After playing dress up in Barbie‘s closet with Margot Robbie, Greta Gerwig stepped into a very different kind of wardrobe to explore a world of fantasy and magic. The acclaimed director is currently filming her version of Narnia for Netflix, adapting C.S. Lewis’ beloved 1955 novel The Magician’s Nephew. Set photos have offered a glimpse of the opening film in the forthcoming saga, which will include at least two Gerwig-helmed features boasting star-studded casts. The latest addition to the ensemble is a fan-favorite Star Wars: Andor actor, who is making the jump (at hyperspace speed) from the galaxy far, far away to the whimsical realm of Narnia.
Denise Gough, who played the steely Imperial officer Dedra Meero in Andor, recently appeared as a guest on Mehdi Hasan’s We’re Not Kidding podcast, where she talked about her breakout role on the Disney+ Star Wars series and what lies ahead for her as an actress (among an array of other topics). In a rather informal announcement, Gough revealed that she had joined the cast of Gerwig’s Narnia reboot. She didn’t confirm which character she would be playing, but she did let slip that it would be one with a “mean” demeanor – which is quite fitting given her previous role as the ruthlessly ambitious Andor antagonist. She asserted:
“I’m doing a film with Greta Gerwig called Narnia… I’m playing someone mean in that, but it’s fine, it’s to children, it’s okay.”
Gough joins a growing ensemble that is all but confirmed to include Emma Mackey as Jadis, the infamous White Witch, as well as David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell, who have been cast in the lead roles of Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer, respectively, who are the two central characters in Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. Previous reports indicate that Carey Mulligan will portray Digory’s mother, Mabel Kirke, while Daniel Craig tackles the role of the mischievous Uncle Andrew. Additionally, Meryl Streep may be lending her voice to the majestic lion Aslan in Gerwig’s new take of the literary classic, delving into the origins of Narnia.
Who Could Denise Gough Be Playing in Netflix’s ‘Narnia’?
The moment that word got out that Gough had signed on for Narnia, fans immediately started speculating about which character she might be playing in the Netflix film. The majority of people agreed that she would be an ideal fit for the White Witch, but presuming that role is taken by Mackey, another popular suggestion was Aunt Letty, the no-nonsense, skeptical sister of Uncle Andrew and the aunt to Digory Kirke. One person on Reddit also proposed that she could star as “the witch’s sister in a flashback scene,” while another concluded that Gough was “an absolute standout in Andor” so “she’ll be great in whatever she is cast as.”
The Magician’s Nephew is the sixth book in The Chronicles of Narnia series but the first chronologically, introducing key characters and exploring backstories. Gerwig’s version of the Narnia tale is set to debut in theaters on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26) in 2026, before releasing on Netflix during the Christmas period – which could become a regular occurrence, as there are plans for a larger franchise to include adaptations of all seven books across eight films, so it is critical that the potential series starts off strong. Gough’s involvement is a promising sign, as she quickly emerged as a fan-favorite in Andor and might have the power to do the same, or, at the very least, pique audiences curiosity enough to add Narnia to the watchlist.
