Nick Frost, Paapa Essiedu, Janet McTeer, and Paul Whitehouse will appear in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series, the network confirmed.
Frost has been cast as Rubeus Hagrid, McTeer as Professor Minerva McGonagall, and Essiedu as Professor Severus Snape. Paul Whitehouse will portray caretaker Argus Filch.
John Lithgow, who previously announced his involvement, will play Albus Dumbledore. Lithgow recently won an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Roald Dahl in Giant, which is set to transfer to the West End.
Filming for the series is scheduled to begin this summer, with a premiere expected as early as next year.
Casting for the central trio of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger has not yet been announced. HBO previously launched an open casting call that reportedly attracted over 30,000 submissions.
The confirmed cast includes:
- Nick Frost (Hagrid): Known for Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World’s End, and Paul. He also appeared in Spaced, Into the Badlands, and voices SM-33 in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
- Janet McTeer (McGonagall): Appeared in Ozark, Jessica Jones, The Menu, Wuthering Heights, and Albert Nobbs. She will be seen in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning later this year.
- Paapa Essiedu (Snape): Known for I May Destroy You, Gangs of London, and The Lazarus Project. He stars in The Outrun and will appear in a West End production of All My Sons later this year.
- Paul Whitehouse (Filch): Known for The Fast Show, Harry & Paul, and Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing. His stage credits include Only Fools and Horses The Musical.
- John Lithgow (Dumbledore): Credits include Conclave, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Footloose, The Crown, and Giant.
HBO also confirmed the casting of Luke Thallon as Professor Quirinus Quirrell. Thallon has appeared in Leopoldstadt, Albion, Patriots, and recently played Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Francesca Gardiner will serve as showrunner, with Mark Mylod as executive producer. The series is being described by HBO as a “faithful adaptation” of JK Rowling’s original novels. Rowling will also serve as an executive producer.
Further casting announcements are expected, with speculation continuing around additional characters, including the role of Voldemort.
