In the lead and central role, the HBO production has cast young actor Dominic McLaughlin. Having recently kicked off his acting career with a role in the feature film Grow, McLaughlin is 11 years old (just like Harry was in The Sorcerer’s Stone) and is Scottish by nationality.

As Daniel Radcliffe did before him, McLaughlin will age and grow alongside his version of Harry Potter as the show progresses through the story captured in the seven-book saga. He will learn magic, befriend humans and creatures, and face off against the Dark Lord Voldemort and his various henchmen.

On the first day of filming, the production released an official first look at McLaughlin in costume as Harry Potter.

In what is arguably the second most important role in the series, HBO has cast Arabella Stanton. Stanton, like McLaughlin and most of the show’s young cast members, is a promising newcomer. Let’s hope that Stanton will achieve the same success as her predecessor, Emma Watson.

As Hermione Granger, Stanton will always be the smartest person in the room, and will continuously hard-carry the trio through the many challenges they will face. Stanton is no stranger to the world of Harry Potter or even the role of Hermione specifically, as she has already voiced the character in a new audiobook of the first three novels.

In the role of Harry’s best friend and closest confidant, HBO has cast Alastair Stout. As with most of the child actors in this production, Stout is a newcomer, kicking off his acting career with this grand fantasy production.

As Ronald “Ron” Weasley, Stout will serve not just as Harry’s best friend and the occasional comedic relief, but also as a complete character of his own, and with a large and bombastic family behind him. Ron will become the brother Harry never had, and the Weasleys will become the family his foster parents never tried to be. No doubt, Stout’s rendition of the role is set to become as iconic as Rupert Grint’s.

John Lithgow is an experienced and accomplished actor. For his long and rich acting career, Lithgow has won 34 awards and 76 nominations, including 2 Oscar nominations going as far back as the 80s. Lithgow is known for so many differnet roles that it’s hard to summarize in one paragraph: from the terrifying Trinity Killer in Dexter to the charismatic Winston Churchill in The Crown, from the kind father of Interstellar and Rise of the Planet of the Apes to Lord Farquad of Shrek. And now, Lithgow will take add another iconic role to his catalogue, perhaps the most iconic of them all.

As the kind yet mysterious Albus Dumbledore, Lithgow will be the Headmaster of Hogwarts, the sworn enemy of Voldemort, and before long, he will become a close friend of Harry’s.

Nick Frost is another experienced actor cast in an iconic role. In a career spanning three decades, Frost has had many iconic roles, many of them hilarious or heartwarming. As a close friend of Simon Pegg, Frost featured in many of the same projects, such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. His other projects include Mr. Sloane, Into the Badlands, and Truth Seekers. Most recently, Frost appeared in the film Grow, which also features our new Harry Potter, Dominic McLaughlin.

As Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts’ half-giant keeper of the school grounds, a close friend of Harry’s, and eventually the Professor of Magical Creatures.

Janet McTeer is another experienced and well-known actor joining the cast. McTeer has four decades of experience as an actor, during which she has had many iconic roles, from The Governor to Ozark and Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. Like Lithgow, she was also nominated for 2 Oscars, and won 9 other awards including People’s Choice and the Emmys.

Now McTeer will step into the shoes of Maggie Smith as she portrays Minerva McGonagall, Professor of Transfiguration at Hogwarts and occasionally a Tabby cat. McGonagall is Dumbledore’s closest confidant, his second in command, and often his replacement as headmaster. She also happens to be the Head of House Griffindor, and so she will be overseeing the Main Trio.

Paapa Essiedu is an up-and-coming British actor. Known for the iconic role of Gaap in a controversial episode of Black Mirror, Essiedu has also starred in the lead role of The Lazarus Project, and had many other roles in shows such as Gangs of London, I May Destroy You, and The Capture.

Stepping into the shoes of the legendary Alan Rickman, Essiedu will portray Severus Snape, the school’s Potions Master and the head of House Slytherin. Snape will frequently butt heads with the Main Trio, but there’s much more to him than meets the eye.

Warwick Davis is a British actor with decades of experience, and the only cast member to reprise his role from the Harry Potter film series. With such an iconic performance, it’s no surprise Davis was asked to return. Besides Harry Potter, Davis has appeared in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Willow, Life’s Too Short, and Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi.

Davis will reprise his role as the iconic Professor Filius Flitwick, a part-goblin wizard, Charms Master at Hogwarts, and Head of House Ravenclaw.

Sirine Saba is a British actress with experience in film and television. Her projects include Doctor Who, Holby City, and I Am a Slave among many others.

Saba will portray Professor Pomona Sprout, professor of Herbology and the head of House Hufflepuff.

Luke Thallon is a relative newcomer who kicked off his television career with a live theatre show called Present Laughter. Of course, he has had quite a lot of experience on the theatre stage before that, even portraying Hamlet himself in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Thallon will portray Quirinus Quirrell, Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts and a central and mysterious character in the first season.

Louise Brealey is an established British actor with many years of experience. Best known for the role of Molly Hooper in Sherlock, Brealy also had meaty roles in Bleak House, Ripper Street, and Lockwood and Co., among many others.

