Latest news with #SiriusBlack
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
London street looks 'normal' until you spot tiny detail with unexpected twist
There's a litany of charming and characterful streets across the country but one street in London comes with two houses that offer an unexpected twist that, once you spot it, can't be missed A street in London looks like any other typical, quintessentially British street made up of rows of characterful Victorian terraces but there's an unexpected surprise waiting behind two of the properties. Leinster Gardens, in the Bayswater area of Westminster, appears to be a regular, run-of-the-mill residential neighbourhood but two houses on the street are false facades. Numbers 23 and 24 look as though they have standard sash windows but in fact, they don't - they're blocked up. The pretty frontages were built to tie in with the rest of the houses while concealing a ventilation shaft for the London Underground. The faux houses were built in the 1860s while the Underground was being constructed, in a bid to address concerns regarding ventilation. They were designed with meticulous attention to detail, allowing them to seamlessly blend in with the neighbouring properties. It's only when heading around the back of the houses that the full scale of the facades becomes apparent. Maskells Estate Agents explains: 'The houses at 23 and 24 Leinster Gardens were demolished to build a tunnel connecting Paddington station with Bayswater. The Underground uses this open-topped portion of the line to ventilate a large section of the surrounding Tube system, but the sacrificed homes were never reconstructed. 'This left a rather unsightly hole in an otherwise very sightly block of Empire 5-Story houses. And so, a false façade was constructed to conceal the wound. It matches its neighbours in every important detail, except that the windows are painted on, rather than being made of glass." Recently, a detailed video showing both the beautiful frontage of the fake homes' five-feet thick walls and what they look like from the back was shared on Facebook. In the caption, the creator penned: 'There is something not quite right about this West London street... '23-24 Leinster Gardens have [no] letterboxes and the windows are all blocked up. To find out why you have to go around the back onto Porchester Terrace. 'You will see that they are, in fact, just facades and hiding a section of underground railway!' In the comments section, people were keen to share their thoughts. One person made a nod to Harry Potter character Sirius Black's London home, which is famously concealed from humans - known in the magical world as 'muggles'. They said: 'Silly muggles, it's Grimmauld Place." Someone else said: 'Interesting to know... then best to avoid buying #22 & #25, for you'd be literally living besides the train tracks, and train noise.' A third person said: 'First learned about these house facades in Sherlock. V interesting.' Another person said: 'So interesting I would never [have] guessed. I thought Sirius Black lived there." Someone else asked: 'Am I the only one who thought this was going to be something about Sirius Black's house?' While another person shared: 'I went there once, to look for the place. It took me a while to realise I had already walked past it! I think it's a great idea to hide the ugly scenery.' And another quipped: 'Imagine the surprise a burglar would get."
Time Out
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Hear the magic: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in concert
There's something unreasonably moving about hearing the opening notes of 'Hedwig's Theme' played by a full orchestra. The air changes. It's not just nostalgia – though there's plenty of that – but a kind of communal spell. On November 8 and 9 at Prince Mahidol Hall, the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra will conjure that very magic with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert, the third instalment of the live film concert series that pairs Hollywood fantasy with old-school musical precision. This is not the first time Alcopop and Five Four Live have dabbled in sorcery. Their past ventures into the wizarding world saw robes, round glasses and the occasional stuffed owl sprinkled across concert halls. But Azkaban feels different. Tonally darker, more mature, less fixated on chocolate frogs. Sirius Black escapes. Dementors float ominously over the Hogwarts Express. A time-turner whirls. It's the moment the Potterverse grows up. Conductor Timothy Henty returns to lead the orchestra through John Williams' shape-shifting score – arguably one of the franchise's most playful and eerie. Expect fluttering woodwinds during Buckbeak's flight and those jagged, breathless strings that accompany Harry's late-night wanderings through the castle. All of it unfolds beneath a towering 40-foot screen, where Alfonso Cuarón's fog-drenched cinematography plays out in high definition. But what makes these events special – over the sheer technical coordination required to sync bow to broomstick – is the audience itself. People dress up. They mouth the lines. Some bring children; others bring their inner child. There's a collective hush when the choir hums that ghostly 'Double Trouble'. So yes, you've seen the film. Probably more than once. But you haven't 'felt' it like this. Not with a hundred musicians casting the spell live, not in a space where the magic isn't just on screen – it's in the air. Here's the seating plan
Express Tribune
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Ben Barnes responds to Harry Potter reboot casting speculation with subtle hint at Sirius Black role
Actor Ben Barnes, known for his roles in Westworld and Shadow and Bone, has once again addressed fan speculation about his potential casting in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter reboot. While he's frequently been fan-cast as Sirius Black—and even posted several 'thirsty' TikToks fueling the speculation—Barnes avoided giving a direct answer when asked if he would take on the iconic role. In a recent interview, around the 5:15 mark, Barnes expressed admiration for the Harry Potter franchise and said he would 'never say never.' Still, he made it clear that nothing official has been discussed. While acknowledging fans' enthusiasm, he emphasized that he's not currently attached to the project but remains open to the possibility. Barnes noted that fan-casting for him as Sirius Black began years ago, with many mistaking him for a Harry Potter alum. On Reddit and TikTok, fans continue to rally behind him, with one user noting: 'Ben Barnes LOVES being fancast as Sirius Black as much as the Marauders fandom does.' At 43, Barnes is now around the same age Gary Oldman was when he first portrayed Sirius Black in the films, making the fan theory all the more believable. Although no casting announcements have been made, Barnes's coy response has only amplified the hope among Potterheads. As HBO's 2026 Harry Potter adaptation gains momentum, fans continue to keep an eye on Barnes—hoping that their fancast might soon become a magical reality.
Geek Tyrant
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Daniel Radcliffe Says He'd Play Sirius Black in HBO's HARRY POTTER Reboot; But It Won't Happen — GeekTyrant
With HBO's Harry Potter reboot series deep in development and the search for a new cast underway, many fans have wondered if any of the original film actors would pop back in, even for a cameo. Now, Daniel Radcliffe himself has shared which character he'd be most excited to play. In a recent interview with The Movie Dweeb, Radcliffe admitted that while he's definitely not returning for the reboot, there is one role that sparks his interest… Sirius Black. He said: 'A moving portrait? I am trying to think what is like a fun role that is not too many days. I always thought one of the other great characters in the series is Sirius Black. [He] is obviously super cool.' It's a fun bit of casting to imagine, Radcliffe as Harry's mysterious and rebellious godfather, a character once played by Gary Oldman in the original films. But before anyone gets too excited, Radcliffe was quick to shut the idea down. 'But I can tell you, there is no world in which I will actually be playing that character. But I will give you the headline of 'Dan Radcliffe says Sirius Black would be fun to play, but he won't actually be doing it.'' Oldman, who played Sirius in Prisoner of Azkaban , Order of the Phoenix , and Deathly Hallows: Part 2 , also joked in a past interview that the new series will likely cast an entirely fresh ensemble. He said: 'I would bet my money that they will get a whole new cast of people. Maybe in a few years, I could do Dumbledore.' So while the idea of Radcliffe returning to Hogwarts, even in a different role, sounds cool and interesting, it's pretty clear he's happy to pass the wand. Still, it's hard not to imagine how poetic it would be to see the Boy Who Lived come back as the very man who helped guide him through his darkest hours.
