The HBO Harry Potter TV series has finally cast the main Hogwarts trio of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
All screen newcomers, Dominic McLaughlin will take up the role of protagonist Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton is cast as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will portray Ron Weasley.
Arabella’s agent says in her acting CV that she is based in London and has been in musical productions including Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express and the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical.
Alastair’s agent has listed him as appearing in Albert Bartlett’s Jersey Royal potato advertising campaign and having a ‘northern’ accent.
Each season of the show will be a faithful adaptation of JK Rowling’s books, which were made into eight popular films starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.
To cast the main mischevious Hogwarts trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione, TV executives are said to have watched 32,000 audition tapes.
Executive producers Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod said of the casting: ‘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.’
The series, set to commence production later this year before premiering in 2027, has already confirmed a few big names including John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
Paapa Essiedu has been cast as potions master Severus Snape, Janet McTeer will play Minerva McGonagall, while Paul Whitehouse will be taking on the role of Argus Filch.
Since Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone was first published in 1997, the wizarding franchise has made author JK Rowling one of the richest authors in the world.
The six books and eight films that followed the first Harry Potter book – the first editions of which are sold for tens of thousands almost 30 years on – led to further film spin-offs, and endless royalties for the author.
Who’s in the confirmed cast list for the Harry Potter TV series so far?
Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter
Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger
Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley
Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch
John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall
Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid
Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell
However, the franchise is not without controversy, with Rowling’s views on trans rights causing some to boycott the new HBO series.
Some actors from the original films have publically distanced themselves from Rowling in recent years.
Rowling said she would be unlikely to ever forgive Radcliffe after his years of vocal advocacy for transgender rights in the UK.
‘[He] is cosying up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and cheering on the transitioning of minors’, she said, adding that he should ‘save [his] apologies’.
In response, Radcliffe replied: ‘It makes me really sad, ultimately. I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is, to me, so deeply empathic.’
Differences aside, Radcliffe previously said he, Emma and Rupert would not be involved in the new series.
When asked, he told E! News: ‘I don’t think so; I think they very wisely want to [get] a clean break.’
He added: ‘I don’t know if it would work to have me, Emma Watson (Hermione), or Rupert Grint (Ron) do anything in it.’
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