HBO’s Harry Potter premiere is going to be one of the biggest events in television this year, and the network is already showing major confidence in the show by not even hesitating to jump into production on Season 2 before Season 1 has aired a single episode. Each season of the Harry Potter TV series will cover one book from J.K. Rowling’s novel series, with Season 2 covering events of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. That novel quickly expands the scope of Harry’s world and the characters moving through it; Hogwarts and its history come into focus during a series of attacks against the students, which threaten to shut down the school indefinitely.
So far, Harry Potter Season 2 has cast some big characters like Gilderoy Lockhart, as well as several supporting characters. Today, three more actors have been announced for the second season, including a pivotal supporting character in the series.
According to reports, Rafe Spall has been cast in Harry Potter as Arthur Weasley, the father of Harry’s best friend Ron Weasley (Alastair Stout). Spall is known for Apple TV’s Trying and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and has that put-upon everyman that we can totally see working for Arthur Weasley, who is not only a dedicated (if not overly wealthy) father, but also a noble member of the Ministry of Magic and a member of the Order of the Phoenix, opposing Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Arthur’s arc may be peripheral, but it runs throughout the Harry Potter saga and connects to the main story in some key ways. This is also a fun legacy casting: Rafe Spall’s father, Timothy Spall, is best known for playing Peter “Wormtail” Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films. Actor Mark Williams originally portrayed Arthur in the film series.
Molly Hewitt-Richards has been cast as Moaning Myrtle, one of the ghosts who haunts the halls of Hogwarts. Myrtle and her story get a big spotlight in Chamber of Secrets, so Hewitt-Richards will be a pivotal player in the season. She’s a relative newcomer, having appeared in the crime-drama series Code of Silence and the long-running UK medical drama Casualty. This will be a major breakout opportunity for her.
Finally, Jasper Ambrose will play Colin Creevey, another pivotal recurring character in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Creevey is a first-year student at Hogwarts who idolizes Harry Potter, following him around campus to snap pictures or pick Harry’s brain. Colin’s fate becomes a major pivotal part of Chamber of Secrets, so keep an eye on him.
Other recent casting announcements for Harry Potter Season 2 include Lenny Rush (Doctor Who, Slow Horses) as Dobby the house-elf; Bonnie Hill taking over the role of Ginny Weasley (after actress Gracie Cochrane dropped out of Season 2); and Billy Barratt (Bring Her Back) as Voldemort’s human form, Tom Riddle. The biggest casting, however, has been Game of Thrones star Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart, a Wizarding World celebrity and Hogwarts’ Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (after Superman star Nicholas Hoult passed).
Harry Potter will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on
Via: THR
