HBO’s highly anticipated “Harry Potter” series has officially cast its new trio of young stars. Dominic McLaughlin will take on the role of Harry Potter, with Arabella Stanton playing Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout set to portray Ron Weasley. More than 30,000 actors auditioned for the lead roles since HBO launched an open casting call last fall, with production expected to begin this summer.
The news was reported by Variety, which also detailed the extensive search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann. Showrunner Francesca Gardiner and executive producer/director Mark Mylod shared their excitement about the new cast, saying in a statement, “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.”
This casting marks a new chapter for the beloved franchise. McLaughlin’s previous work includes “Grow,” an upcoming Sky comedy, while Stanton starred as Matilda in “Matilda: The Musical” on the West End from 2023 to 2024. For Stout, this will be his first major role.
The trio will join a cast of seasoned performers, including John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.
The series is written and executive produced by Gardiner, who also serves as showrunner. Mark Mylod will direct multiple episodes and executive produce alongside Gardiner. Production is in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television, with J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and David Heyman also serving as executive producers.
With filming set to begin this summer, expectations are high for the next era of “Harry Potter” storytelling on screen. For more details on the casting and upcoming production, you can read Variety’s report here.
