Latest news with #DominicMcLaughlin
BBC News
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
HBO Harry Potter: What was it like auditioning to be part of the new TV series?
Almost every child has dreamed, if only for a moment, of living in the world of Harry 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 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 trio went through a process that lasted for months and included several rounds of auditions and 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 October, Marcus was sent a script from classic 1982 film ET to perform - but after submitting his video, he didn't hear 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 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 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 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.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
New Harry Potter TV series risks fan fury after they film classic scenes in bizarre location
The reaction of the all-British crew to the filming location said it all IT'S FROGWARTS New Harry Potter TV series risks fan fury after they film classic scenes in bizarre location SACRE bleu! Filming for the Harry Potter TV series has begun — in France. US media giant HBO has dispatched crew to the rocky Île de Sein off Brittany, seemingly forgetting the Britishness of the boy wizard adventures. Advertisement 5 The new Harry Potter series has begun filming at an island off the coast of France Credit: Getty 5 The new actors for the Harry Potter television series were unveiled this week, Dominic McLaughlin (centre) will take on the lead role of Daniel Radcliffe Credit: HBO 5 How Nick Frost will look like as Hagrid in the series The island is thought to be the setting for scenes in the Hut-on-the-Rock, a dilapidated holiday shack where Hagrid turns up to announce: 'You're a wizard, Harry.' In the books, the hut is on an island off Cornwall — rather than five miles off one of the westernmost points of France. But producers insisted on using it as they thought it a suitably windswept location. A TV insider said: 'This caused a certain amount of amusement among the British crew who all agreed that they could have easily got windswept in virtually any part of the British Isles. Advertisement READ MORE ON HARRY POTTER like magic JK Rowling breaks silence on new stars as Harry, Ron and Hermione are cast 'They've been slightly bewildered by the fact they've actually gone to France to make a show which is so British — particularly since it's the first place they've gone to and they're doing key scenes there. 'For fans it's likely to be a sign that with American producers running the show, it might not be as mindful of Harry Potter as a national treasure that shouldn't be tampered with.' A film crew of about 30 is said to be camped at Pointe du Raz on the west coast of Brittany and every day they travel backwards and forwards by boat to the island. On a rocky outcrop off Île de Sein is the supposedly haunted 19th century Tévennec lighthouse, which may end up being used as the Hut-on-the-Rock in the final edit. Advertisement The surprising choice of location comes after HBO this week announced that young Scottish actor Dominic McLaughlin would be taking on the lead role previously played in the movies by Englishman Daniel Radcliffe. He will star alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, characters depicted in the films by Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) Official Trailer Between 2001 and 2011 they starred in eight movies, all made in the studio or on location in Britain. Bath, Oxford and London were among the cities where scenes were filmed, while more remote locations in Durham and the Scottish Highlands were also used. Advertisement Warner Bros has invested millions of pounds in rapidly expanding its studio at Leavesden, near Watford, to accommodate shooting of the TV adaptation of all seven on JK Rowling's books. The Sun exclusively revealed how the complex would include a new version of Harry Potter's childhood home on Privet Drive. Hagrid, Hogwarts' groundskeeper played by the late Robbie Coltrane in the movies, will be played by Nick Frost. Meanwhile, John Lithgow will be the wizard school's headmaster Albus Dumbledore and Paul Whitehouse will appear as its caretaker, Argus Filch. Advertisement The series is expected to drop next year — although it is not confirmed which service will take it. HBO declined to comment on the use of a French location. But Île de Sein does have a magical link — it was, legend has it, home to virgin druid princesses with the power to take on animal forms, just like Animagi in the Potter stories. 5 The hut-on-the-rock is an important location in Harry Potter lore Credit: Advertisement
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
New Harry Potter TV series risks fan fury after they film classic scenes in bizarre location
SACRE bleu! Filming for the Harry Potter TV series has begun — in France. US media giant HBO has dispatched crew to the rocky Île de Sein off Brittany, seemingly forgetting the Britishness of the boy wizard adventures. 5 The new Harry Potter series has begun filming at an island off the coast of France Credit: Getty 5 The new actors for the Harry Potter television series were unveiled this week, Dominic McLaughlin (centre) will take on the lead role of Daniel Radcliffe Credit: HBO 5 How Nick Frost will look like as Hagrid in the series The island is thought to be the setting for scenes in the Hut-on-the-Rock, a dilapidated holiday shack where Hagrid turns up to announce: 'You're a wizard, Harry.' In the books, the hut is on an island off Cornwall — rather than five miles off one of the westernmost points of France. But producers insisted on using it as they thought it a suitably windswept location. A TV insider said: 'This caused a certain amount of amusement among the British crew who all agreed that they could have easily got windswept in virtually any part of the British Isles. READ MORE ON HARRY POTTER 'They've been slightly bewildered by the fact they've actually gone to France to make a show which is so British — particularly since it's the first place they've gone to and they're doing key scenes there. 'For fans it's likely to be a sign that with American producers running the show, it might not be as mindful of A film crew of about 30 is said to be camped at Pointe du Raz on the west coast of Brittany and every day they travel backwards and forwards by boat to the island. On a rocky outcrop off Île de Sein is the supposedly haunted 19th century Tévennec lighthouse, which may end up being used as the Hut-on-the-Rock in the final edit. Most read in News TV The surprising choice of location comes after HBO this week announced that young Scottish actor Dominic McLaughlin would be taking on the lead role previously played in the movies by Englishman Daniel Radcliffe. He will star alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, characters depicted in the films by Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) Official Trailer Between 2001 and 2011 they starred in eight movies, all made in the studio or on location in Britain. Bath, Oxford and London were among the cities where scenes were filmed, while more remote locations in Durham and the Scottish Highlands were also used. Warner Bros has invested millions of pounds in rapidly expanding its studio at Leavesden, near Watford, to accommodate shooting of the TV adaptation of all seven on JK Rowling's books. The Sun Hagrid, Hogwarts' groundskeeper played by the late Meanwhile, John Lithgow will be the wizard school's headmaster Albus Dumbledore and Paul Whitehouse will appear as its caretaker, Argus Filch. The series is expected to drop next year — although it is not confirmed which service will take it. HBO declined to comment on the use of a French location. But Île de Sein does have a magical link — it was, legend has it, home to virgin druid princesses with the power to take on animal forms, just like Animagi in the Potter stories. 5 The hut-on-the-rock is an important location in Harry Potter lore Credit: 5 The famous scene sees mentor Hagrid turns up to announce: 'You're a wizard, Harry' Credit: Alamy
Spectator
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Child stars and the curse of Harry Potter
A spell has been cast. Three children – Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton – have magically gone from obscurity to global fame, after HBO announced that they will be playing Harry, Ron and Hermione in the new Harry Potter series. HBO released a photograph of the trio, kneeling in the grass looking earnest, expectant, enthusiastic – and very, very, young. My first thought? Good luck to them, they're going to need it. The fact that HBO felt the need to immediately disable the comments underneath its Instagram post shows the scale of pre-emptive scrutiny the project is under. The series itself is a huge risk, and with many wondering how they plan to re-introduce the wizarding world to a new audience when the old one is still very much present. To call Harry Potter a franchise or fandom is an understatement.
Egypt Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Egypt Today
HBO Unveils Cast of Its Harry Potter Reboot
A new generation of witches and wizards is ready to cast their spells! HBO has officially unveiled the young stars stepping into the legendary roles for its upcoming Harry Potter reboot. Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout will bring Harry, Hermione, and Ron back to life in this highly anticipated reimagining of the beloved fantasy saga—set to enchant fans old and new as they return to the halls of Hogwarts.
