Harry Potter series: Meet your new Hermione, Harry and Ron
(From left) Arabella Stanton will be the clever Hermione, Dominic McLaughlin will play brave Harry and Alastair Stout will portray clumsy Ron. Photo: Handout
The new HBO Harry Potter series has found their Harry, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.
A casting call, announced in September, saw around 32,000 children audition for the lead roles, with the team reviewing up to 1,000 tapes per day, according to HBO.
Dominic McLaughlin will play brave Harry, Arabella Stanton will be the clever Hermione and Alastair Stout will portray clumsy Ron, the TV company and Warner Bros said.
It was previously stipulated that the three young child actors must be residents of the United Kingdom or Ireland, and aged between nine and 11 on April 2025.
The three children are "newcomers," according to HBO, while Arabella's agent says in her acting CV that she is based in London.
Arabella has been in musical productions including Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express as the narrator Control and the Royal Shakespeare Company's Matilda The Musical in the title child prodigy role.
Alastair's Manchester-based agent, Urban Talent Youth, has listed him as appearing in Albert Bartlett's Jersey Royal potato advertising campaign and having a "northern" accent.
Production company SC Films confirmed that Dominic recently filmed the Sky family comedy film Grow , starring Hot Fuzz actor Nick Frost, who has been cast as the friendly groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid, and in December last year upcoming adventure series Gifted revealed he was among the Scottish children cast for the BBC Edinburgh-based show.
Dominic also appeared in a production of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, at the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh, opposite three-time Oscar-nominated actor Ralph Fiennes and Luther actress Indira Varma.
Each season of the show will be a faithful adaptation of the Harry Potter books, from author and executive producer JK Rowling.
The novels had already been made into movies with Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint playing the trio.
Executive producers Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod said: "After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione, and Ron.
"The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen.
"We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It's been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there."
Several other roles have already been cast for the upcoming show, including British actor Paapa Essiedu and US star John Lithgow as the cruel Professor Severus Snape, and Hogwarts headmaster Professor Albus Dumbledore, respectively.
Also joining is Ozark actor Janet McTeer as Professor Minerva McGonagall, British stage actor Luke Thallon as the first book's main antagonist Quirinus Quirrell, and Welsh comedian and actor Paul Whitehouse as the magic-less Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry caretaker Argus Filch.
The eight movies had seen Dumbledore portrayed by Irish actors Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, while Snape was played by Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane played Hagrid and Maggie Smith played McGonagall.
Urban Talent Youth wrote on Instagram that they "couldn't be prouder" of Alastair.
The agency added: "It's safe to say his dedication, impeccable humour and natural talent will win the hearts of many."
The Performance Academy (TPA) Scotland also congratulated Dominic, saying on Facebook: "We are not sure that this will ever feel real but we said from the start that Dominic was the perfect Harry and we are thrilled for everyone else to see this soon too.
"Dominic, we will forever be proud of you! We have had an incredible journey with you these last five years at TPA and can't wait for what's next on this journey."
Production will begin at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden later this year. – dpa
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