HBO’s “Harry Potter” TV series has officially found its Harry, Ron and Hermione.
Dominic McLaughlin will play the role of Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton is Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout is Ron Weasley. More than 30,000 actors auditioned for the lead roles since HBO launched an open casting call last fall. Filming is expected to begin this summer.
“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. The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen. 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,” said showrunner Francesca Gardiner and executive producer and director Mark Mylod in a statement.
They join fellow cast members John Lithgow (“Conclave,” “The Crown”) as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer (“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” “The White Queen”) as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu (“I May Destroy You,” “Gangs of London”) as Severus Snape, Nick Frost (“Shaun of the Dead,” “Hot Fuzz”) as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon (Tom Stoppard’s “Leopoldstadt,” Rupert Goold’s “Patriots”) as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse (“The Fast Show,” “Harry & Paul”) as Argus Filch.
The “Harry Potter” series is written and executive produced by Gardiner, who also serves as showrunner. Mylod will executive produce and direct multiple episodes of the series for HBO in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television. The series is executive produced by author J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films.
Rowling, who wrote the original “Harry Potter” books has come under fire in recent years for her controversial views on the transgender community. When asked if her views on the trans community made him worried for the show, HBO’s chief content officer Casey Bloys said recently on “The Town” podcast, “We already have a show on HBO from her called ‘C.B. Strike’ that we do with the BBC. It’s pretty clear that those are her personal, political views. She’s entitled to them. ‘Harry Potter’ is not secretly being infused with anything. And if you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.”
