The White Witch has her new face—Sex Education star Emma Mackey will play the legendary villain in Netflix’s Narnia, helmed by Barbie director Greta Gerwig.
Gerwig, who’s both writing and directing, is adapting The Magician’s Nephew, the sixth book in C.S. Lewis’ fantasy saga. The project reunites her with Mackey, who appeared in Gerwig’s billion-dollar hit Barbie.
Casting buzz has been swirling for months, with names like Charli XCX in the mix. Ultimately, the final choice came down to Mackey and The Substance star Margaret Qualley, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Netflix is keeping quiet—no official comment on the casting.
Jadis, better known as the White Witch, is Narnia’s most infamous foe. She’s the sorceress who cursed Narnia with a never-ending winter—one so bleak it never even reaches Christmas—and freezes her foes into stone. She plays a key role not just in The Magician’s Nephew, but also in the franchise’s flagship title, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
The film is still early in casting, but Mackey may be sharing the screen—or at least the soundscape—with Meryl Streep, who’s in talks to voice Aslan. Aslan is the talking lion who, in the books, is the King of Kings.
In a bold move, Netflix is giving Narnia a two-week theatrical IMAX run in late 2026—something Gerwig fought to secure.
Mackey’s star continues to rise. After her breakout in Sex Education, she’s racked up major credits like Death on the Nile, Emily (which earned her two British Independent Film Award noms), and of course, Barbie.
She’s currently filming an untitled J.J. Abrams movie with Glen Powell and Jenna Ortega, and she’ll hit the Cannes red carpet for Alpha, the latest film from Titane director Julia Ducournau. She also leads James L. Brooks’ ensemble comedy Ella McCay, landing in theaters December 12.
Mackey is repped by CAA, Johnson Shapiro, and Ziffren Brittenham.
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