What makes a movie star? Talent is a must, but it takes more than that. Movie stars need to possess an authentic charisma that makes it impossible for the audience to take their eyes off them. They must be open and vulnerable, yet remain a mystery you’re desperate to solve.
Of the carousel of recent Hollywood “It girls”, nobody has embodied that movie star presence quite like Blake Lively. Although she has portrayed many characters who are noted for their beauty, Lively never settled into the niche of “hot blonde” roles. Even on the inside, her characters couldn’t be more different. She’s been a tragic bad girl, a sweetheart socialite, even a cunning murderess. Still don’t believe the woman has serious range? How about we let Harry Potter’s Sorting Hat prove you wrong. Here are Blake Lively characters sorted into their Hogwarts houses.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Bridget Vreeland: Gryffindor
An athlete with a penchant for recklessness? That’s the Gryffindor prototype. As the daredevil in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Bridget never met a challenge she didn’t turn down. While spending her summer at soccer camp, Bridget quickly becomes enamored with one of her coaches, Eric. It becomes Bridget’s sole mission to snag him. She gets her wish and the two share a night of intimacy that leaves Bridget feeling numb afterward.
Gryffindors live with wild abandon because it’s a seductive alternative to delving deep into their problems. Bridget is deeply impacted by her mother’s suicide, and Eric is an irresistible escape, albeit a fleeting one. Fortunately, Gryffindors often have a close-knit circle of friends, and Bridget’s besties are there for her when she needs them most.
Accepted - Monica Moreland: Hufflepuff
Lively plays a much more demure character in Accepted, a college comedy, but she still manages to steal every scene. Monica has it all: beauty, popularity, and a hot fraternity boyfriend. Others in her position would be vapid and nasty, but Monica, Hufflepuff that she is, always has a smile and a kind word for everyone she meets.
Sometimes Monica’s a little too trusting, as Hufflepuffs are wont to be. Her boyfriend cheats on her and she discovers that her good friend Bartleby is running a fake college. But ever the loyal Hufflepuff, Monica still goes to Bartleby’s educational hearing and gives him a second chance. Don’t get us wrong; the South Harmon Institute of Technology sounds like a blast, but given our choice of fictional schools, we’d pick Hogwarts any day.
Gossip Girl - Serena van der Woodsen: Gryffindor
Gossip Girl’s Serena van der Woodsen may have a blue-blooded, Slytherin pedigree but she sure doesn’t put on airs. Like most Gryffindors, Serena has an effortless charm that attracts gaggles of friends and suitors alike. Gryffindor Serena likes to let the good times role and this has a tendency to backfire, like when it led to her arrest.
However, time in the clink is like a blissful yoga retreat when compared to being in the doghouse with Blair Waldorf. Serena makes the supreme mistake of sleeping with her frenemy’s boyfriend. Try as society might, Serena is one Gryffindor lion who just can’t be tamed.
The Town - Krista Coughlin: Slytherin
Some of us are born Slytherins; others become Slytherins as means of survival. The Town’s Krista Coughlin belongs in the latter camp. Growing up poor, with limited opportunities, Krista developed the Slytherin mentality of doing whatever she has to in order to achieve her means.
Regardless of Hogwarts house, it always stings when the one you love betrays you. Some houses may forgive and forget, but never Slytherin. To them, any action against them is one that needs to be punished. When she discovers her bank robbing, on-again-off-again lover Doug is planning on leaving town without her, Krista gets her revenge by ratting him out to the FBI. Dougie should have known; there is no greater danger than a desperate Slytherin.
Green Lantern - Carol Ferris: Ravenclaw
Chaos and spontaneity are two of Ravenclaw’s worst enemies. In Green Lantern, Carol Ferris is a by-the-book CEO for her family’s company, Ferris Aircraft. She’s also a highly skilled pilot herself and has no time for the shenanigans of nonconformist Hal Jordan, aka Green Lantern.
Many Ravenclaws have a tendency to resist romance, but Carol finds herself falling for Hal’s charm. It’s not just anyone who can get a Ravenclaw to put down their book and open up, so it’s a real indication that these two are right for each other. Ravenclaws provide a grounding presence for their partners, which is apropos, considering Carol’s boyfriend is a superhero who can fly.
