One of the breakout film hits of 2019 was Lorene Scafaria's Hustlers, the true story of New York City strippers who drugged powerful men in finance and stole their money. It was a captivating, electrifying film that took the box office by storm last September.
Of course, in a story like this, there will be few characters of redeemable qualities. In terms of Hogwarts houses, there is an argument that they could all be Slytherins. But the other houses share some qualities with the characters, too. Let's take a look at where they'd fit best if they were sorted into the Hogwarts houses of the Harry Potter universe.
Destiny - Ravenclaw
Destiny is the main character of Hustlers and the vessel through which much of the story is told. However, even though Destiny goes along with some nefarious plots led by Ramona the ring leader, she's not a Slytherin.
Instead, Constance Wu's character is a Ravenclaw. Ramona may be a savvy stripper who runs the show, but it seems like Destiny is the true brains of the operation. After all, who doesn't know that a Ravenclaw could sometimes be a bit on the evil side?
Ramona - Slytherin
Ramona takes on the role of a leader with the spirit that a Gryffindor might. However, it is hard to ignore Jennifer Lopez's scene-stealing actions.
The entire grifting and outright stealing con is spearheaded by Ramona, who knows her way around a club and its patrons. Endlessly cunning and always looking out for herself first and foremost, Ramona's untamed ambition might be best sorted into Slytherin house.
Mercedes - Hufflepuff
The next two strippers listed, Mercedes and Annabelle, could also have sizable arguments for fitting best in Slytherin. Their resumes indicate as much. However, they are much more aligned with Hufflepuff.
In Mercedes' case, she is one of the characters who first begins to balk at the extreme escalation of Ramona's criminal activities. This uncertainty and waffling is the hallmark of the house of the badger, for sure.
Annabelle - Hufflepuff
Mercedes in Hustlers is played by Keke Palmer, while Annabelle is portrayed by Lili Reinhart. While Mercedes gets her Hufflepuff status from her lack of commitment and her loyalty to upholding moral standards, Annabelle gets it because of how she is more of a wishy-washy character.
Annabelle mostly goes along with what she is told to do by people who are in charge and she does not always think for herself. Fortunately, her moral code does begin to shine through when Hustlers approaches its nadir.
Elizabeth - Ravenclaw
Elizabeth is the journalist in Hustlers who conducts an interview with Destiny to get the complete story. Portrayed by Julia Stiles, Elizabeth is far more than a framing device. She is also a character in her own right and that character would be in Ravenclaw if she were to exist in the Harry Potter universe.
Not only does Elizabeth have the straightforward intellect that makes her such a great journalist, she also has the sort of emotional intelligence that would make someone want to be friends with her.
Liz - Gryffindor
If Ramona did not break bad, she would have likely fit into Gryffindor when the Sorting Hat was placed upon her head. But the only character in Hustlers who would be a surefire Gryffindor is Liz, the stripper who is played by Lizzo.
From full-body pajamas to a homemade ice cream sundae, Liz always knows exactly what she wants. She does not hide from this either. She is unquestionably audacious and never afraid to be herself. She doesn't even shrink from her own traits when Usher waltzes into the club.
Diamond - Slytherin
Diamond is another stripper in Hustlers who is played by a real-life music mega-star. Cardi B brings Diamond to the big screen, and while she does not have a lot to do, she makes a major impact on the film in her limited screen time.
During this screen time, she proves her own Slytherin tendencies. She is, after all, one of the characters who puts the entire scheme of the film into motion by encouraging duplicitous behavior within Destiny. It's good advice all the same, but that does not mean that it isn't cunning.
Destiny's Grandmother - Hufflepuff
There are few pure beacons of light in the world of Hustlers, but Destiny's grandmother is definitely one of them. A humanizing character who helps bring a sense of heart back to the film beyond Destiny and Ramona's friendship, Destiny's grandmother provides kindness in a film that can often seem devoid of it. As such, she makes for an excellent Hufflepuff character.
Granted, her fate in the film is not all the more desirable. It just shows what clean living can do for a character when she is not beholden to the cruelties of those around her.
Dawn - Slytherin
In Hustlers, Dawn is played by Madeline Brewer and she proves to be the new blood of the film. When the cons progress, Dawn is brought in, but she also becomes one of the first to fall for the entire racket.
Her work is never clean or efficient and Dawn brings a whole load of trouble on her compatriots. Her actions did not have to be so askew, but her cruelty for cruelty's sake intentions lead to her being cast as a Slytherin.
Usher - Hufflepuff
Many of the men in Hustlers are not entirely innocent either. Granted, two wrongs don't make a right, but that does not mean they would all be patron saints of goodness. Even Doug has a few warped intentions beyond his ways of life.
Usher, on the other hand, appears in the film as himself and he seems to be one of the kindest men in the entire film. He does not really do much, but he does not do anything particularly reprehensible either. That sounds like a Hufflepuff through and through. The world of Hustlers could always use more Hufflepuffs.