Brealey will portray Madam Rolanda Hooch, the teacher of Hogwarts’ best (and only?) competitive sport: Quidditch. How big a role Quidditch will serve in the HBO adaptation remains to be seen, but we can only hope that with the additional screentime, Quidditch and Madam Hooch will have a larger presence than in the movies.

Brid Brennan is a British actress with decades of experience in film and television. Among her many roles, she is best known for her appearances in Excalibur, Brooklyn, and Peaky Blinders. She most recently appeared in the shows Hope Street and Grandchester.

Brennan will portray Poppy Pomfrey, the matron at Hogwarts. As matron, Pomfrey will be in charge of the various nursing duties. Due to the many hazards present at or near Hogwarts, Pomfrey will have a lot of work throughout the series.

Richard Durden is a British actor with many decades of experience in film and television. Among his many projects, he is best known for his roles in Agora, Batman, From Paris With Love, and Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker.

Durden has been cast as Professor Cuthbert Binns, who teaches the History of Magic at Hogwarts.

Svetlana Karabut is a British Ukranian actress with experience in the filming industry. Her filmography includes the films No Time to Die, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and The Radleys, so she is experienced with big productions like Harry Potter.

Karabut will portray Professor Septima Vector, the Professor of Arithmancy in Hogwarts, one of Hermione’s favorite subjects.

Paul Whitehouse is another experienced actor joining the cast, with 5 BAFTA wins. Besides that, he is also a comedian and frequently shares the screen with his partner-in-crime Harry Enfield. Whitehouse appeared in such shows as Happiness, The Fast Show, and The Change, and films such as The Death of Stalin. Most importantly, Whitehouse has already appeared in the Harry Potter films as Sir Cadogan in one of the living portraits in the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Whitehouse was cast as Argus Filch, the grumpy caretaker of Hogwarts. A “Squib” non-mage born to two wizard parents, Filch is petty and full of resentment, but in a funny way! So it makes sense to cast a great comedian and actor such as Whitehouse to bring the role to life.

Katherine Parkinson is an experienced actress with a record of comedy and drama on both television and film. Parkinson’s filmography includes The IT Crowd, Doc Martin, Sherlock, and most recently the show Here We Go among many other projects. Her speciality in comedy and character-acting makes her a fitting choice, following in the footsteps of the iconic Julie Walters in the Harry Potter films.

Parkinson will portray Molly Weasley, the beloved matriarch of the Weasley family and one of the books’ most beloved supporting characters. She will quickly become somewhat of an adoptive mother to Harry, who lacks a true family in the Dursleys.

Gracie Cochrane is a young actress who has recently kicked off her acting career. Before entering the world of witches and wizards, Cochrane appeared in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Blitz.

Cochrane will portray Ginny Weasley, the youngest Weasley child and a big fan of Harry Potter. Ginny’s role will be limited in Season 1, as she is not yet enrolling in Hogwarts, but her role will become very important starting in Season 2’s adaptation of The Chamber of Secrets. As the story progresses and the children mature, Ginny and Harry will become romantic partners.

Tristan Harland and Gabriel Harland are twins, and also young actors who have recently kicked off their career. Before entering HBO’s world of witches and wizards, the twins appeared in Netflix’s The Last Kingdom.

The Harlands will portray the iconic duo Fred and George Weasley, Ron’s brothers and constant troublemakers. A couple of years older than the main trio, Fred and George are already familiar with Hogwarts.

The image on the left was captured by Splash news, via Dialy Mail.

Ruari Spooner is a young actor kicking off his television career with HBO’s Harry Potter series.

Spooner will portray Percy Weasley, the third Weasley child and the oldest Weasley in Hogwarts, at his fifth year.

Daniel Rigby is a British actor with experience in film and television. He has appeared in shows such as Lillies, Big School, Flowers, and Black Mirror.

Rigby will portray Vernon Dursley, Harry’s uncle and adoptive non-father. Vernon considers Harry a burden on the family and does not attempt to hide this. Largely because of him, the Dursley home becomes a hostile environment for Harry, which makes the trip to Hogwarts even more magical and enticing.

Bel Powley is an actress with experience in television shows such as M.I.High, Informer, and The Morning Show. She has most recently appeared in Masters of the Air.

Powley will portray Petunia Dursley, Harry’s aunt. As a Muggle sister to Lily, Harry’s mother, Petunia always resented her sister and the entire magical world out of jealousy. After Lily and her husband died, and their baby Harry was left on her doorstep, Petunia’s resentment did not subside – but was transferred to Harry in the form of neglect and abuse. Though she is not a likable character, Petunia is more complicated than she seems.

Amos Kitson is a young actor kicking off his career with HBO’s Harry Potter series.

Kitson will portray Dudley Dursley, the only child of Vernon and Petunia. A spoiled brat, Dudley will often terrorize his family with his tantrums, and will be a constant annoyance for Harry.

Rory Wilmot is a young actor who recently kicked off his career. Before joining HBO’s Harry Potter, Wilmot starred in the upcoming series Out of the Dust and an already-aired episode of FBI: International.

