Latest news with #Grow
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Who is Arabella Stanton? Actor to play Hermione in new Harry Potter series
The magic of Harry Potter is set to return to screens, and with it comes a new cast ready to step into the iconic roles. Arabella Stanton, a young British actor known for her impressive performance in Matilda: The Musical on the West End, has been officially cast as Hermione Granger in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation. The news was confirmed by HBO and showrunner Francesca Gardiner following an extensive casting search. Stanton joins a fresh trio of talent, marking a new era for the beloved wizarding world. Arabella Stanton's theatrical roots Arabella Stanton may be new to the wizarding world, but she's no stranger to the stage. She gained acclaim for her portrayal of Matilda in Matilda: The Musical from 2023 to 2024, where her strong stage presence and emotional depth won over audiences and critics alike. Stanton's background in musical theatre and live performance brings a unique strength to the complex role of Hermione Granger—a character known for her intelligence, loyalty, and courage. Harry Potter's new golden trio: Fresh faces for a timeless tale Joining Stanton are Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. McLaughlin has earned attention for his role in the upcoming Sky comedy Grow, while Stout is a rising star in the UK's youth theatre scene. More than 30,000 young actors auditioned globally for the coveted roles, making the final casting announcement highly anticipated by fans. According to Gardiner and executive producer Mark Mylod, the three actors stood out for their natural chemistry and individual talent. 'We cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen,' said Mylod in an official statement. A mix of youth and seasoned talent While the series will focus on younger characters, the supporting cast brings in well-known names from film and television. John Lithgow has been cast as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer will play Professor McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu takes on the role of Severus Snape, and Nick Frost joins as Hagrid. This blend of young and veteran performers aims to deliver a fresh yet faithful interpretation of J.K. Rowling 's original characters. A faithful adaptation, says HBO The series is being described as a 'faithful adaptation' of the Harry Potter book series, rather than a continuation or reboot of the original films. Each season will reportedly focus on one book, offering more screen time to beloved subplots and character arcs that the films had to trim. With Gardiner writing and serving as showrunner, and Mylod directing several episodes, HBO aims to create a rich, layered reimagining of the wizarding world. Rowling's role and creative direction J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, is on board as an executive producer. While her involvement has sparked public conversation, HBO has clarified that the show will not be shaped by political or social controversies. Instead, the focus remains on bringing the original books to life in greater detail, with modern storytelling techniques and high production values. Filming is expected to begin later this year, with a release date yet to be officially announced. The series will stream exclusively on HBO Max. With a cast that blends promising young talent and seasoned performers, fans can expect a bold new take on the world of Hogwarts, one that stays true to the books while exploring new creative territory.
Hype Malaysia
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Meet The 3 Main Cast Members Of HBO's Revamped Harry Potter Series
The wizarding world of Harry Potter has taken the world by storm with the production of eight movies, seven books and an entire collection of spin-offs, and now, finally, HBO announced they were going to revamp the series for the first time for the small screens. We got a whiff of the news back in 2021, and now we're finally putting a face to the name, with cast announcements made yesterday. Meet your new Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger in the upcoming HBO Original series based on the iconic 'Harry Potter' franchise. Dominic McLaughlin (Harry), Alastair Stout (Ron), and Arabella Stanton (Hermione) have been cast as the golden trio, HBO announced yesterday (27 May 2025) via its social media channels. During the casting auditions in September 2024, more than 30,000 actors auditioned for the lead roles. Showrunner Francesca Gardiner and executive producer and director Mark Mylod commented in a statement, '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'. The trio, all relatively new to the film industry, join John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore), Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall), and Paapa Essiedu (Severus Snape) in the cast of the highly anticipated reboot of the series. While this marks Stout's first major screen role, McLaughlin previously appeared in the upcoming Sky comedy 'Grow', starring Nick Frost and Golda Rosheuvel. Stanton, meanwhile, played the title role in 'Matilda the Musical' in the West End from 2023 to 2024. As reported by the BBC, filming is expected to begin in summer at the Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden and is speculated to air in 2026 on HBO Max. On an interesting note, HBO has disabled its comments section after the announcement of their new casting. What do you think of this golden trio hitting the small screens in 2026? Sources: Variety, BBC, Instagram Alyssa Gabrielle contributed to this article
