HBO Announces Main Cast for Harry Potter Series, Selected from 32,000 Auditioning Children

Harry Potter movie actors (doc. Ist)

SecondUpdate.com – HBO has officially announced the main cast of the upcoming "Harry Potter" television series. The casting process was highly competitive, with over 32,000 children participating in auditions.

According to Variety on Tuesday (May 27), executive producer Mark Mylod stated that the production team reviewed between 500 to 1,000 audition videos each day. The extensive process was led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann.

After a rigorous selection, HBO chose three young actors to play the lead roles. Dominic McLaughlin will portray Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will take on the role of Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will play Ron Weasley.

According to showrunners Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod, the three actors demonstrated exceptional talent.

“We can’t wait for the world to witness the magic they bring to the screen,” they said.

All three actors have limited experience in acting. McLaughlin previously appeared in a comedy titled Grow, Stanton performed as Matilda in the West End musical, while Stout has no prior acting experience.

In addition to the three main characters, several veteran actors have also joined the cast. John Lithgow will portray Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall.

The cast also includes Nick Frost as Hagrid, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, and Luke Thallon as Professor Quirrell.

The "Harry Potter" series will adapt all seven of J.K. Rowling’s books into seven seasons. Each book will be turned into one full season, starting from The Sorcerer’s Stone to The Deathly Hallows.

Francesca Gardiner will serve as the series’ writer, producer, and showrunner, while Mark Mylod will direct several episodes. The series is a collaboration between HBO, Brontë Film and TV, and Warner Bros. Television.

J.K. Rowling will also be involved as an executive producer, alongside Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and David Heyman of Heyday Films.