HBO Harry Potter series casts Tom Riddle, Dobby and Ginny Weasley

HBO Harry Potter series casts Tom Riddle, Dobby and Ginny Weasley

HBO has filled three high-profile roles for the second season of its Harry Potter series, which will adapt the book Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Billy Barratt has been cast as Tom Riddle, the teenage manifestation of Lord Voldemort. Lenny Rush will portray the house-elf Dobby, and Bonnie Hill has been cast as Ginny Weasley.

Barratt, who holds the record as the youngest International Emmy winner for his role in the movie Reasonable Child at age 13, is 18. Producers have opted for a younger actor than the original films; Christian Coulson was 23 when he was cast as Riddle. While Barratt is the first actor cast as a version of Voldemort in this adaptation, HBO has not yet revealed who will play the adult version of the character.

The casting of Rush, a 17-year-old British actor and comedian, also represents a younger approach to the character of Dobby. In the 2002 film, the character was a CGI creation voiced by Toby Jones, who was in his mid-30s at the time. HBO has not specified if Rush will be rendered via CGI, motion capture, or prosthetics.

Bonnie Hill steps into the role of Ginny Weasley following a recasting. Gracie Cochrane, who played the character in Season 1, is not returning.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances Gracie Cochrane has made the challenging decision to step away from her role as Ginny Weasley in the HBO Harry Potter series after season one,"

Production Statement, via The Hollywood Reporter

The statement added that Cochrane is deeply grateful to Lucy Bevan and the entire production team and is excited about the opportunities her future holds.

These additions join Kit Harington, who will play Gilderoy Lockhart. Harington takes over the role after Nicholas Hoult dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.

Production and Cast Details

Season 2 is scheduled to begin filming this fall. While HBO intends to minimize the gap between seasons, executives have noted the show will not air annually, meaning Season 2 episodes may not arrive until 2028.

The series features a sprawling cast of returning actors for the second season:

• Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter
• Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger
• Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley
• John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
• Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
• Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid
• Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall

Other confirmed cast members include Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick, and Sirine Saba as Pomona Sprout. Supporting roles are also played by Leo Earley, Elijah Oshin, Tristan and Gabriel Harland, Ruari Spooner, Alessia Leoni, Sienna Moosah, Finn Stephens, and William Nash.

The first season, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is written and executive produced by showrunner Francesca Gardiner. Mark Mylod serves as executive producer and director for several episodes. The production is an HBO project in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers including J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and David Heyman. Jon Brown, a writer for the first season, has been promoted to co-showrunner for Season 2 alongside Gardiner.

Season 1 will premiere on December 25 on HBO and stream exclusively on HBO Max, with episodes continuing into early 2027.