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Meet the actors who will play Harry, Hermione and Ron in HBO's ‘Harry Potter' series
After an extensive search, HBO has officially found young wizards Harry, Ron and Hermione for its upcoming 'Harry Potter' series. Newcomers Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton are the chosen ones to play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, respectively, of the more than 30,000 children who auditioned during the open casting call. Filming begins this summer and the show premieres next year. 'The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen,' executive producers Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod said in a statement. '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.' Gardiner will serve as showrunner and Mylod will direct multiple episodes of the series. Author J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film & TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films will also executive produce. Here's everything we know about the reimagining of the classic franchise. Prior to nabbing the titular role in 'Harry Potter,' McLaughlin studied at the Performance Academy Scotland for five years. He is set to appear in BBC's upcoming series 'Gifted,' about Scottish teens who discover they have superpowers, and the Sky film 'Grow,' about a grumpy pumpkin farmer and her orphaned niece. 'The news is out and this one is MAGICAL!!' wrote the Performance Academy Scotland on Instagram. 'We are not sure that this will ever feel real but we said from the start that Dominic was the perfect Harry & we are thrilled for everyone else to see this soon too.' 'Harry Potter' is Stout's first major role. His only other credited appearance is a commercial for Albert Bartlett potatoes. Stanton starred as Matilda Wormwood in 'Matilda the Musical' in London's West End from 2023 to 2024. The English actress also played the narrator Control in Andrew Lloyd Webber's play 'Starlight Express' in 2024. Previously announced cast members include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch. HBO has said the show will span a decade and remain faithful to Rowling's books. The original films starred Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. In addition to the seven bestsellers and eight hit films, the franchise also spawned the 'Fantastic Beasts' movie prequels, starring Eddie Redmayne, the play 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' and themed areas at Universal parks.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
JK Rowling says she ‘couldn't be happier' about Harry Potter casting announcement
JK Rowling has said she 'couldn't be happier' about the casting of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in the HBO adaptation of her beloved book series. It was announced on Tuesday (27 May) that after auditioning 30,000 young actors, Dominic McLaughlin, 11, will play Harry, Arabella Stanton, 11, will portray Hermione, and Alastair Stout, 12, has been cast as Ron. The three newcomers will step into the roles made famous by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, who played the lead characters in eight blockbuster films. Rowling, 59, who will serve as an executive producer on the series, said on X/Twitter on Tuesday: 'All three are wonderful. I couldn't be happier.' McLaughlin, from Scotland, has received training at Performance Academy Scotland and has experience acting in William Shakespeare's Macbeth opposite Luther actor Indira Varma and Ralph Fiennes. On screen, he appears in Sky's forthcoming comedy film Grow, and the BBC adaptation of Marilyn Kaye novel Gifted. Stanton, who will play Granger, has performed in the West End musical Matilda, as well as playing Control in the 2024 revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express. Meanwhile, Stout, from the north of England, has received attention for his uncanny likeness to Grint. He previously starred in an advert for Albert Bartlett's Jersey Royal potatoes. The announcement follows months of sporadic casting announcements for the show's supporting characters, including Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, a part played by Alan Rickman in the films. John Lithgow will star in the series as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore and Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall. Additionally, Luke Thallon will play Defence Against the Dark Arts professor Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse will take on the role of caretaker Argus Filch. Rowling's involvement in the series has drawn controversy from some fans of the franchise for her outspoken and repeated criticisms of trans rights, which led to a rift with the films' three original stars, who have distanced themselves from Rowling in recent years. Rowling has denied being transphobic, but has previously stated that she would 'happily' go to prison for misgendering a trans person rather than refer to them by their preferred pronouns. The author's expansive Harry Potter world – including the books, films, video games and theatre shows – is worth an estimated £20bn ($25bn). The HBO series is expected to debut in 2026, almost 30 years after the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone), which was published in 1997. The series is expected to run for a decade, with each season based on one of the seven Rowling books, and is expected to be a 'faithful' adaptation of the bestselling books. In a statement unveiling the new cast members, showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director 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.'
Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Harry Potter TV Series: Cast, Expected Release Date, Story
More cast have been confirmed for the Harry Potter TV series. On May 27, Max (formerly HBO Max, soon to be HBO Max again) revealed the actors who will be playing Harry, Ron and Hermione in the upcoming show. Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout are set to play Harry, Hermione and Ron in the new series. And fans think that they'll do the roles that were originated by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint justice. "I think they all look perfect for the roles," one fan wrote, as another added: "I really like this casting I can really see them as the Golden Trio. I wish them all the luck!" But who else in the cast? Dust off your wands and broomsticks and read on for everything you need to know about the new Harry Potter TV series, including already confirmed cast who the trio will join on the new series. Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout have been confirmed to play Harry, Hermione and Ron in the HBO Original Harry Potter series. The trio of actors are relatively new to the acting world, but have had some roles. Dominic starred in an upcoming Sky movie titled Grow alongside Golda Rosheuvel and Nick Frost, who, incidentally, will play Hagrid in the Harry Potter TV show. The film will be released later in 2025. Meanwhile, Arabella starred as Matilda in the Matilda the Musical on the West End. Alastair has appeared in an advertising campaign and is credited as "son at dinner." Speaking about the casting, showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod said in a joint statement: "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." In April, the show added Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape and BIFA nominee Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. All will serve as series regulars. They'll be joined by newly announced guest/recurring cast, which includes Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch. 'We are happy to announce the casting of John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, Nick Frost, Luke Thallon and Paul Whitehouse to play Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid, Quirrell and Filch,' showrunner and executive producer Francesca Gardiner said. Director of multiple episodes and executive producer, Mark Mylod, added: 'We're delighted to have such extraordinary talent onboard, and we can't wait to see them bring these beloved characters to new life." John Lithgow was the first official cast member of the much-anticipated Harry Potter TV series to be revealed in February. John Lithgow, who you might recognize from The Crown, 3rd Rock From The Sun, Interstellar and more, was confirmed as the fourth actor to take on the legendary role of Dumbledore. He follows in the footsteps of Michael Gambon, who put on the half-moon spectacles after original actor Richard Harris died following Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, while Jude Law played a young Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts spin-off films. Speaking about taking on the role of the wise wizard, John—who will be the first non-Irish or British actor to take up the role—told Screen Rant: "It came as a total surprise to me." "I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival for yet another film, and it was not an easy decision because it's going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I'm afraid," he continued. "But I'm very excited. Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That's why it's been such a hard decision. I'll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I've said yes.' In September 2024, TV network HBO confirmed to Variety that they had launched a casting call for youngsters who think they might be in with what it takes to play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The casting call said children must be residents of the UK or Ireland and between the ages of nine and 11 in April 2025 in order to be eligible. They said they are "committed to inclusive, diverse casting," and in order to apply for each role, applicants had to "submit qualified performers, without regard to ethnicity, sex, disability, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by law unless otherwise specifically indicated." The casting asked for two self-tapes of the actors auditioning: one of a short poem or story, that isn't Harry Potter related, and one "telling us a bit about yourself, including your date of birth, height and where you live," all in their own accents. According to Deadline's February 2023 report about the series, Warner Brothers have invited a number of different directors, producers and creators to pitch ideas for the new series – including Succession writer Francesca Gardiner. Others on the shortlist reportedly include Martha Hillier, Kathleen Jordan, Tom Moran, and Michael Lesslie, with a source commenting, "It's an interesting mix of Brits and Americans, most of whom have some experience working with streamers and many of whom have shepherded projects in the sci-fi/fantasy space." Then, in June 2024, it was revealed that Francesca Gardiner had landed the role of showrunner, having previously worked on His Dark Materials, and Succession's Mark Mylod has been chosen as the lead director. 'This new Max Original series will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years,' said Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO & Max Content about the project. In the announcement on Twitter, HBO Max (or Max, I guess, we can't get used to the change just yet) said the show will be 'a faithful adaptation of the iconic books' meaning there will hopefully be lots more details about the wizarding world. The series is expected to air in 2026, according to multiple reports, so fans have a while to wait. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav told Wall Street analysts on a company call in February 2024 that 2026 felt likely, explaining, "We've not been shy about our excitement around Harry Potter. "I was in London a few weeks ago with Casey [Bloys, CEO of HBO] and Channing [Dungey, chairperson of Warner Bros Television]... Both sides just thrilled to be reigniting this franchise. Our conversations were great." Max have shared that the series is set to be a decade long—yes, really! That's ten years worth of Harry Potter content for us to get stuck into—which debunks the previous theory that each series would be based around one book. There are seven books in the series—so maybe, like in the film series, a couple of them might be split into two separate seasons? You will be able to watch the series on Max, aka HBO Max. SIGN UP HERE Max have confirmed that J.K. Rowling will be an executive producer on the series, despite being heavily criticized for her comments made against transgender people. 'Our priority is what's on the screen,' Casey said about J.K. Rowling's involvement in the show. 'Obviously, the Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That's our priority, what's on screen.'
