HBO's 'Harry Potter' Series Officially Confirms the Appearance of 5 Key Characters

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Harry (Dominic McLaughlin) prepares to play Quidditch in HBO's Harry Potter.

Published Oct 30, 2026, 11:01 AM EDT

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HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series has already got our pumpkin juices flowing, so to speak, with every announcement confirming that we're going to be seeing the definitive adaptation of the world's most iconic book series. And with spooky season now in full flow, we're finally being introduced to some of the most important yet forgotten characters in the history of Hogwarts.

HBO has officially announced five new cast members for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone⁠, including the actors who will portray Hogwarts’ resident ghosts, the Fat Lady, and the iconic Sorting Hat. Leo Bill (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) will play Nearly Headless Nick, Andrew Brooke (Children of Men) will portray the Bloody Baron, Laura Smyth will appear as the Fat Lady, Daniel Fearn (The Batman) will play the Fat Friar, and David Threlfall (Shameless) will provide the voice of the Sorting Hat.

The new additions bring some of Hogwarts’ most recognizable supernatural residents into the upcoming adaptation. Nearly Headless Nick is the resident ghost of Gryffindor House, while the Bloody Baron is associated with Slytherin and the Fat Friar represents Hufflepuff. The Fat Lady, meanwhile, guards the entrance to Gryffindor Tower from her portrait, demanding the correct password before allowing students inside. And, of course, the Sorting Hat is responsible for deciding which of Hogwarts’ four houses each new student will call home.

Who Else Is Starring in HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’?

The series stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. They’ll be joined by John Lithgow⁠ (The Crown) as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer⁠ (Ozark) as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu⁠ (I May Destroy You) as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost⁠ (Shaun of the Dead) as Rubeus Hagrid. The wider ensemble includes Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy, Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch. Recently announced additions also include Harry Gilby as Charlie Weasley, Jasper Talbot as James Potter, and Hannah Chinn as Lily Potter.

Season 2 is already assembling its own cast, with Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) set to portray Gilderoy Lockhart, alongside Lenny Rush as Dobby, Billy Barratt as Tom Riddle, Rafe Spall as Arthur Weasley, Molly Hewitt-Richards as Moaning Myrtle, and Jasper Ambrose as Colin Creevey. The adaptation is written and executive produced by Francesca Gardiner, with Mark Mylod (Succession) directing multiple episodes and serving as an executive producer. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, David Heyman, Laura Neal, and Jon Brown also serve as executive producers.

HBO’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is scheduled to premiere on December 25, 2026, with streaming available on HBO Max. Stay tuned at Collider for more.