‘White Lotus’ star Jason Isaacs wants ‘that woman’ to play the new Lucius Malfoy

It’s not the first thing that comes to mind when you hear his thick North Carolina accent on season 3 of The White Lotus, but Jason Isaacs is no stranger to cinematic villainy.

Just look at his filmography: Captain Hook. Ra’s al Ghul. Sinestro. The Inquisitor. Lex Luthor. Satan. Does it get more evil than that? When you’re Jason Isaacs, the answer is yes. Arguably his most famous and memorable role is that of Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films. First appearing in Chamber of Secrets, Isaacs imbued Lucius with the kind of hair-raising intensity only Bellatrix Lestrange and Voldemort himself could later match. His luscious blonde locks and scene-stealing snarl quickly cemented Lucius as a Potter villain to hate ⏤ and incredibly difficult to replicate.

Now that a new Potter show is on the way, a key casting question is demanding attention: who’s going to play the new Lucius? Thankfully for fans chomping at the bit, Isaacs has an answer……and it’s the last one you’re expecting.

Who does Jason Isaacs think should play the new Lucius Malfoy?

In conversation with Variety, Isaacs recently revealed who would play the new Lucius “if he were in charge”: Meryl Streep! I know what you’re thinking: who? I’M KIDDING, SAMANTHA. We know her, we love her, and yes, now we kind of need her to play Papa Malfoy just to see her knock it out of the park. As for why Isaacs thinks Streep is perfect for the role, his justification is sound.

“She can do anything, that woman,” he told the publication. “There’s literally no limit to what she can do.” With a historic career that has seen her win three Oscars and be nominated for a whopping 21, Streep obviously needs no introduction. She’s played everyone from Joanna Kramer to Miranda Priestley, and she has yet to meet her match. (Although some would argue her successor is well on her way). Though there’s an enormous chance Isaacs was being facetious with his answer to Variety’s question, it would not be a stretch to see Streep fill Lucius’ shoes and slay, kween.

When asked what advice he would give new incoming Potter actors, Isaacs kept his cards close to the vest. “I wouldn’t have any advice at all,” he revealed. “Why would I bother? I know some of the people they’re casting already. They’re brilliant actors. It’s going to be fantastic, and the last thing they need is advice from some old fart like me.”

That “old fart” happened to craft one of the more memorable cinematic villains of all time, but we understand where he’s coming from. Max’s new series opens up the door to a whole new generation of possibilities, especially now that far too many of the prior Potter creatives have left us too soon. So far, John Lithgow has been announced as the new Dumbledore, with I May Destroy You breakout Paapa Essiedu crowned the new Severus Snape. Potter author J.K. Rowling, who in recent years has earned the internet’s ire following her consistently controversial anti-transgender views, had previously insisted that American actors not be cast in the largely British roles she’d created. Lithgow’s casting confirms that she’s not being as strict this time around, which also means that Streep being in the running for Draco’s daddy is not outside the realm of possibility.

With season 5 of Only Murders in the Building, a TV adaptation of The Corrections, and the long-awaited sequel to The Devil Wears Prada on her plate, Streep might simply be too busy to step into the shoes of a dark wizard at the moment. That said, following her Oscar-nominated turn as The Witch in Into the Woods, perhaps she’s got more magic to do before she receives her inevitable 22nd Oscar nominaish. As for Isaacs, we’re just hoping he survives his stay at a certain hotel ⏤ and that his pants stay on for the rest of the season.