HBO has revealed the actors set to take on the roles of several pivotal adult characters in the highly anticipated Harry Potter TV series. Six performers have been officially confirmed and signed on for the project.
The majority of the cast members are British, maintaining a tradition favored by J.K. Rowling, who insisted on primarily British actors for the original Harry Potter films. An exception this time is John Lithgow, an American actor. However, Lithgow received his acting training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Paul Whitehouse is also joining the cast. Notably, he is the only actor announced so far who has prior experience in the Harry Potter film franchise, having played Sir Cadogan in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” in 2004.
The role of Severus Snape, famously portrayed by Alan Rickman in the films, will be taken on by Paapa Essiedu, an actor from the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is currently the only Black actor among the announced cast. While Snape was not Black in the original films, the Harry Potter universe does feature a diverse range of characters from various ethnic backgrounds.
The Harry Potter TV series was officially announced in April 2023. It is planned to be a decade-long project, aligning with the timeline of the original books. The show`s creators aim for a highly detailed adaptation of J.K. Rowling`s beloved franchise. The premiere date is yet to be announced, and the actors for the young wizarding trio – Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger – are still to be cast.
Finley Holt