200: Young Podcaster of the Year treads the boards: Jason Isaacs and Nathan Trochet
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Jason Isaacs, best known for his iconic role as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, reveals how he almost turned down the part due to his desire to avoid playing 'another bad guy'—especially after being cast as Captain Hook in Peter Pan. His transformation into Malfoy wasn't just about the script; it was a full creative collaboration with costume, makeup, and props teams, where he famously wrapped a curtain around himself and demanded a cane that could conceal a wand. He describes the magic of the Harry Potter sets—Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic—as real, immersive worlds that made him feel like he’d stepped into a living story. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Sarah Amsalem, the winner of the Northwest London Jewish Day School Podcaster of the Year award, shares her journey from a childhood performance in Robin Hood to her dream of becoming a film actor. She offers raw, heartfelt advice: 'Never, ever give up'—a mantra forged through forgetting lines, facing rejection, and enduring the '100,000 no’s' that precede one 'yes'. The episode becomes a powerful meditation on identity, legacy, and the quiet dignity of craft—where Jason reflects that 'prizes for art are silly,' and Sarah reminds us that the real reward is showing up, again and again, even when no one’s watching.
Jason Isaacs turned down Lucius Malfoy initially, fearing he’d play 'another bad guy'—but his creative input on costume, cane, and voice made the role iconic.
The Harry Potter sets were fully built, not just camera-ready—Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic were real, immersive worlds that felt alive to actors.
Isaacs created Lucius Malfoy’s voice to be 'fingernails on a blackboard'—a deliberately irritating, arrogant tone designed to contrast Alan Rickman’s sinister elegance.
Sarah Amsalem’s proudest moment as an actor was receiving a call from her agent—'I'll call you in five minutes'—a tiny moment that felt like entry into the industry.
Forgetting lines is more traumatic than tripping on stage, but tripping can be turned into a performance if you stay in character and improvise.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Podcaster of the Year Award Intro
Jonny Gould introduces the fourth annual Podcaster of the Year award, sponsored by Dango Education, highlighting its mission to inspire youth in journalism and storytelling.
Jason Isaacs on Rejecting Lucius Malfoy
“I didn't want to do it. I was about to go off to Australia to make Peter Pan to play Captain Hook. And I thought, well, that's one bad guy in a children's film is enough. You don't do two.”
The Birth of Lucius Malfoy’s Look
“I grabbed this white, almost tinfoil thing and I stuck it on my head... I wrapped it around me and I went down to the set and the director was actually shooting the pixie scene with Gilderoy Lockhart.”
The Magic of the Sets
“I remember being so impressed by it on my first day was Dumbledore's office that I said, I say to the props guy, my god, I've never seen anything like this.”
Sarah Amsalem’s Journey to Acting
The 16-year-old Podcaster of the Year winner shares her origin story—falling in love with acting at age 9 in a school production of Robin Hood.
“about to go. I knew that very soon I was going off to Australia to make Peter Pan to play Captain Hook. And I thought, well, that's one bad guy in a children's film is enough. You don't do two.”
“I think prizes are weird and silly. Prizes for art are silly. Prizes for racers, I get it. Usain Bolt is faster than other people. I'm not in a competition.”
“I remember being so impressed by it on my first day was Dumbledore's office that I said, I say to the props guy, my god, I've never seen anything like this.”
Host
Guests
Harry Potter
other
Lucius Malfoy
other
Jason Isaacs
person
Nathan Trochet
person
Sarah Amsalem
person
The Last of Us
media
Dango Education
organization
Globe Theatre
other
Hunger Games
other
UK Teremet
organization
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