Before Bill Nighy confirmed he was going to be joining the cast of “Harry Potter,” he wasn’t being facetious when he complained that he was the last big British actor to not be involved in the series. With heavy hitters like the late Richard Harris, Kenneth Branagh and Ralph Fiennes weaving in and out of the series, who can blame him for feeling left out?

The professors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in particular possess acting talent which comes from the upper echelons of British celeb royalty. Young Americans might not recognize all of their faces outside of "Potter," especially those who are masked behind beards and more extensive makeup. So we've decided to profile the top Hogwarts talents for you here; not their fictional professorships, but rather the reasons you should look for them in roles outside the "Harry Potter" universe. Read more...