Julie Walters Receives WFT Lifetime Achievement Award

Julie Walters, Mrs. Weasley, in the Harry Potter movies became the youngest ever recipient of the lifetime achievement award at this years Women in Film and Television Awards which were held today in London.

The awards, which have been running since 1990, celebrate the achievements of women in the film, television and digital media industries. Last year Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling received the script award.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Alan Rickman Talks 'Deathly Hallows' Schedule in New Interview

In a new interview with Scifi.com, Alan Rickman talked briefly about the filming schedules of himself, as well as Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix), and Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort), for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

"Well, it'll be a big finish, won't it?" Rickman said. "That's true, and appropriately. You can feel it now, the size of the undertaking. Watching Daniel [Radcliffe], I saw a trailer for him being on Inside the Actor's Studio, and you think, 'Wait a minute, he's 12! Oh. Perhaps he isn't.'"

The new production schedule also affects Rickman personally. "Well, because they have to get me and Ralph Fiennes together, it means I don't start shooting it until the end of next year, which means I get room now in this coming year," he said. "So it's going to be long. I was talking to Helena yesterday. I think she starts in June, and she goes on for a long time."

(SOURCE: HPANA)

David Heyman discusses 'HBP' Delay & Split of 'Deathly Hallows' in New Interview

In a new interview with Harry Potter producer David Heyman, Mr. Heyman discusses the reason for the delay in the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as well as the decision to split the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Mr. Heyman on the delayed release of the Half-Blood Prince movie:

No need to [do more work]. If we had to come out now, we'd be fine. Warners asked it because of the writers' strike, because of various reasons. They have a shortage of product for next summer, and they asked if it's OK [to delay the release].

Mr. Heyman on the decision to split the release of Deathly Hallows:

It's not about breaking them into two. It's just the schedule is such that I guess it's long. There's more, so there's a lot of downtime without him. It's going well. It's great. I'm very, very lucky to be involved with it.

Ultimately there was always going to be two-year gap either between V and VI or between VI and VII: Part One. Now there's a two-year gap between V and VI, and there'll be 18 months between VI and VII: Part One.

Mr. Heyman is currently in Beverly Hills, Calif., where he was promoting the comedy Yes Man, where he also mentioned that he will be doing a film with Alfonso Cuarón.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Jason Isaacs Cameo as Lucius Malfoy in "Half-Blood Prince"

Actor Jason Isaacs has given a new interview to MTV where he confirms he took part in a one day filming in his role as Lucius Malfoy for "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Jason says that as his character is off in Azkaban prison during the course of the HBP book, he did not think he would be in movie six ("It absolutely killed me" he said). However, now he has confirmed that "I’m not [really] in the film [but] I did one day. I went in for a day. “I’m a moving portrait on the wall.” character as Lucius appears as a moving portrait somewhere in the film. Reports of the recent test screenings of HBP which took place last week in Chicago, did not seem to be a mention of this detail, and we are uncertain where in the film his portrait might appear. As a reminder, earlier this year, Jason Isaacs confirmed his return as Lucius Malfoy for the final "Deathly Hallows" movies, which begin production next February.

On a related note, Jason continues work on his television series Brotherhood here in the States, and was recently at the Toronto Film Festival for the premiere of his new movie, "Good," which also stars Viggo Mortensen. You can see multiple new photos of Jason at the TFF here in our image galleries.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Harry Potter's Emma Watson Ponders Move to America

Harry Potter star Emma Watson may swap Hogwarts for Harvard.

The 18-year-old actress will take up a place in 2009 after a well-earned gap year and had been expected to secure a place at Cambridge. However she has revealed that she is also considering pursuing a course on the other side of the Atlantic.

"I've applied to a few universities for next year, including several American ones. If I do go there I will do a liberal arts degree, but if I stay in the UK I'll do English Literature," she told The Independent.

Watson scored straight As in her Geography, Art and English Literature A-levels last month, and recently completed a summer course at RADA

She has amassed a £10 million fortune from her role as Hermione Watson in the Harry Potter films.
The young actress is determined to live as normal a life as possible, and will juggle her career with university studies.

In a recent interview, she said: "I wouldn't want my childhood in showbusiness to have been any different. Some days I wish my life were simpler but the rest of the time I feel like the luckiest girl in the world."

Potter fans will have to wait until next summer for Watson's next big screen outing.

The release of the next film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, has been put back from November to next July - prompting some disgruntled fans to bombard movie studio Warner Bros with hate mail.

(SOURCE: TELEGRAPH UK [via WIZARD NEWS])

Scholastic Updates Site with New Video, Sorcerer's Stone Shipping Early

Previously we told you that Scholastic was issuing a special 10th Anniversary edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone that was due to be released on September 23. Today however, this TLC editor got word her copy her copy pre-ordered from Amazon.com had already been shipped (and due in next few days), and other readers have already received their copies of the book. At this point we do not know if how many (if any) other retailers are sending out copies of the book early as well, and will update with more on that when we can. As always, for those wishing to avoid spoilers, a caution that our comments may contain details about the new material.

On a related note, Scholastic has now uploaded this new video on their Harry Potter site, where fans remember reading the first book in the Harry Potter series all those years ago. A reminder that Scholastic will be holding a special Read-a-Thon of the book at the Scholastic Store in New York City on September 23. The reading is open to the public starting at 8:00am, with first 100 people to win a free copy of the 10th Anniversary Edition of Sorcerer's Stone, plus you will be reading the book sitting on the same throne chair that author J.K. Rowling used at the Carnegie Hall and Radio City Hall appearances. Scholastic will be preparing the space on September 15, and you can see a preview of the setting for the reading via this link. Be sure to check out the lovely new cover with artwork from Mary Grandpre here as well.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)