The forthcoming Harry Potter HBO series has found the actor who will play half-giant Rubeus Hagrid.
British actor-comedian Nick Frost, 52, has been tapped to fill the role, originally embodied by the late Robbie Coltrane, who died in late 2022 at age 72.
According to a Deadline report, Frost is close to finalizing the deal to sign on for the TV adaptation of the beloved fantasy books.
In a statement to the publication, HBO said, ‘We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.’
Fans initially suspected Nick would join the production last week when he posted in an Instagram caption: ‘What a bloody lovely day! It’s happening, it’s actually happening. Stay cool.’
The note, accompanied by a close-up selfie, was void of context.
But social media users noticed that he’d begun following stars who have already been confirmed in the Harry Potter HBO cast — John Lithgow and Paapa Essiedu.
Nick most recently starred in the slasher comedy movie Get Away, which he wrote and Steffen Haars directed.
Last month it was announced that Lithgow hd been picked to play the new Professor Dumbledore.
Following the news, the 79-year-old star said stepping into the shoes of the magical headmaster, first played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, ‘came as a total surprise to me.’
He told Screen Rant, ‘I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival, and it was not an easy decision because it’s going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I’m afraid.’
The veteran entertainer added, ‘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.’
Dumbledore, the fictional headmaster of Hogwarts and a mentor to the titular character, has become one of the most-beloved figures among fans of J.K. Rowling’s original books and the film series.
In early March it was revealed by Deadline that Emmy-nominated actress Janet McTeer is ‘in talks’ to take over from the late Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall in the highly-anticipated HBO adaptation.
Janet, 63, is best-known for her role as Mary Jo Walker in the 2000 comedy Tumbleweed.
She also starred as attorney Helen Piece in the hit TV Netflix drama Ozark.
It was also reported that Essiedu, 34, was ‘set or in talks’ to play Professor Severus Snape, who was originally portrayed by the late Alan Rickman in all eight Harry Potter films.
There has also been fevered speculation about Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy potentially playing Lord Voldemort.
All seven of Rowling’s beloved books will be adapted by HBO with a fresh group of actors over the next ten years at a cost of more than $200million per season.
Filming starts in the UK this summer and the series is slated for a 2026 release.
News of Frost’s casting comes after a source exclusively dished to MailOnline that the high-profile series will be a chance for Rowling to ‘totally eradicate’ the movie memories of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint with a new cast of child stars and millions of new fans.
‘For JK, this is a chance to lay the memories of the three leads to rest and start afresh with a whole new cast and fanbase too’, MailOnline’s TV industry insider revealed.
Next month auditions of children aged between nine and 11 to find the next Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Grainger will be held. The show’s casting team are still working through an astounding 32,000 audition tapes.
Ms Rowling will serve as an executive producer on the series with HBO saying she has been ‘very very involved’ in the project to ensure will it be a ‘faithful adaptation’ of her books.
She spectacularly fell out with the three young stars of the movies over her views on transgender women. She hinted last year that she could not forgive them even if they apologised to her publicly.
The three actors, who owe their fame and fortune to their roles in the Harry Potter films, all responded to her 2020 essay calling transgender identity ‘deeply misogynistic and regressive’ with statements that were supportive of trans rights.
A TV insider with feet in London and Hollywood says Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint will be ‘expunged’ and replaced with new young stars.
‘This is Ms Rowling’s opportunity to totally eradicate the memories of the old movies and the old cast – with new TV and movie franchises it brings in new leads, lust like with Superman and Batman’, MailOnline’s industry source said.
Last week, Rowling appeared to take aim at Harry Potter movie stars Radcliffe, Watson and Grint in a social media post shared to her 14.3million followers
The 59-year-old author penned a biting response to the three stars of the original films in response to the question: ‘What actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you?’
Without missing a beat, Rowling cryptically wrote: ‘Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible.’
She ended her post with three laughing emojis.
Many of her followers widely interpreted her response as a nod to the three child stars who played the lead roles in the successful franchise.
