The perfect Trelawney Casting

[Marcus]

I know most HP fans are anxious to know who gets the parts of Loony, 
Padfoot, and Wormtail.  Myself, I really don't care.  Any number of 
fine, established British actors could step right in and do a 
credible job.  The part I am most interested in is Trelawney.  It's 
a great role full of subtlety.  

The person who plays Trelawney needs to be a certain body type.  She 
has to be tall.  She has to be slender.  She needs to be able to 
glide across the floor like she is on wheels.  That takes a huge 
amount of body control.

There are constant references to her eyes.  She can't just do bug-
eyed.  She has act with them a great deal.

You can't just put any old comedic actress into the part.  It is not 
an out and out comedy role.  There really isn't anything ditzy about 
Trelawney.  Think of her "duel" with McGonagall at the Christmas 
feast.  There has to be a great deal of subtlety or the part is 
ruined.  There can be no mugging for the camera.

Perhaps most important, she has to go toe-to-toe with some of the 
most prestigious thespians that England has.  The adult cast list 
reads like a who's who of British theatre.  Maggie Smith, Alan 
Rickman, and Fiona Shaw (to name just a few) all have extremely 
strong stage presence.  These are immensely strong people, guys.  
Trelawney will need a strong actress just to keep from getting 
overshadowed like whats-his-name in the "Prince of Thieves" was 
totally blown away by Alan Rickman.  Could Emma Chambers hold her 
own against these guys?  Who knows?

Let me suggest a dark horse candidate.  Lucy Lawless!  Yep, Xena 
herself.  I think she could pull it off better than about anybody.  
Of course, she is not British, she's a New Zealander, but the accent 
is close enough for most of the world.