Ben Barnes loves to see himself in fan-castings of an iconic Harry Potter character, but notes that his views on the franchise as a whole have been "sort of tainted" over the years.
As work begins on HBO's Harry Potter series, fans are already imagining future seasons adapting the other novels in J.K. Rowling’s classic story. That includes The Prisoner of Azkaban, which introduces Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather, who was framed for both betraying them to Voldemort and killing several Muggles.
After years in Azkaban, Sirius broke out to find Harry and convince him of his innocence. Sadly, he had to keep on the run, still helping Harry until his tragic death in The Order of the Phoenix. The movies saw Gary Oldman playing the role, who did a fine job with the part.
Of course, fans have been dream-casting roles like Sirius, and a major favorite has been Ben Barnes. He does have experience with fantasy films, having played Prince Caspian in the Chronicles of Narnia series and The Darkling in Netflix's Shadow and Bone.
Speaking at FanX’s Tampa Bay Comic-Con, as reported by Collider, Barnes addressed the fan-casting:
“I found it very weird for a lot of years, because I didn't really understand what was happening. People would sort of ask me to sign things or — and I was like, ‘You know what? I was in Narnia.’ So for a lot of years, I found it confusing. And then I went through a phase of being like, ‘Wait, I’ve been — people have sort of imagined me in this sort of old universe thing for like, 15 plus, 20 years now.’ And it's that kind of, like, it’s the commitment to it, which I really kind of value. And I think is really, really lovely.”
Barnes would be the right age to play Sirius by the time the HBO series gets to Azkaban. However, the actor's current views on the franchise could very well impact his interest in the role.
It’s no secret to Potter fans that Rowling has garnered a lot of controversy regarding her openly bigoted statements on transgender people and other minorities. That’s led to a debate on whether fans can still appreciate the books that are carried over to the series.
While not citing Rowling by name, Barnes addressed his feelings on the controversy and how that clouds his enjoyment of the books:
“Like, you know, most people in the world found those stories and those movies when they came out, something for a bit, you know, really joyful. And obviously, in the last few years, I found it much more — a more difficult thing to talk about, because there’s obviously, like, a clash between some of the author's views on things and the way I see the world. So I think that has made it, sadly, sort of tainted this sort of beautiful mythology of how I saw those stories. But it doesn't change the fact that it’s a really — such a cool character, and, you know, to be associated with a character like that from other people who do love it, it's like — it’s like a really beautiful thing, and it makes me happy.”
Despite not agreeing with Rowling's views, Barnes makes sure to note that Sirius Black is a great character, and he's happy to be in the fan conversation.
HBO’s Harry Potter series is currently filming, set to premiere in 2027. Meanwhile, you can watch Barnes in MGM+'s The Institute, now airing its first season.
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