The upcoming Harry Potter TV series on HBO has officially cast its three main leads. Dominic McLaughlin will take on the role of Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will play Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will portray Ron Weasley.
These casting announcements come after an extensive search that saw more than 30,000 actors auditioning for the iconic roles, following an open casting call launched by HBO last fall. Filming for the series is expected to commence this summer.
In a statement, showrunner Francesca Gardiner and executive producer Mark Mylod expressed their excitement, saying, “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.” They also thanked the thousands of young actors who auditioned for the roles.
The casting of McLaughlin, Stanton, and Stout marks a significant milestone for the new series. While the trio are relatively unknown, McLaughlin has appeared in the upcoming comedy Grow, starring Nick Frost and Golda Rosheuvel. Stanton has previous experience playing Matilda in Matilda: The Musical on the West End, and Stout’s role as Ron will be his first major acting gig.
Other notable cast members include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape. Nick Frost will play Rubeus Hagrid, while Luke Thallon and Paul Whitehouse will portray Quirinus Quirrell and Argus Filch, respectively.
The Harry Potter series is produced by Gardiner and Mylod, with executive production from J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and David Heyman. Despite recent controversies surrounding Rowling’s views on the transgender community, HBO has affirmed that the show will remain separate from any personal politics.
