Charli XCX Reportedly in Talks for “Key Role” in Netflix’s Narnia
British pop star Charli XCX may be joining the world of Narnia. According to Deadline, the Grammy-nominated singer is “among top choices for a key role” in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Netflix adaptation.
While discussions have reportedly been ongoing for some time, no deal has been finalized. One possibility being floated is that Charli XCX could play Jadis, the White Witch. However, Deadline emphasizes that nothing is set in stone.
Though primarily known for her music, it was recently announced that she will produce and star in an A24 film The Moment —marking the first project under her newly launched production company, Studio365. She is also set to appear in several upcoming films, including Faces of Death, Sacrifice, 100 Nights of Hero, I Want Your Sex, and The Gallerist.
Charli said in a 2024 interview with Variety:
“Everything’s been relatively small, and I’m enjoying learning about being on a set and learning from great directors and actors. I hate it when musicians dive into a different field, head-first, without really researching or learning much of anything about it. So I did a lot of reading to educate myself over the past three or four years before I actually did anything.”
What are your immediate first impressions? Would you like to see Charli XCX as Jadis? Let us know in the comment section below and our Discussion Forums.
How can they go from Tilda Swinton to… this woman?
My first reaction was disbelief truthfully. I had to triple-check the source before even attempting to process this rumor…
This would certainly be a surprise if they end up making a deal!
Please noo! Put a serious and talented actress.
Come on, April Fools’ Day is three weeks from now!
I know that looks aren’t everything and they theoretically should cast actors, not popstars, but…this singer looks a lot more like how I imagine Jadis than Saoirse Ronan, Daisy Ridley or Mikey Madison. LOL. I’m kind of hoping she gets cast as the character instead of one of them.
Coincidentally listened to a podcast on ‘Eyeing’ but it was Park Chan Wook ,but I would take the article slightly seriously, but also not as gospel
I trust Greta Gerwig, but also at the same time this is something I’d be shocked by. Charli hasn’t had any films released, and she has a tour this summer (will she cancel it if she’s cast lol). On the bright side, maybe casting someone we haven’t seen in many films before could help to not associate her with other characters.
If this comes down to Gerwig casting people only because she’s friends with them, (which I don’t think is the main reason here), then I’d rather see Saoirse Ronan cast. Charli must be a really good talent if she does end up getting cast!
Well, she could be play Jadis. Her lyrics include a lot of Deplorable Words.
Well she looks like Jadis , Maybe this was what Amy Pascal meant by it’s all about rock and roll ?, This could be good or terrible choice. I don’t know about getting singers as actors. Her resume doesn’t sound like the most family friendly, but maybe greta knows what she’s doing with this. I still prefer Saosrie Ronan as Jadis.
An interesting choice no doubt. GG is clearly a fan of her music, and they seem to be reasonably well acquainted from what I’ve seen, but she is still far from the most obvious name that springs to mind for a story like Narnia.
She definitely though seems to fit the same role profile as Mikey Madison, and when factoring in the speculative requests from the likes of Daisy Ridley, it would probably lead me to the assumption that a younger Jadis role is being considered for someone.
@Noah Cosgrove, is Ronan’s resume particularly family friendly?
Good point
We are living in the craziest timeline imaginable LOL
Charlie has all these upcoming roles (so I’m assuming she’s talented enough) but I’m still a little uncomfortable with such a huge name being involved with this.
This feels like a PR stunt more than serious casting but I’ll wait until we get actual confirmation before freaking out.
Well let’s hope Greta knows what she’s doing, I’m looking forward more to the Aslan actor, I Hope it’s Timothy Dalton
If she were an actress, I could give a proper reaction. But the fact that she’s one of the latest super famous popstars and apparently chummy with Gerwig…this sounds so gimmicky and I can’t help but feel cynical. Out of all the hardworking, skilled professionals out there, and this is where we land? Baffling.
First John Lithgrow was announced as Dumbledore for The New Harry Potter Show, Now Charli XCX is in talks as The White Witch. Both Replacing Sir Michael Gambon and Times Swinton.
