Charli XCX may not be playing the White Witch in Greta Gerwig’s Narnia after all.
In March 2025, Deadline reported that popstar Charli XCX was being eyed to play the White Witch in the Narnia movie that Greta Gerwig is making for Netflix. Her casting was not officially confirmed, though Deadline reported she was “ among top choices” for the part.
According to Jeff Sneider’s The Insneider, Charli XCX “didn’t land the plum part after all,” and Gerwig is now looking for someone else to play the role.
Who is being eyed to play the White Witch in Greta Gerwig’s Narnia?
Sneider reports that Margaret Qualley and Emma Mackey will both be testing for the part. There’s also mention of a third actress who will be testing, though who that may be remains unclear at this time.
Qualley recently played Sue in Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, while she also starred in Ethan Coen’s Drive-Away Dolls and Yorgos Lanthimos’ Kinds of Kindness in 2024. Her filmography further includes 2016’s The Nice Guys, 2019’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, 2020’s My Salinger Year, 2022’s Sanctuary, 2023’s Poor Things, and more, while she’s starred in television shows such as The Leftovers, Fosse/Verdon, and Maid.
Mackey is best known for playing Maeve Wiley in Netflix’s Sex Education series. She notably had a role in Gerwig’s Barbie, while she also starred in Kenneth Branagh’s Death on the Nile.
Gerwig’s Narnia movie is believed to be an adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew and is intended to kick off a new franchise for Netflix. Daniel Craig and Meryl Streep are both being eyed for roles in the film, which is expected to begin filming this summer.
Gerwig’s Narnia will be released in IMAX over Thanksgiving in 2025 before then arriving to Netflix around Christmas.
