Not really familiar with Katie McGrath's acting, actually, but I think that if she can truly bring complexity to the character, she's worth trying out.
I think Jadis is slightly more deep than the standard wicked witch in children's stories, given her background. One has to question if she started out entirely evil, considering that (at least according to her) her sister's violation of their wartime agreements drove her to mass murder. (Then again, I suppose you could argue she held back only because she still wanted the people around as slave material. But even so, it looks like she had some kind of conflicting motives going on.)
Also, her near-embarrassment at the mocking obeisance given to her by the crowds in London shows us a glimpse of an almost human side in her. To me that was a moment that I never would have seen coming.

Also, her near-embarrassment at the mocking obeisance given to her by the crowds in London shows us a glimpse of an almost human side in her. To me that was a moment that I never would have seen coming.

I agree. If Netflix adapts MN before LWW, I think it would be very powerful storytelling to go in a more obvious, humanly-evil direction with the witch, to an extent Lewis does in the book.

Jadis is more human and vulnerable in MN than in LWW, but that’s before she eats the apple. After that, she goes the way of Palpatine & Voldemort: from human-looking to all snow-white & scary-looking.

(Hopefully Netflix doesn’t resurrect Jadis in the finale like Palpatine. My Old Man’s not convinced that Voldemort is dead either.)

Hmmm, I think a lot of these people mentioned would be great for the role, but I have put a list together for the sake of it.

 - Charlize Theron- tall, can hold a lot of power, imagine her as Jadis easily.

- Anya Taylor Joy, not as tall, but can certainly hold a lot of power plus cgi could make her taller pretty easily, she has really beautiful strong features also that are very unique so that would work with the part that Jadis is not really human.... She is probably my favorite option 😀

-Maybe Tilda Swinton? - she was in the original so it would make me happy that there keeping a little bit from the movie but make it different showing that the tv version is its own. I do hope if that happened they would make her more like she was in the books. 🙂

- lastly, maybe Michelle Pfeiffer? -she is not as tall but has unique strong features like Anya. I believe she played Cat Women? So she does have a screen presence. I will say I am not a huge fan of this idea (even though its mine) because I had a bad teacher that looked exactly like Michelle Pfeiffer. 

Anyway, I hope that Netflix makes a good decision!

@LostinEarth, it's funny you should mention Anya Taylor-Joy — I'm a news poster for NW and I routinely run Google searches looking for anything Narnia news related, and I've been seeing her name pop up in searches all the time the past couple of weeks. Not because there are any actual rumors connecting her to Narnia, but because she mentioned Narnia in an interview with AP, saying she fantasized about going to Narnia when she was a child. So I've found myself wondering about her taking on a role in Narnia, since she seems to like the stories and she's a rising star. I was thinking perhaps the Lady of the Green Kirtle because she has more of a delicate, elfin look, but her striking, intense features would also be an interesting fit for Jadis, too.

I also find myself thinking about Daisy Ridley for Jadis... I think @Monty-Jose suggested her a while back and over time I've warmed to the idea. She also looks a bit "delicate" for towering Jadis, but the fierceness she brought to Rey at moments in in Star Wars makes me think she could bring a lot of intensity to Jadis, too.

Yeah, I think Elizabeth Debicki would be the best choice and would be brilliant in the role. She might be too similar to Tilda Swinton as face value but if they can do enough to separate her lookswise from what they achieved with the Walden/Disney version, then they can pull it off because she would be amazing.

I'd say Debi Mazar. When she played Regina in Beethoven's 2nd I couldn't help thinking to myself " She'd be a good Jadis".

@RillianIX, Elizabeth Debicki would be interesting especially on account of her height, but she's so slender, it's easier for me to picture her as the Lady of the Green Kirtle or a dryad or even a centaur. At least, she doesn't have that look of physical power that comes to my mind when I think of Jadis ripping off the arm of the lamp-post in London!

Oh wow, @jadis-queen-of-narnia, Debi Mazar has such a distinctive face — she's a little old for the role now at 56, but I can definitely picture her as Jadis. (Welcome to the forum, btw!)

@rose In a way that could even add to her being as threatening and powerful she is. That kind of strength coming from someone you least expect might be something good for a character like Jadis, who at times needs to come across unexpected.

Posted by: @rillianix

@rose In a way that could even add to her being as threatening and powerful she is. That kind of strength coming from someone you least expect might be something good for a character like Jadis, who at times needs to come across unexpected.

Hmm, that is true! I still think that fits better with the Lady of the Green Kirtle, though, because she's such an innately deceptive villain.

Has Debicki ever played a role that involved physical combat? In terms of very tall actresses, it's a bit easier for me to picture Gwendoline Christie playing Jadis because she's already played physically powerful characters like Captain Phasma from Star Wars.

@rose I think she may have had some physical scenes in The Cloverfield Paradox?

How about Saoirse Ronan? (seen in the attached photo as Mary Queen of Scots in the movie of the same name)

She's a bit younger than conventional portrayals (which could lead to a fresh take on things) but she also is capable of cutting a commanding presence, and is genuinely excellent in everything she does.

@icarus I could see her having a stern control of the screen. I always imagined the witch being "grown up" in a very domineering way. This seems odd, given that I wasn't thrilled with the character of Rey (more of a screenplay problem thought) but I almost think Daisy Ridley could pull this off. She has the athletic, unpredictable energy that I would like to see from Jadis, and she has an interesting voice. She might be a bit youthful. I would love to see someone with the regality of Natalie Portman, but she has a bit of a delicate voice. Angelina Jolie would be the ultimate caricature as we saw in Maleficent (regarding looks and voice). I also take into account what kind of actress I would want on set and around the children... 

Haha, @rose I just saw your post, so I'm glad Im not the only one who thinks Daisy could play Jadis! 

Posted by: @scrib

Haha, @rose I just saw your post, so I'm glad Im not the only one who thinks Daisy could play Jadis! 

Same! Aside from perhaps being a bit young-looking for the role, I think she could be an interesting choice. Not too long ago I saw an article where Daisy Ridley was talking about directors calling her intimidating and aggressive and how she didn't like it, and while I empathized with her, I also couldn't help thinking "And that's why you're perfect for Jadis!" Sorry, Daisy. But seriously, she does seem to have that particular intensity at her disposal. This moment from The Last Jedi always comes to mind when I think about her playing Jadis:

https://imgur.com/gallery/GXkZMPF

I'm not sure I could spin a lightsaber around and yell like that. If I did, it would probably be funny, not scary.

@icarus, Saoirse Ronan would definitely be a fresh take, but I think I would sooner see her play the LotGK than Jadis; she probably has the range, but her features seem too youthful for Jadis, imo. (And the fact that the she's still playing teenagers a lot doesn't help.)

@rose ah, yes, that fierceness would be wonderful to see. Tilda played a very aloof Jadis for the most part, but I’ve always thought of Jadis as having this quick, almost cat-like quality. I know Daisy is really a sweetheart which would be another reason to have her, she would be a great person around kids! 

Ronan would actually be a perfect dryad, I wish the trees were more main characters to justify that, but she has such a woodsy quality about her 

I've actually thought Elizabeth Debicki would be a good choice for a good few years now. In the movie The Man From UNCLE, she played a female villain who was graceful and poised, yet utterly dangerous and powerful. She has an elegance and coldness to her, while also being very tall.