Natalie Dormer may be better known for playing Margaery Tyrell in “Game of Thrones,” but now her voice can be heard in a different fantastical setting.
Dormer is providing the narration for “Harry Potter: A History of Magic,” now running at the New-York Historical Society through an Audible tour that guides you through the exhibition, which the actress says she “loved so much."
“I found the medieval German book that is thought to contain the first-ever illustration of witches fascinating,” she says. “That drawing could well have inspired Shakespeare’s three witches for ‘Macbeth’ . . . and begun the archetype depiction of them.”
She also sang the praises of snowy owl illustrations from Audubon’s “The Birds of America," as well as “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling’s personal sketches.
Dormer was drawn to the tales of the boy wizard thanks to the quality storytelling and Rowling’s “astonishing” imagination.
“As an actor I love the emotional truth she gives to her writing and sense of adventure,” Dormer says.
In terms of the craft of providing narration, the 36-year-old actress equated it more to reading someone a bedtime story.
“I learned so much, too, as I read, so it was a rewarding personal experience,” she says. “I love history, I love exhibitions, I love the world of ‘Harry Potter’ and its exceptional storytelling, so it really was just ‘Nat enjoying herself.’ ”
‘Harry Potter: A History of Magic’ runs through Jan. 27 at the New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W., harrypotter.nyhistory.org
