Nicholas Hoult to play Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO Harry Potter Season 2

Nicholas Hoult to play Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO Harry Potter Season 2

Nicholas Hoult has signed on to join the cast of HBO's Harry Potter series as Gilderoy Lockhart. The casting, confirmed on August 11 by HBO Max and a joint post on the official Harry Potter Instagram account, places the 36-year-old actor in the role of the fame-obsessed Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.

The Instagram announcement featured the caption Magical Me indeed and asked Now, how many autographs would you like?

Hoult will not appear in the first season, as Lockhart does not enter the story until the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. HBO has already renewed the show for a second season to adapt that novel, with production scheduled to begin filming this autumn. The first season, which adapts Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is set to premiere on December 25, 2026, on HBO and Max.

Lockhart is described as a celebrated author and famous wizard who writes books about his supposed heroic acts. While he has a reputation for being vain, arrogant, and has won Witch Weekly’s Most-Charming-Smile Award five times running, he is fundamentally inept and lacks the actual wizarding skills required for his teaching position. In the 2002 film version of the story, the role was portrayed by Kenneth Branagh.

The casting adds another established star to an ensemble that blends veteran actors with newcomers. The primary trio of students is played by Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. Other confirmed cast members include:

• John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
• Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall
• Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy
• Nick Frost as Hagrid
• Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley

Hoult transitions to the Wizarding World from the DC Universe, where he portrays Lex Luthor. He first played the villain in Superman in 2025 and is scheduled to return for Man of Tomorrow in 2027. His previous credits include Mad Max: Fury Road, Nosferatu, Juror #2, The Menu, and Renfield. He also received a Primetime Emmy nomination for best lead actor in a comedy series and two Golden Globe nominations for his work in the Hulu series The Great.

The production faces ongoing scrutiny regarding executive producer J.K. Rowling. According to reports, Rowling's history of controversial statements about the transgender community has led some cast members to denounce her views. Bel Powley told The Telegraph that I strongly disagree with J.K. Rowling's views on gender.

John Lithgow also spoke to The New York Times, stating he considered quitting the series because of the controversy. Lithgow noted that he has accepted that every interview I will ever do for the rest of my life, this will come up.

While the cast for the professors and students is filling out, the role of the primary antagonist remains uncast. Ralph Fiennes, who played Lord Voldemort in the original films, mentioned on The Claudia Winkleman Show that Tilda Swinton had been mentioned as a contender and that he believes she would be amazing.

The series premieres December 25, 2026.