Whether or not the world really needs aHarry Pottertelevision series is debatable, especially with the movies being as good as they are. We’re getting one regardless, though, so franchise fans may be interested to know which actors will be appearing in it.
The cast list for HBO’sHarry Potterseries features some recognizable names, but there are one or two that fans may not be familiar with. Here, they can find a list of all of the confirmed actors, as well as a brief rundown of their most notable roles before being cast.
Updated Jul 19, 2025, by Tom Bowen:The confirmed Harry Potter HBO cast list just got a little longer, withthe actors for the golden trioannounced just a few moments ago. Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry, Arabella Stanton will play Hermione, and Alastair Stout will play Ron, bringing the total number of confirmed characters up to nine. As always, we’ll continue to update this list as and when more cast members are revealed.
4John Lithgow
John Lithgow will play Albus Dumbledore
Aside from the golden trio, Dumbledore is arguably the most important character in theHarry Potterseries. In addition to being one ofthe most powerful wizards of all time, he helps to prepare Harry for the showdown with Voldemort while also fulfilling his duties as the headmaster of Hogwarts.
John Lithgow may not be British, buthe certainly has the gravitas needed to play Dumbledore. The fact that he turns 80 in late 2025 will be a concern for some, especially with the series expected to span at least seven seasons. However, if he can remain healthy, this could prove to be an inspired bit of casting.
5Janet McTeer
Janet McTeer will play Minerva McGonagall
In the grand scheme of things, Minerva McGonagall isn’t nearly as important as Dumbledore, but her contributions to the story are every bit as memorable. Of course,a big part of that was down to Dame Maggie Smithand the wonderful job that she did bringing old McGonagall to life.
Janet McTeer is around the same age now as Smith was when she filmed the firstHarry Pottermovie, and with two Academy Award nominations under her belt, she, too, is held in very high regard. For this reason, many fans were delighted to see her land the role of McGonagall, with some having previously tipped her to get the part
6Paapa Essiedu
Paapa Essiedu will play Severus Snape
Not everybody was happy when Paapa Essiedu was announced as the next Severus Snape. Regardless of one’s thoughts about the casting, though, there can be no disputing the two-time BAFTA-nominated actor’s ability to bring a character to life, whether that be on a stage or on a screen.
This bodes well, asSnape is one of the most complex characters in theHarry Potterbooks and movies. His dark past and the regret that he now carries with him make him a very difficult character to read, while his relationship with the titular character is complicated, to say the least.
7Nick Frost
Nick Frost will play Rubeus Hagrid
As the new Rubeus Hagrid, Nick Frost has some enormously large shoes to fill. Like so many of the original cast, Robbie Coltrane really made the character his own, to the point where it’s difficult to imagine anybody else coming close to his level of performance.
Throughhis past performances in Edgar Wright’s movies, Frost has shown himself to be more than capable of nailing comedic moments. However, it will be interesting to see how he handles some of the more sombre and emotional scenes in which Hagrid appears.
8Luke Thallon
Luke Thallon will play Quirinus Quirrell
Although he does play a fairly big role towards the end, Professor Quirrell doesn’t get too much screen time in the first three quarters ofHarry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and, unlike all of the other confirmed cast members at the time of writing, he only appears in the first movie. As such, it’s a little curious that the production team opted to announce the actor who would be playing Quirinus Quirrell so early on.
Luke Thallon is the man they ultimately chose for the role: a British actor with plenty of stage experience. However, aside from an uncredited appearance in the 2018 movieThe Favourite, Thallon has very little experience on-screen, making him the only major cast member who will be making his television debut in HBO’sHarry Potterseries; at least for the time being.
9Paul Whitehouse
Paul Whitehouse will play Argus Filch
David Bradley is a national treasure and one of only a handful ofactors who have appeared inHarry Potter,Doctor Who, andGame of Thrones. The man chosen to replace him in HBO’sHarry Potterseries is just as recognizable, having first made a name for himself through his appearances on sketch shows likeHarry Enfield & ChumsandThe Fast Show.
Interestingly, as of the time of writing, Paul Whitehouse is the onlyHarry PotterHBO cast memberto have appeared in the original movies. Well. Kind of. Whitehouse played Sir Cadogan inHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, although his scenes were cut at some point between filming and the movie’s theatrical release.
