Harry Potter Star Jason Isaacs Embraces Lox Pratt, the New Draco Malfoy, at the BAFTA TV Awards
The original Lucius Malfoy passed the snake-topped baton to a new generation of Slytherins as stars from HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series turned out in force at the U.K. ceremony.
Photos of Lox Pratt and Jason Isaacs via TMDB.
The wizarding world's old guard met its new generation on the BAFTA TV Awards red carpet - and the result was pure magic for Harry Potter fans.
Jason Isaacs, who indelibly portrayed Lucius Malfoy across six of the original Harry Potter films, was photographed embracing Lox Pratt, the rising young actor stepping into the role of Draco Malfoy in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series, Deadline reports. The encounter played out in the build-up to Sunday's ceremony in London, where stars of the new HBO adaptation turned out in force.
Pratt, who replaces Tom Felton in the iconic Slytherin role, is part of the next wave of casting that has Potter fans buzzing online. Isaacs himself won't be reprising Lucius for the small-screen reboot - that role has gone to Johnny Flynn - but the actor has already publicly given his successor his blessing.
In a post on X/Twitter last year, Deadline notes, Isaacs heaped praise on Flynn. "A fantastic actor, a lovely man and, irritatingly, a rather brilliant musician too. Couldn't have handed the snake-topped baton on to anyone better," he wrote.
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The Malfoy moment wasn't the only Potter highlight of the evening. Per Deadline, Paapa Essiedu, who is playing Severus Snape in the HBO series, and Nick Frost, the new Rubeus Hagrid, took the stage together later in the night to present the Supporting Actress trophy to Adolescence star Christine Tremarco — and the pair couldn't resist leaning into their casting.
Essiedu spent the entire introduction stubbornly referring to his co-presenter as "Hagrid" rather than by his real name.
"Some truly exceptional performances, let's take a look at the nominees Hagrid," Essiedu said, turning to Frost. The Hot Fuzz actor wasn't having it: "My name is Nick. I sat next to you at the friggin' readthrough."
The light-hearted exchange, captured by Deadline, offered fans a first real glimpse of the chemistry brewing among the new ensemble - a cast that will be tasked with carrying J.K. Rowling's seven-book saga across what HBO has planned as a decade-long television run. Season 1, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is set to debut on the network this Christmas, with cameras rolling on Chamber of Secrets this fall.
If the BAFTA red carpet was any indication, the torch - or perhaps more fittingly, the wand - has been passed in style.