to the end, but I think that George will be likable but clever, while Angelina is the comp threat of the two, which will push them to the end. Because of this, I think the vote will be really close but I have to think that George would be the eventual winner because likability usually wins out when it's close.
America's Favorite Player
This usually goes to the sassy narrator, so I think that Lee Jordan has a real shot at this, but I could also see viewers really loving someone like McGonagall. Also, given that I think Cho and Cedric will be the cute showmance of the season, I could see one of them getting it. IDK, I'm a bit torn on this one. I think the top 3 will be Cedric, Lee Jordan, and McGonagall, with Lee Jordan pulling out a win. I think he'll have really funny DRs, and I can't really see anyone being very put off by him.
So, that's it for my Big Brother cast made up of Harry Potter characters! Let me know down in the comments if there's anyone you thought should have been included on this list and what Harry Potter character you think would have a good shot at winning a season of Big Brother.
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