Open auditions for ‘Harry Potter’ spinoff | CNN

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the first film in the eight-part franchise, was released in 2001. The movie series wrapped 10 years later with the second part of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." With a highly anticipated movie spinoff, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," due in theaters in 2016, we check in with some of Hogwarts' most memorable students.

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In 2014, Daniel Radcliffe proved on "The Tonight Show" that his talents go far beyond acting; Radcliffe's also <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/29/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/daniel-radcliffe-raps/index.html" target="_blank">a pretty great rapper</a>. The "Harry Potter" star appeared in 2015's Judd Apatow comedy "Trainwreck" and has four movies scheduled for 2016 -- including one in which he plays late GOP strategist Lee Atwater.

In 2014, Daniel Radcliffe proved on "The Tonight Show" that his talents go far beyond acting; Radcliffe's also a pretty great rapper. The "Harry Potter" star appeared in 2015's Judd Apatow comedy "Trainwreck" and has four movies scheduled for 2016 -- including one in which he plays late GOP strategist Lee Atwater.

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Since portraying sharp witch Hermione in the "Harry Potter" series, Emma Watson has broken away from the supernatural with roles grounded in the (mostly) real world. After "My Week With Marilyn," "The Perks of Being A Wallflower" and "The Bling Ring," she showed her sense of humor in Seth Rogen's outlandish summer comedy "This Is the End." She announced in February that she's taking a break from acting.

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Rupert Grint kept it fairly low-key after he ended his 10-year run as one of Harry Potter's best friends, Ron Weasley. He took on a risky role with 2013's "CGBG"; if you need proof that Grint's all grown up, check out the trailer.

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By the time the "Potter" movies wrapped, Matthew Lewis -- and his character, Neville Longbottom -- had morphed into <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/lyapalater/let-us-not-forget-that-neville-longbottom-aka-matthew-lewis" target="_blank" target="_blank">quite the charming young man</a>. He initially migrated over to TV for a spell with "The Syndicate" and "Bluestone 42."

By the time the "Potter" movies wrapped, Matthew Lewis -- and his character, Neville Longbottom -- had morphed into quite the charming young man. He initially migrated over to TV for a spell with "The Syndicate" and "Bluestone 42."

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Just enough time has passed for us to stop cringing at the sight of Tom Felton, who came to be known as the weakling bully Draco Malfoy. Even while working on the "Potter" franchise, Felton dabbled in other films, like "The Disappeared" and "Get Him to the Greek." Felton has been busy since "Potter" wrapped, and he appeared in the World War II movie "Ghosts of the Pacific" and the TNT cop drama "Murder in the First."

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Bonnie Wright began playing Ginny Weasley at age 10, and since leaving the franchise, she has been on a steady diet of dramas. Wright appeared in "The Philosophers," followed by "Before I Sleep" with Tom Sizemore.

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The brothers who played the elder Weasleys -- George and Fred -- <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2169421/Harry-Potter-stars-James-Oliver-Phelps-ditch-ginger-hair-dye-head-Hollywood.html" target="_blank" target="_blank">don't have the trademark ginger hair anymore</a>, but they're still recognizable as the prankster pair. James and Oliver Phelps are still happy to talk all things "Potter," even as they move on to other endeavors. James has been active on stage, and Oliver has been traveling in support of his website, <a href="http://www.jopworld.com/category/blog/" target="_blank" target="_blank">JopWorld.com.</a>

The brothers who played the elder Weasleys -- George and Fred -- don't have the trademark ginger hair anymore, but they're still recognizable as the prankster pair. James and Oliver Phelps are still happy to talk all things "Potter," even as they move on to other endeavors. James has been active on stage, and Oliver has been traveling in support of his website, JopWorld.com.

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Evanna Lynch's Luna Lovegood showed up halfway through the "Potter" saga, but her character was so wonderfully strange she's easily among the most memorable. And if there's anyone who's eager for the "Harry Potter" spinoff films, it's Lynch: "Maybe 'Fantastic Beasts' will turn into a long ting like HP did & I can play Luna as an old lady?" she tweeted. "Even if I'm too old to play Luna, can I go through 10 hours prosthetics to play a crumple-horned-snorkack. Please??"

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Devon Murray's Seamus Finnigan was an easy character to love, and fans have missed seeing Murray (and hearing his accent) on the big screen. Murray has not appeared in movies since the last Potter film but assured a supporter from his unverified Twitter account in September 2013 that he's "been offered a lead role in a new movie so could be seeing my mug soon :)"

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Jamie Waylett's Vincent Crabbe appeared in the first half of the franchise, and life post-"Potter" hasn't been so easy for the actor. In May 2012 <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/20/world/europe/uk-harry-potter-actor-jailed/index.html" target="_blank">he was sentenced to two years in jail</a> for his participation in the 2011 London riots.

Jamie Waylett's Vincent Crabbe appeared in the first half of the franchise, and life post-"Potter" hasn't been so easy for the actor. In May 2012 he was sentenced to two years in jail for his participation in the 2011 London riots.

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'Harry Potter': Where are they now?

Story highlights

Open auditions to be held in London for "Harry Potter" spinoff "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"

Casting team are looking for a girl aged 8 to 12 to play the role of Modesty "a haunted young girl with an inner strength"

"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" will star Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne as "magizoologist" Newt Scamander

London CNN —

Can you see yourself as the next Hermione Granger or Luna Lovegood?

If so, you might want to get yourself to London this coming weekend.

The makers of the next movie in the “Harry Potter” wizarding universe, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” are on the lookout for their newest star, and if you’re a girl aged eight to 12, it could be you.

Casting directors are looking for someone to play the role of “Modesty,” alongside established Hollywood stars Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller and Katherine Waterston.

Modesty is described as “a haunted young girl with an inner strength and stillness. She has an ability to see deep into people and understand them.”

Anyone who fancies their chances is invited to go along to the casting call at London’s Excel Centre on Saturday morning at 9am for the open audition.

Filming for the movie is expected to take place between August 2015 and January 2016.

Redmayne, who won an Oscar earlier this year for his performance as physicist Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything,” will star in the lead role as “magizoologist” Newt Scamander.

Scamander travels the world searching for magical creatures and documenting them in his book, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” which is studied by Harry, Hermione, Ron and their classmates at Hogwarts School.

“Harry Potter” creator J.K. Rowling has previously revealed that “[the] story will start in New York, 70 years before Harry’s gets under way.”

Rowling, who will make her screenwriting debut with the film, says it is “neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world.”

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is due for release on November 18, 2016; it will be directed by David Yates, who was behind the final four “Harry Potter” movies, and produced by David Heyman, who worked on all eight films about the young wizard.

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Open auditions for ‘Harry Potter’ spinoff ‘Fantastic Beasts’

'Harry Potter': Where are they now?

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