Also another sign it’s The Magican’s Nephew is this girl is not super white, if i remember correctly Jadis becomes white at the end of The Magican’s Nephew from eating the Apple.
If Saosrie Ronan is not cast as Jadis she can still play Queen helen, she looks like the pictures, I could see Saosrie Ronan and her husband Jack Lowdon as Frank the Cabdriver and his wife Helen , who later become The King and Queen of Narnia.
@NoahCosgrove – putting two time Academy Award nominee John Lithgow in the same category as young up-and-coming popstar Charli XCX feels like a weird diss on Lithgow – the guy is an absolute legend of the acting world. More than good enough for a role like Dumbledore.
he’s from Third rock from the sun show, while the original Dumbledore actors such as Richard Harris and Sir Michael Gambon were on very big time dramas and were very Dramatic actors and Lithgrow is not English like Dumbledore is supposed to be. I find English Actors way more Talented then Americans, I Recently saw the Oscars and the only actor I was excited about seeing was Ralph Fiennes. Meaning No Disrespect
Honestly, I can see it. She has the presence and the confidence to pull it off. Plus, she’s got black hair like the books!
Que desastre…
Lithgow had lots of range. Trying to downplay him as not “serious” enough because he starred in a comedic sitcom is very close minded. He’s done tons of work both drama and comedy.
Did you even know that Michael Gambon was on a comedic sitcom as well called The Other One?
The more you know.
Oh, well I guess so, but Still he’s American and Dumbledore is not
That’s the power of acting.
Gambon and Harris played their share of Americans.
Again Meaning No Disrespect or Offense in any way.
Agree to Disagree
She could be in talks for the role of Jadis’ sister – if that character appears in the film. She most likely would be onscreen for only 30 seconds, with one line of dialogue – if the movie is following the book (and not adding new scenes, etc.).
Interesting breakdown of this from Grace Randolph on Youtube. She makes the case that this casting decision might have something to do with the “Ariana Grande effect”—the success of casting Grande in Wicked. She also points out that, unlike the Tilda Swinton character design, Jadis has black hair in the original illustrations and the BBC version. Could be a good way for Gerwig to differentiate herself from the iconic Swinton version of the character
I kind of imagine Daisy Ridley right now, enlisting the services of a real witch to put curses on Charli, Mikey, Saoirse, Florence … and Margot too, just in case. ;))))
Maybe Jadis’ sister?
So I checked so Netflix has the event called “Tudum” (https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/tudum-2025-live-on-netflix), which is basically their version of comic con where I assume they announce their projects will be held like May 31, 2025. The reason why I think it is significant if you draw the timeline is the shooting supposed to be around July and it will end in Christmas right, so what if the reason why there possibly holding back a lot of information because they might reveal it on the Tudum event like some big Avenger movie reveal.
I also the reason why people are getting these “what-if” casting like say with Charle xcx or Mikey is because I guess most negative show came around when Amy Pascal mentioned where it sound that the audience who vocalized the negatives regarding how it will be portrayed start to pick up more of like the attentions for Narnia cause let be real it been decades since any Narnia films so it like a faded memory to most people so like any news that come out prior to what Pascal said last time (the rock and roll) would like an “okay whatever” type of response , but like with Amy’s comment and with these random moments from possible casting like say with Charlie xcx that causes questions like “wtf why them for that possible role” is to get more press on it. Like example when there were random rumors of some casting , Netflix, did not correct anything to the newspaper company whether the rumor are true or false cause to them “there is no such thing as bad publicity” if you are able to catch people interest for a franchise that basically not a lot of hype has been put into it. I think in the Tudum event or anything close to that date the actually casting/ crew would be revealed.
I have this feeling with the Barbie movie cause there was some prior I guess arguments regarding what that movie likely covered based on certain topics, and after its release although those topics get brought up it create a lot of debates regarding humanity. I seen a video that Greta Gerwig said she try do most of her filming in doors before going to like areas of filming outside ( where reporters are ) and I saw somewhere when she write a script she draw a lot of prior references whether through books, movies and so forth to answer why or how a movie is structured and why it becomes what it is.
