What If Harry Potter And His Hogwart’s Carnales And Rivales Were Latino?
Sports fans spend hours and hours fantasizing about dream teams, right? So us Latino cinephiles and potterheads can let our imagination fly and delve into the “what if”s surrounding the J.K. Rowling fantasy series. Sure, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe were awesome as Hermione and Harry… but… what if… the whole movie franchise had been cast with past and present Latino talent? Wouldn’t it had been weird, awesome and empowering at the same time? The Harry Potter movie universe showed some diversity, but truly not enough (apart from a few Indian and black students in minor roles, Hogwarts was pretty white).
So these are come of our picks for our Mágico-Cómico-Musical Latino Harry Potter.
We can only say Abracadabra patas de cabra!
The young Harry Potter
Our pick: Anthony Gonzalez
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: 5a833cae77e811b9ff07d451. Digital image. Sunny 99.1. February 13 2018.
The new Latino sensation voiced the amazing Miguel in the Pixar movie Coco. His amazing interpretative skills were also evident in his appearance in the TV show The Bridge. Gonzalez has a natural charm that travels beyond borders as evidenced by Coco’s huge international success.
Hermione
Our pick: Selena Gomez… duh!
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: tumblr_ljs3y7IRoc1qh72ano1_500. Digital image. Historias de amores eternos.
Honestly, can you think of anyone else who is as sassy and smart and just plain cool as Selena? She would be a kick ass Miss Granger. As proven in films like Spring Breakers, Gomez is no longer the naive little girl that graced Disney shows.
But come to think about it, a young Ludwika Paleta would be the ideal young Hermione
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: Carrusel. Televisa
If you watched the cult Mexican telenovela Carrusel y’all know what I mean! Maria Joaquina was equally intelligent and independent, just like Hermione.
Hagrid
Our pick: he would be beautifully played by Danny Trejo!
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: Sons of Anarchy. AMC.
Seriously, Don Machete is a tough guy but can also be vulnerable and caring. He would do just fine protecting the Hogwarts kids.
Bellatrix Lestrange
Our pick: …. La Tigresa del Oriente! Grrrrrrr! Seriously!
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: 232139_4_5b6366ae51dd1. Digital Image. Ahora Noticias.
Think about it. No one better to convey the quirky weirdness of Helena Bonham-Carters than the cult Peruvian kitsch singer!
Dumbledore
Our pick: Profesor Memelovsky
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: Odisea Burbujas. Televisa.
If you grew up in the 80s or have a thing for vintage Latino TV you will remember this crazy scientist who fought the evil and dirty Ecoloco.
Ron Weasley
Our pick: a young Canelo Alvarez
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: ue_11_03_05_alvarez_original_original. Digital image. Bleacher Report.
OK, maybe this one is a bit of a stretch, but we can’t thing of any other badass and slightly dorky Latino redheads! But come to think about it, they kinda look alike, eh?
Dobby the Elf
Our pick: Mucha Lucha‘s Flea
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: Mucha Lucha. Cartoon Network.
Harry’s trusted little friend would need a Latino counterpart in our imaginary Latino potterworld. What about Flea from Cartoon Network’s wrestling cartoon Mucha Lucha? To be perfectly honest Dobby is a bit of a cobarde, so why not give our Hispanic Harry a bit more help with a fierce and loyal companion?
Draco Malfoy
Our pick: Prince Royce
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: prince-royce-2018-vid-carlos-perez-billboard-1548. Digital image. Billboard.
The singer from the Bronx has that bad boy attitude that made Draco equally hateful and magnetic in the film series. Bachata!
Gilderoy Lockhart
Our pick: Jaime Camil… obviously!
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: Jane the Virgin. ABC.
This was an easy decision. The egocentric and eccentric teacher would be amazingly played by Mexican actor Jaime Camil. Just think about his role as Rogelio De La Vega in Jane the Virgin.
Severus Snape
Our pick: Diego Luna
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: Elysium. TriStar Pictures.
The Mexican actor has already made it big in Hollywood with his mix of dramatic talent and comedic savoir faire. This charolastra would be a great Snape and he is old enough now to embody the Hogwarts teacher if given una manita de gato by the makeup artists.
Peter Pettigrew
Our pick: Don Francisco!
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: 9174afc8c101d85d_800x800ar. Digital image. NBC Universal Media Village.
The movie character was impressively played by Timothy Spall, but a Latino version could very well have beloved host Don Francisco. It would be great to see the Chilean icon in an entirely different persona. Sabadooooo gigante!
Luna Lovegood
Our pick: Madison de la Garza
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: Desperate Housewives. ABC.
The quirky and amazingly unique little witch would be an ideal fit for Madison de la Garza, who played Juanita in Desperate Housewives. Her character was cute and cheeky at the same time… just ideal for Lovegood’s disposition.
Dolores Umbridge
Our pick: Laura Bozzo
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: screen_shot_2017-05-20_at_11.22.48_am (1). Digital image. Soy502.
Bozzo’s TV persona is as manipulative, assertive and harsh as the implacable Miss Umbridge, perhaps the strictest teacher in Hogwarts.
Sirius Black
Our pick: Miguel Bosé
Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: miguel-bose-cr-Esteban-Calderon-2016-billbord-1548. Digital image. Billboard.
OK, the Spanish singer is not strictly Latino, but he is adored throughout our continent. He has plenty of experience in film sets and has that mysterious air about him that would make him an ideal candidate to play Harry’s godfather.
Last but not least…. Hedwig
Our pick: Andean condor
Credit: Harry Potter franchise. Warner Bros.
Credit: Andean-Condor_Murray-Cooper. Digital Image. American Bird Conservancy.
Harry’s trusted magical owl is OK for a story set in posh Britain, but if it was set in Latin America what would be better than a majestic condor from the Peruvian Andes?
But the iconic Chilean comic book character Condorito would also provide some amazing comic relief!
