Since HBO’s announcement of theirHarry Pottertelevision series, audiences have been concerned about the potential cast, but already, the show is (mostly) sticking to one important rule. Set to be released in 2026,HBO’sHarry Potteris in the midst of pre-production, which means casting the iconic characters and preparing for filming over this summer.Thus far, six of the most important adult characters fromHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stonehave been casted, including Dumbledore, Snape, and Professor McGonagall. Though backlash is pretty much inevitable at this point, the cast is maintaining one solid rule.
The first official members ofHarry Potter’scastincludeJohn Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, and Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell.Lithgow was announced earlier this year, while actors like Essiedu and Frost were rumored to be taking on their roles long before the official confirmation from HBO. With these six actors now on-board, there are a few things to appreciate about HBO’s casting.
The Harry Potter Remake’s First Casting Announcements Are Mostly Actors From The U.K.
Why Actors From The U.K. Are Important For Harry Potter
Onepositive ofHarry Potter’sinitial castingis that the actors are almost entirely from the United Kingdom. Essiedu was born in London, McTeer in Wallsend, England, Frost in Dagenham, England, Whitehouse in Wales, and Thallon in London as well. Though this may seem like a small detail considering the vastness of this project, and there is no guarantee that the rest of the cast will follow suit, it will definitely make a difference inHarry Potter’sfinal product.Harry Potteris a British story, so it will be useful to have most of the characters played by British people.
TheseHarry Potteractors will not have to change their accents or do any extra work outside delving into theHarry Potterbooks.
Really,what makes the origins ofHarry Potter’scast so important is authenticity. There is no doubt that actors are able to put on accents and do the proper research to fully embody a character, but so much of that effort can be cut down if the actors are already from the place where the project is set. TheseHarry Potteractors will not have to change their accents or do any extra work outside delving into theHarry Potterbooks. This is just one element of the development process that will be easier.
Despite Dumbledore Being American, The HBO Show Is Sticking To The Movies' Casting Trend
HBO’s Harry Potter Cast Has Big Shoes To Fill
AmongHarry Potter’scast, there is one American in the mix: Lithgow. Fortunately, this doesn’t disrupt things too much. Lithgow has used a British accent in past projects, and it has worked out successfully, meaning he should be able to do the same forHarry Potter.Lithgow’s Americanness is really just a tiny bump within an otherwise strong plan to keepHarry PotterBritish, just like the movies did. Obviously, HBO wants to set itsHarry Potterapart from the original franchise, but this similarity in actors is a smart decision.
Part of what makes HBO’s British casting so good is that the show already has big shoes to fill. TheHarry Pottermovies included massive stars, from Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith to Michael Gambon and Ralph Fiennes. These actors not only became their characters, but are also recognized for other incredible projects they have worked on. Because of this,HBO will no doubt have a hard time with its cast being compared to that of the movies. However, casting British actors already cuts down on critiques that audiences could potentially make.
The Harry Potter Remake’s Casting Approach Will Make Exceptions Even Less Noticeable
When Will HBO Cast The Rest Of Harry Potter
Finally, one more benefit ofHarry Potter’sinitial British casting is that it implies the rest of the cast will also follow this trend. With only one American out of six actors,it seems probable that the rest ofHarry Potter’scast will also be British, especially the younger actors, who may not be as well-versed in accents. Plus, even if another American were to join the cast, having mostly British actors would help ease this transition. It is a small thing, but will make a big difference inHarry Potter’sreception.
Now that the main adults have been cast, audiences are likely wonderingwhen the rest ofHarry Potter’sactors will be revealed.The characters ofHarry, Ron, and Hermione are of the utmost interest. At this point, there is no hint at when this information will be released, yet a casting call did go out for young actors in September 2024. With filming set to begin this summer, it seems likeHarry Potterlovers will have their new cast sooner rather than later.
