HBO Harry Potter: What was it like auditioning to be part of the new TV series?

BBC News

a day ago

Almost every child has dreamed, if only for a moment, of living in the world of Harry Potter.When the cast was announced for the films back in the early 2000s, I remember feeling a pang of jealousy – Emma Watson was fine, but wasn't I the real Hermione Granger? I would have given anything for a casting director to have spotted me and whisked me away to Hogwarts to play the iconic witch.For three young actors - Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout - that fantasy has become a reality after they were cast as Harry, Hermione and Ron in HBO's forthcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation.The trio went through a process that lasted for months and included several rounds of auditions and workshops.They were eventually chosen after more than 30,000 children applied to join the wizarding world through an open casting call. What was the process like, and what lies in store for the chosen few?
Daniela Tasker saw the open casting call advertised on Facebook and encouraged her son and daughter to audition. They were asked to submit two videos - a memorised monologue and a short introductory clip talking about their hobbies. Her son Marcus received a call back. "Marcus wasn't very interested in Harry Potter but when he made it to the next stage he read all the books, watched the films and went through a phase of loving it," Daniela tells the BBC.In October, Marcus was sent a script from classic 1982 film ET to perform - but after submitting his video, he didn't hear back.Despite being "very sad" about the outcome, Marcus is now determined to apply for other acting roles and has his second-round script framed in his bedroom.
Those who made it past the second round of auditions had to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), meaning they can't publicly reveal any information about the casting process.However, one parent who spoke to the BBC anonymously said their son made it through several rounds of the process and was still attending auditions until recently.
'Dodged a bullet'
The young boy was given a script for the new series and attended in-person workshops with other children. "We had a glimpse of what the show will be like and we are very excited for it," the parent says. "You can tell a lot of care has gone into the details." But the parent started to "get cold feet" as the process went on when they realised how life-changing this role would be."It started to become more daunting and we realised the huge pressure that would be on our son if he got the role. He was a little disappointed to be unsuccessful but I think we've dodged a bullet."
Earlier this year, a play called Second Best, starring Sex Education's Asa Butterfield, told the story of a former child actor who narrowly missed out on playing Harry Potter when he was younger.Playwright Barney Norris, who adapted Second Best for the stage, spoke to a dozen men who were all in the final stages of playing Harry back in 2000. "I feel conflicted about seeing these three kids be announced as the new cast," Norris says. "It's a lovely moment for them, but you also realise their life will never be the same again and growing up as a teenager in the public eye can have a huge psychological impact."Norris says the TV show's casting directors would be likely to have assessed the support systems around the children as well as their talent."It would have been part of the casting process, and no doubt these children have amazing families around them to help their children through a very high-profile and public adolescence."
Casper Martin, from Derby, was another child who applied to play Harry - because people had often told him he looked like the character. "It seemed silly not to try for it, but I told him it's almost certainly not going to happen, so he had realistic expectations," his mother Lisa says.The three children who were eventually cast in the lead roles all have some professional acting experience, which caused a bit of controversy online, with some people questioning whether the open casting call was just for show."It's a big gamble to take a kid who has never been in the acting world before so I understand why they picked someone with experience," Lisa Martin says.
Sarah Howlett, who submitted an application for her 10-year-old daughter, agrees and thinks having an agent "would have definitely increased Ella's chances". According to Ms Howlett, children with an agent were able to skip the first step of submitting two introductory videos and were "put a level ahead". "Ella was very excited to enter and even though she was disappointed not to get further in the process, it was just a dream for her to just apply."She adds that perhaps the reason Ella didn't progress was because "she was too similar to how Emma Watson played the character and maybe the casting directors wanted something different this time".
While details of the casting decisions for HBO's show remain mostly under wraps, Flick Miles, who played Emma Watson's body double in the first three films, says she imagines the process would have been "relatively similar"."When I was cast there was such an importance around duty of care and everyone right to the top was focused on ensuring we had a good support system and were happy."The stars of the TV show will be thrust fully into the spotlight when it airs - it is expected to start in 2026 or 27, and carry on for a decade. Miles tells me that while she has fond memories of her time on the film sets, the new cast will have a more intense experience than the original children did in the early 2000s. "We could just live in a bubble without knowing what was being said about us, but now with social media it's totally different. "I am sure the team will try so hard to preserve their innocence and childhood. But it will be really hard."Speaking to several children who tried out for the TV show, none regret applying, and it seems they are happy to have been a small part of the Harry Potter magic.