HBO’s Harry Potter TV series has officially cast the roles of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.
The network announced on Tuesday, May 27, that Dominic McLaughlin is taking on the titular role of Harry Potter, which was originated by Daniel Radcliffe. Arabella Stanton will play Hermione Granger (the role made famous by Emma Watson) and Alastair Stout will play Ron Weasley (the role made famous by Rupert Grint).
“After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione, and Ron,” read a statement from showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod. “The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen.”
The statement continued: “We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It’s been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.”
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Based on a series of seven books by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter released eight movies from 2001 to 2011 about a young boy who gets introduced to magic as he attends a school dedicated to wizardry. The hit franchise catapulted Radcliffe, 35, Grint, 36, Watson, 35, Tom Felton and more of its cast to fame.
HBO is now returning to the fictional world with its upcoming series. According to the official synopsis, the show “will be a faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series by author and executive producer J.K. Rowling. The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail and much-loved characters Harry Potter fans have loved for over twenty-five years. Each season will bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and cherished films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.”
Rowling’s involvement with the project comes after she made headlines recently for her controversial transphobic comments. Radcliffe, Watson and Grint have spoken out against her remarks, which Rowling, 59, has continued to defend.
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Amid the backlash, Rowling did not participate with the cast in the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary reunion special, which premiered on HBO Max in 2022. She he was featured, however, in archival footage from 2019.
“I wasn’t [excluded], actually — I was asked to be on that, and I decided I didn’t want to do it,” she said during an August 2022 Virgin Radio interview. “I thought it was about the films more than the books, you know? Quite rightly, as that is what the anniversary was about, so no one said, ‘Don’t come.’”
Rowling also weighed in on fans claiming they would boycott the Harry Potter show because of her involvement.
“Dreadful news, which I feel duty bound to share,” Rowling wrote via X in April 2023. “Activists in my mentions are trying to organise yet another boycott of my work, this time of the Harry Potter TV show. As forewarned is forearmed, I’ve taken the precaution of laying in a large stock of champagne.”
