If you grew up clutching a copy of Jill Murphy’s books, you probably have a very specific Mildred Hubble in your head. Maybe she’s got the clumsy charm of the 90s, the gothic edge of the 80s, or the modern grit of the Netflix era. Honestly, the legacy of The Worst Witch actors is a bit of a chaotic mess of recasts, "witch-overs," and future superstars. It’s not just a kids' show. It’s a training ground.
Think about it. Where else do you find a cast that connects a 1980s cult icon like Tim Curry to a modern-day powerhouse like Bella Ramsey? It’s wild. Most people forget how many different faces have actually donned the charcoal-grey gymslip of Cackle’s Academy.
The Mildred Hubble Evolution
Mildred is the heart of the whole thing. She’s tall, her laces are always undone, and she’s basically a walking disaster. But the actors who played her couldn’t be more different.
Back in 1986, we had Fairuza Balk. If that name sounds familiar, it's because she went on to be the ultimate "bad girl" witch, Nancy Downs, in The Craft. Seeing her as the wide-eyed, innocent Mildred in the TV movie is a total trip. She was just twelve years old, singing songs about growing "stronger every day" alongside Charlotte Rae. It was peak 80s cheese, but Balk’s intensity was already there. She wasn't just a clumsy kid; she felt like she was genuinely trying to survive a school that hated her.
Then came the 1998 series. For a huge chunk of millennials, Georgina Sherrington is Mildred. She played the role for years, following the character from Cackle's all the way to university in the spin-off Weirdsister College. Sherrington had this specific, relatable "everygirl" quality. You really felt her frustration when her potions turned into green sludge. Fun fact: she actually won a Young Artist Award in Hollywood for the role, beating out a bunch of American child stars. She eventually stepped away from acting to study at Princeton, which is about as un-Mildred-like as you can get.
The Bella Ramsey Era and the "New" Face
Fast forward to 2017. The reboot landed on CBBC and Netflix, and it introduced the world to Bella Ramsey. Long before they were fighting clickers in The Last of Us or staring down giants in Game of Thrones, Ramsey was Mildred.
Ramsey brought a much more grounded, almost neurodivergent coding to the character. Their Mildred wasn't just "bad" at magic; she thought differently. But then, right before the fourth season, the news broke: Ramsey was leaving. It was a huge blow to fans. They later opened up about how the pressures of the role and mental health played a part in that decision.
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Enter Lydia Page. Replacing a lead actor in a beloved show is a nightmare. The writers handled it by having Mildred undergo a "magical accident" that physically changed her appearance. It’s a classic trope, honestly. While some fans struggled with the change, Page eventually won people over by leaning into a slightly more mature, resilient version of the character.
The Supporting Cast: Villains and Mentors
You can’t talk about The Worst Witch actors without mentioning the people who made Mildred’s life a living hell—or occasionally saved it.
The rivalry between Mildred and Ethel Hallow is legendary. In the 98 series, Felicity Jones played Ethel. Yes, that Felicity Jones. The Oscar-nominated star of The Theory of Everything and Rogue One started out as a snobby schoolgirl with a very tight ponytail. She only stayed for one season before being replaced by Katy Allen, which is a detail most casual fans totally miss.
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And then there are the teachers.
- Miss Hardbroom: Diana Rigg (the 86 movie) was terrifying. Kate Duchêne (the 98 series) was iconic. Raquel Cassidy (the 2017 series) brought a weirdly empathetic "tough love" vibe that worked surprisingly well.
- Miss Cackle: We've had Charlotte Rae, Clare Coulter, and Clare Higgins. Each one brought a different level of "kindly grandmother who might actually be a bit incompetent."
Why the Casting Still Matters
The reason this show stays relevant—and why people keep searching for these actors—is because the casting directors clearly had an eye for talent. They weren't just looking for "cute kids." They were looking for actors who could handle the physical comedy of a broomstick crash while also delivering the emotional weight of feeling like an outsider.
If you look at the trajectory of people like Bella Ramsey and Felicity Jones, it’s clear that Cackle’s Academy was a high-pressure environment that produced some of the best actors of their respective generations. It’s a bit ironic. The show is about the "worst" witch, but it’s consistently cast the best talent.
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What to Do With This Info
If you’re a fan or a budding collector of TV trivia, here are a few things you should actually check out to see these actors in a new light:
- Watch the 1986 Movie for the Tim Curry Cameo: He plays the Grand Wizard, and his musical number "Anything Can Happen on Halloween" is a fever dream of 80s special effects. It’s essential viewing.
- Compare the "Ethels": Watch Season 1 of the 1998 series versus Season 2. Seeing Felicity Jones's early work compared to the later iterations shows how the character of Ethel shifted from a simple bully to a more complex antagonist.
- The Weirdsister Pivot: If you only know the 2017 version, track down Weirdsister College. It’s a fascinating look at what happens when a "worst witch" grows up and heads to a magical university. It’s much more "proto-Harry Potter" than you’d expect.
The cast of The Worst Witch is a revolving door of talent that has shaped British (and American) television for decades. Whether you prefer the classic clumsy Mildred or the modern, gritty one, the actors have always been the magic that made the show fly.
Next Steps for Fans: Check out the early episodes of the 2017 reboot on Netflix to see Bella Ramsey's award-winning performance before they became a household name. If you're feeling nostalgic, the 1986 film is often found on niche streaming services or DVD—it's worth it just for the Fairuza Balk origin story.