Ananova:

Thousands of teenagers are bidding for a lead role in the fourth Harry Potter film after producers revealed they want a real Bulgarian to play the part of Victor Krum.

In the book, Krum is the 17-year-old captain of the Bulgarian Quidditch team and also plays the love interest for Harry Potter's school friend Hermione Grainger.

The character has bushy eyebrows, a crooked nose and walks with a slouch. But the less than flattering appearance of the character has not deterred thousand of Bulgarian teenagers from applying for the auditions.

The first casting will take place in the capital Sofia later this week. Other castings are set to take place around the country with the best choices then flown to London to meet the producers where the final selection will be made.

In a country where most people earn less than 100 pounds a month, the chance to star in the movie and become an international celebrity has gripped the nation's teenagers.

JK Rowling put Bulgaria at centre stage of the fourth book after being inspired by the country's fourth place in the 1994 World Cup. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, magicians from all over the world take part in the Quidditch World Cup, and Krum leads the Bulgarians.

News that producers wanted a real Bulgarian has sparked a wave of Harry Potter mania and Bulgarian producer Victor Bozhinov said they had been flooded with calls and applications from hopefuls.

He said the person who was chosen would be very rich, adding "such big productions have no financial problems, they can afford anything. And when the book says the character is a Bulgarian boy, they can afford to come down here and take a real Bulgarian boy and do everything it takes to make him fit the part.

"I am only sad the action in the fourth book did not take place in Bulgaria as I am sure they would have come here to film as well. Victor Krum is a very clearly defined character. Anyone who seems conventionally good looking or a mummy's boy will not have a chance." Filming of the fourth book is due to start in April.