The Harry Potter Character You Likely Didn’t Realize Emma Thompson Played

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This article contains a discussion of addiction.

Emma Thompson, undeniably, is among the finest actors currently active. Having been honored with a Damehood in 2018 by Queen Elizabeth II, she has graced numerous iconic films during her career. These include “Howards End,” “Henry V,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Remains of the Day,” “In the Name of the Father,” “Love Actually,” “Saving Mr. Banks,” “Stranger Than Fiction,” and “Nanny McPhee.” Across these productions, she has amassed a significant number of award nominations and even claimed two Oscars – one for her performance in “Howards End” and another for bringing Jane Austen’s novel “Sense & Sensibility” to the big screen.

If you’re not a big aficionado of this specific actress, you might have overlooked her significant role in the “Harry Potter” movie series that spanned from 2001 to 2011. To clarify, Thompson didn’t appear in every single film. She first appeared in the third film, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” which came out in 2004. Here, she joined her co-star from “Love Actually”, Alan Rickman, as a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (the late Alan Rickman played Severus Snape throughout the entire film series). Thompson then reappeared for the fifth movie, “Order of the Phoenix,” and the second half of the final film, “Deathly Hallows – Part II.” So, who does she portray in these films?

For those unfamiliar, Thompson portrays Professor Sybil Trelawney, who specializes in the questionable art of fortune-telling at Hogwarts. Due to our protagonists – Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) not taking her Divination class until their third year, she doesn’t make an appearance in the series until then. In essence, one might ask, what is Professor Trelawney all about?

Who is Sybil Trelawney within the world of Harry Potter?

In the debut of Professor Trelawney in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” it becomes evidently clear that she appears to be a blatant charlatan. Divination, her subject, is essentially the art of predicting the future, using tools such as tea leaves and crystal balls. From the onset, she makes several startling predictions, which raises eyebrows. After stating that books will not suffice in the study of Divination, she advises a student sitting beside the red-haired Ron Weasley to “be wary of a ginger man.” She further predicts that classes will be disrupted in February by a severe flu outbreak, she herself will lose her voice, and around Easter, one of us will part ways forever. This certainly gives off a foreboding vibe. (It’s worth noting that her final prediction doesn’t involve anyone dying; Hermione Granger merely quits Divination classes in anger, making it somewhat accurate.)

One of Professor Trelawney’s preferred pastimes, which might be debatable, often involves foretelling Harry’s doom in various manners. During their initial lesson, she alleges that she foresaw the Grim, a symbol of death, in his tea leaves. This kind of trick, similar to those performed at a parlor, seems to recur every time Harry has the misfortune of crossing her path. (Thompson skillfully portrays her, hidden behind an enormous wig embellished with hair accessories and the spectacles as described in the original stories.) As the series progresses, however, Professor Trelawney becomes a more pitiable character, particularly when the malevolent Ministry of Magic appoints Dolores Umbridge (portrayed by Imelda Staunton in the movies) in “Order of the Phoenix” to judge and intimidate the faculty.

In the books, compared to the movies, there is a more significant development surrounding Professor Trelawney’s struggles under Umbridge’s authority. After dismissing Albus Dumbledore (played by Michael Gambon), Umbridge seizes the role of Hogwarts Headmaster and targets Professor Trelawney for termination. Harry observes that Trelawney is often seen around the castle with empty wine bottles, giving rise to suspicions about her sobriety. Remarkably, Professor McGonagall, who usually disapproves of both Divination and Trelawney, steps up to defend her colleague, advocating for her right to reside within the castle. In “Deathly Hallows — Part 2,” we find that Professor Trelawney has become an active participant in the Battle of Hogwarts, hurling crystal balls against our enemies.

Some of Professor Trelawney’s big moments in Harry Potter were cut from the movies

As a diehard Harry Potter fan, I can’t help but notice that some of Professor Trelawney’s storylines have been trimmed down or entirely omitted from the movies. Given how many classroom scenes were dropped for screen time reasons, it’s understandable. However, in the books, we get to witness firsthand how Professor Trelawney frequently predicts Harry’s demise, which takes away some of the impact when she keeps making those ominous predictions.

Moreover, her alcohol consumption is much more noticeable in the novels. In “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” for instance, Harry regularly finds Professor Trelawney stashing empty bottles in the enigmatic Room of Requirement at Hogwarts.

A significant oversight in the movies is that they don’t clearly explain how Professor Trelawney’s prophecy significantly shapes Harry’s life. Dumbledore tells Harry that during an interview for her Divination position at Hogwarts, a much younger Trelawney unexpectedly fell into a trance and made this prediction:

This version attempts to maintain the original meaning while using simpler language and rephrasing the sentence structure slightly for clarity.

The one destined to overcome the Dark Ruler is near, born during the final days of the seventh month. This child will have been conceived by those who have defied him three times. The Dark Ruler will recognize this equal, but neither can coexist, for one must ultimately vanquish the other.

In essence, this passage discusses Harry Potter’s long-standing battle against the Dark Lord Voldemort (portrayed by Ralph Fiennes in the movies). During a secret meeting between Dumbledore and Trelawney, Snape, acting on Voldemort’s orders, listens in, but misses crucial information that ultimately leads to Voldemort’s demise.

Although the prophecy could have applied to Neville Longbottom, Harry’s fellow Gryffindor student (played by Matthew Lewis in the films), the plot overlooks this detail, as their birthdays and parentage suggest a connection to the Dark Lord. However, Voldemort selects Harry instead and brands him as an equal with the iconic scar on his forehead. The events that follow are well-known history, and it’s fascinating to ponder how Emma Thompson’s portrayal of Trelawney in this specific scene could have added depth to the “Harry Potter” films.

The “Harry Potter” movies are streaming on Peacock now.

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2025-07-13 17:30