My guess is all these news are just redhearings to get people to talk about Narnia, but mislead them like the actual goal regarding cast, crew, and so forth. I feel prior to all cast related news the past 7 months people have a weird nostalgic high expectations for Narnia but like I guess PR wanting to stir the but send all these redhearings as a way to convert that energy of hate-baiting it so prior to release people be bias and say like what it will be like but then when they come out it 180 degree flip. I don’t know how the pr for this give the vibe of let stir the pot up.
Let be hypothetical:
Like in Barbie, Gerwig put like cameo celebrities you see in other shows or movies as either Kens, Barbies, or Mattel Workers. So where will the cameos positioned be for Narnia?
For like cameos and background, that it the talking animals, the kings and queens lining up at Churn where they were sitting with Jadis if they are going the Maghican Nephew.
Secondary characters like Helen or Fledge, and Primary Character like Digory, Polly, Uncle Andrew, Jadis, and Aslan does will be picked more carefully so that why barely to no actors/actresses are referenced, but just rumored what if potential people just to get buzz on Narnia.
Also, the key role possibly mean differently to different people I assume for Gerwig it like the talking animals, but just based on interpretation of what is meant. The reason why I assume this cause Gerwig like scene where it basically a big picture representation of what the movie is like in Barbie where Barbie meet an old lady at the bus station and basically had a humanity check about reality, I feel there something like that along the line maybe with the talking animals or I just guessing.
Maybe it will be a musical!
@ProfessorDigory, I highly doubt Greta Gerwig is going to cast her Narnia movies the way she did Barbie. That was like a parody. I see no reason yet to believe her Narnia films are going to be like that.
@ColKlink, that most likely what you mentioned be a case but I getting this vibe that even if the biggest role to smallest ones, it like they are trying to have as much people be in the circle but like for the bigger roles I think they either have to audition for it or unless Gerwig had a vision of what each character might be a good match that she offers the role (like with Ryan and Margot), it feels that everyone and their mothers want a piece whether big or small. It just depends who fits the best that are selected and those who want to be in it even though they don’t get like the “main” roles might be willing to do cameos for certain scenes just for the vibe. I mean we have to wait around late- May to early to mid June or July to really get a big picture cause what I am seeing is not really clear to what is expected yet. I mean curiosity kills the cat.
“She was a dem fine woman, sir, a dem fine woman.”
I’ll bet you anything that she is cast to play Aslan.
Greta come on….
Wild if true but in Greta we trust.
lost hope in this industry. its all a cash grab now. hoping indie films bring back the art to filmmaking, and not just cockhopping on the next big IP or brand to make the dough. what a sad state.
Didn’t know who this person was. So I googled her name. Looked at some images of her & read some articles about her, tryin’ to get an idea as to her character… And I regret doing so, for several reasons. But right now, all I can say about her is…
GET OUT OF MY HOUSE THIS MOMENT, YOU SHAMELESS HUSSY, OR I’LL SEND FOR THE POLICE
Haha! Of course I’m jesting, somewhat. But Aunt Letty was the real Queen, and she didn’t know how prophetic those words would one day be.
As a marketer, I would say it’s a good choice. Charlie has a huge fan base and is extremely popular among teens and young adults. I see this as a smart move. As mentioned earlier, Daniel Craig could also be in the movie, so it seems the casting team wants to bring in idols from different age groups to make the promotion more successful across various audiences.
Of course, it’s important to cast people who can act, but let’s not forget: a movie isn’t theater. Scenes can be short, and even without highly professional acting skills, a performer can still make an impact. Charlie has a unique look, and I think her character would be a good fit for the role of Jadis.
I agree this is great marketing. People are already talking. While she wasn’t my first choice (Rebecca Ferguson) she’s kind of growing on me. I’ve been watching SNL clips of her and music videos. She’s definitely got the look. As far as acting I think she might surprise us. She has the drive and she can most definitely be herself and in the moment. I noticed in an SNL skit she had this laugh that seemed like a good witch laugh. Caught me off guard. She’s got lots of range in her voice for sure. This might turn out to be a good move.
Apparently, IMDB has taken the next step to include Charli as a (the only) cast member, but has provided the caveat of (rumored) when you drill down.