Savages - Ophelia “O” Sage: Gryffindor
Swap Manhattan for SoCal and amp up Serena van der Woodsen’s bad girl antics; that’s O. In Savages, O is a fun-loving young woman who comes from privilege. But rather than sip mimosas with the elite, O prefers a polyamorous relationship with her childhood besties Chon and Ben. The path less traveled is always appealing to a Gryffindor.
O winds up kidnapped and held for ransom by Elena, head of a powerful drug cartel. Elena wants in on Chon and Ben’s lucrative marijuana business, and O’s life is in the balance. Though O is a stakes character without much agency, she proves her Gryffindor daring time and again. Most people, when kidnapped, wordlessly comply with their captors. Not O. Like a true Gryffindor, she does nothing quietly.
The Age of Adaline - Adaline Bowman: Ravenclaw
If ever there was a sort of person who perpetually closed themselves off from others, it’s a Ravenclaw. In The Age of Adaline, Adaline Bowman has a unique situation. A bizarre accident has prevented her ability to age. Though she should be over one hundred years old, Adaline appears to be in her late twenties. This presents a slew of complications, including run-ins with the FBI. As a result, Adaline develops a stern set of Ravenclaw rules for herself: she must relocate every ten years and she never gets romantically involved with anyone.
This works for Adaline. She enjoys few friendships, preferring her solitary work as an archivist. Such a Ravenclaw. But when she meets the dashing Ellis, Adaline realizes that sometimes there are people worth breaking your rules for. For Ravenclaws, one of their greatest fears is falling in love.
Café Society - Veronica Hayes: Hufflepuff
Hufflepuffs are always game to go along for the ride. In Café Society, Bobby Dorfman is a nightclub manager suffering from a broken heart. Upon meeting the vivacious Veronica Hayes, Bobby finds himself drawn to her bubbly spirit. He sweeps her off her feet for a night of jazz and scotch. Hufflepuffs are blissfully uncomplicated people, as Veronica proves to Bobby. She has pain in her past, but all she wants is a man who loves and respects her. Upon getting married and having children, Veronica prefers a simple, quiet life to her old café society days.
Despite being a virtually perfect human being, Veronica still doesn’t fill the void left by Bobby’s ex-girlfriend, Vonnie. Some people just prefer misery and drama as opposed to Hufflepuff levity.
The Shallows - Nancy Adams: Gryffindor
Note to all Gryffindors: no matter how tempting, never go surfing by yourself on an isolated beach. Case in point? Shark. In The Shallows, Nancy Adams is determined to follow in her now-deceased mother’s footsteps and visit a secret beach for a day of surfing. To be fair, Nancy was supposed to go with a friend who bailed on her. Anyone but a Gryffindor would have taken safety into account and just spent the day as a beach bum. Not Nancy.
She pays for it dearly, as she finds herself trapped in the ocean, held hostage by a shark. Nancy’s Gryffindor spirit may have gotten her into this mess, but it’s also the key to getting her out. Despite her harrowing situation, Nancy is able to persevere with raw bravery. She’s able to win her battle against the shark and if that’s not cool enough, Nancy also has a badass scar to prove her mettle as a Gryffindor.
A Simple Favor - Emily Nelson: Slytherin
For A Simple Favor’s Emily Nelson, life is a chess game best played whilst sipping a martini. Emily is a glamorous PR mogul who loves her gin and loathes having her picture taken. As her new friend, the nebbish Stephanie observes that Emily’s personality can turn on a dime. One moment she’s the most charming person in the room and the next she’s ready to rip your throat out. Those are a Slytherin’s two go-to speeds.
Emily has a less than savory past and when it catches up with her, she does what any good Slytherin would—devises an elaborate scheme. In this case, it’s faking her own death. But she underestimates Stephanie’s sleuthing skills, and Emily is soon caught for her crimes that include, unsurprisingly, murder. Maybe she’s not totally unstoppable, but Slytherin Emily doesn’t give up without a fight—even after being hit by a car.