Wilmot will portray Neville Longbottom, the equally comical and tragic Hogwarts student who joins House Gryffindor and befriends the main trio. As will be uncovered in the later seasons, Neville’s fate is tragically tied to Harry and Voldemort, and this connection led to the death of his parents many years before the show begins.

Asha Soetan is an up-and-coming young actress. Her credits include Odd Squad, The Friend as well as the upcoming Supergirl for DC Studios.

Soetan has been cast as Angelina Johnson, a Hogwarts student 2 years senior to the main trio and another member of House Gryffindor. As the series progresses, Johnson will become a Quidditch team leader and will be romantically involved with George Weasley.

Lox Pratt is a young actor kicking off his career with HBO’s Harry Potter series. He will also appear in the upcoming BBC adaptation of Lord of the Flies.

Pratt has been cast as Draco Malfoy, a school bully who has his eyes set on Harry Potter from Day 1 in Hogwarts. Initially seeking a friendship with Harry and urging him to join Slytherin, Malfoy turns hostile after Harry begs the sorting hat to join Gryffindor. From that point, their rivalry will last till the very end of the series.

Finn Stephens is a young actor kicking off his career with HBO’s Harry Potter production.

Stephens will portray Vincent Crabbe, a student who will be sorted into House Slytherin and befriend Draco Malfoy. Together with Goyle, they will form a counter to the main trio.

William Nash is a young actor kicking off his career with HBO’s Harry Potter production.

Nash will portray Gregory Goyle, a student who will be sorted into House Slytherin and befriend Draco Malfoy. Together with Crabbe, they will form a counter to the main trio.

Sienna Moosah is a young actress kicking off her career with HBO’s Harry Potter production.

Moosah will portray Lavender Brown, a student who will be sorted into House Gryffindor. Lavender will befriend the main trio and, later in the series, will briefly attempt to woo Ron Weasley.

Alessia Leoni is a young actress kicking off her career with HBO’s Harry Potter production.

Leoni will portray Parvati Patil, a student who will be sorted into House Gryffindor and will befriend the main trio. Paqrvati’s twin sister, Padma, who gets sorted into Ravennclaw, may or may not appear in the show. If she is included, it’s possible Leoni will portray Padma as well as Parvati.

Leo Earley is a young actor kicking off his career with HBO’s Harry Potter series.

Early will portray Seamus Finnigan,a student who will be sorted into House Gryffindor and will befriend the main trio. Fans of the films will remember Seamus as the student skilled in making things explode in his face, and he may continue to serve this role of comedic relief in the HBO series.

Elijah Oshin is a young actor kicking off his career with HBO’s Harry Potter series.

Early will portray Dean Thomas, a student who will be sorted into House Gryffindor and will befriend the main trio.

Aaron Zhao is a young actor who recently kicked off his career. Zhao’s credits include numerous musicals as well as the yet-unreleased feature film Two Neighbours.

Zhao will portray Terry Boot, a student who gets sorted into the House Ravenclaw and will later befriend the main trio.

Johnny Flynn is a British actor with experience in film and television. His television credits include the lead role in Lovesick, and key roles in Genius, Ripley, and Central Intelligence. On film, Flynn portrayed David Bowie in 2020’s Stardust and also appeared in Operation Mincemeat, The Outfit, and Emma.

Flynn will portray the nefarious Lucius Malfoy, father of Draco, and a constant threat to Harry Potter and his friends. Pretending to be civil at first, though without concealing his cruelty, Lucius will later be revealed as a Death Eater who serves Voldemort.

Bertie Carvel is a British actor with experience in film and television. His television roles include the lead role in Dalgliesh, Tony Blair in The Crown, and many more. Carvel has appeared in films such as The Tragedy of Macbeth, Les Miserables, and Coalition.

Carvel has been cast in the role of Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. As Minister, Fudge leads and controls the Ministry of Magic, the magical world’s political organization in the United Kingdom.

Anton Lesser is an experienced British actor. Famous for his iconic and villainous roles in Game of Thrones and Andor, Lesser’s credits also include The Crown, Dickensian, and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Lesser has been cast in the role of Garrick Ollivander, widely considered the best wandmaker in the world. Owner of a little shop in Diagon Alley, Ollivander has sold wands to all the greatest witches and wizards, from Dumbledore to Voldemort, and will sell Harry Potter his first wand.

Leigh Gill is an experienced actor with dwarfism. Famous for his roles in Joker and Game of Thrones, Gill has also appeard in the first season of The Witcher as well as many other projects. Interestingly, this will not be Gill’s first time stepping into the world of Harry Potter, as he has already appeared in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Gill has been cast in the role of Griphook, the goblin banker at Diagon Alley’s Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Griphook will lead Harry to his safe in Gringotts, where he will find a large inheritance left by his parents.

Mickey McAnulty is a young actor who recently kicked off his career. Before joining the Harry Potter show, McAnulty appeared in Trying and Blitz.

McAnulty has been cast as Piers Polkiss, a friend of Dudley Dursley.