After months of speculations surrounding the casting of the new Harry Potter series, HBO finally put the rumors to rest. They officially announced the names of the first six actors joining this hotly-anticipated project, including John Lithgow, Nick Frost, Janet McTeer, and Paapa Essiedu.
It was previously reported that these four stars were in negotiations to join the series, and HBO finally confirmed their casting. Their new Harry Potter series will star Lithgow (The Crown) as Albus Dumbledore, McTeer (The White Queen) as Minerva McGonagall, Essiedu (I May Destroy You) as Severus Snape, and Frost (Hot Fuzz) as Rubeus Hagrid.
They’ll be joined by two recurring players—Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch. HBO is still in the process of casting the young actors who’ll play the main trio—Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger – and it’s been reported they’ve auditioned over 30,000 kids for the roles.
The new TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved book series hails from writer and showrunner Francesca Gardiner, while Mark Mylod will be in charge of directing multiple episodes. HBO described it as “a faithful adaptation” that will explore every corner of the Wizarding World and bring Harry Potter’s incredible adventures to new and existing audiences.
