My Thoughts on the Harry Potter Casting

Let the magic begin.

Over the past few weeks, we've gotten a couple of major casting announcements in regards to HBO Max's new Harry Potter TV reboot. I have been excited about this project ever since it was announced, because I am a die-hard Potter fan and, as much as I love the movies, I do think that the story lends itself very well to a TV adaptation because so many amazing moments from the books that did not make it into the films can be included. I was waiting until the Golden Trio was confirmed to share my thoughts on all the casting we've gotten, so today, since we just got the announcement of who's playing Harry, Ron, and Hermione, I finally can talk about this.

John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore

This is a casting that I have relatively mixed feelings on. On the one hand, John Lithgow is a fantastic actor. He embodies Dumbledore beautifully, with an ability to be light and warm while also being able to have a strength and ferocity that the Hogwarts headmaster requires. On the other hand, Lithgow is 79 years old. For reference, Richard Harris, Dumbledore's first actor, was 70 when he began playing the role, and he passed away when he was 72. Michael Gambon, Dumbledore's second actor, was 64. Lithgow is significantly older than they both were, and Gambon passed away when he was 82. Now, Lithgow seems like a healthy guy and I obviously hope he lives to complete the series, but the fact of the matter is that he is old. And that fact just has me worried for his ability to make it through 7-10 years of playing Dumbledore.

Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall

I love this casting. I haven't seen Janet McTeer in a ton of things, but she seems like the perfect person to step into the shoes of the legendary Maggie Smith. McTeer is 6'1, which automatically makes her the imposing presence that McGonagall is supposed to have, but she is able to show a softness in many of her performances that also really embodies her. It is very important for McGonagall to be tough but lovable, and I think McTeer will do a perfect job of that.

Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid

This is probably the second most controversial casting that this series has had, and, to be honest, it's probably my least favorite one so far. I do still like it, but I think Frost was a weaker choice than, say, Brett Goldstein. I have really only seen Frost as a comedic actor, but I think that's probably a good thing, because Hagrid is a bit of a funny character. He's got this child-like innocence that I think a comedian can do a really good job of nailing. I do not doubt his ability to carry the gamekeeper's more dramatic or serious scenes, but I just feel like there may have been better choices out there.

Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape

Oh, here we go. The discussion and negative stigma surrounding Paapa Essiedu's casting as Snape has been so frustrating. I understand that race swapping can be frustrating, but I truly believe that, in most scenarios, a character is not race swapped for some political agenda. More often than not, the actor portraying the character is simply the best choice for the role. If you look at Halle Bailey, who's casting as Ariel in The Little Mermaid remake was highly controversial, she is fantastic in that film. She is arguably the best part. And I think that's how Essiedu will be. Paapa is a great actor who will be a great choice for the role of Snape. He is best known for Shakespearean roles, especially Hamlet, which will translate beautifully to the Potions Master. People who use the argument that Essiedu isn't book accurate is ridiculous: if you care so much about Snape's supposed race, you should also care about his age, which is said to be mid-30s. Paapa Essiedu is 34. Alan Rickman, the most iconic actor in the films, was not a perfect representation of book Snape because he was 55 when Sorcerer's Stone came out. So stop with this. Essiedu will be great. And he will be different from Rickman, which is important, because it's going to be hard to top his legendary portrayal.

Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell

I don't really have strong feelings on this casting, because Quirrell is a relatively small character in terms of the whole series and Luke Thallon has barely been in any movies. I think it's good to cast smaller actors in these roles, because it gives them a chance to shine and maybe even get their starts on screen. Thallon is a young actor who has appeared on stage in many things, so I expect him to be good. Again, I don't really have much to say because Quirrell isn't one of the series's biggest and most iconic characters, but I am excited to see what he does with the role.

Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch

Whitehouse is the only actor thus far to have appeared in the films...kind of. He was cast as Sir Cadogan, a painting assigned to guard Gryffindor Tower after Sirius attacks the Fat Lady, in Prisoner of Azkaban, but all of his scenes ended up getting cut (although you can watch them on YouTube). Like Nick Frost, he has a mostly comedic background, but unlike Hagrid, I think Filch is perfect for a comedic actor. There are basically no dramatic scenes with this character. He's initially this scary authority figure who just eventually becomes a pathetic loser as Harry grows older, so I think having someone who can be funny is important. Much like Quirrell, Filch is not a character I have super strong feelings about, but I also think Whitehouse will do a great job in the role.

Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger

Of the child actors, my knee-jerk reaction is that Arabella Stanton is my favorite casting. Stanton has portrayed Matilda Wormwood in West End's production of Matilda, and I think that is the perfect prelude to playing Hermione. I don't care about this a ton, but Stanton actually looks more book-accurate than Emma Watson did. She has clearly bushy hair and buck teeth, both defining features of Hermione in the books. Obviously, beyond that, I don't have much to say because these are kids and they don't have screen acting experience, but I am very excited to see her portrayal nonetheless.

Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley

Alastair Stout is the only one of the kids who has no documented acting credits thus far. Once again, I don't really care about that, because these are young kids, but I only say that because I really have no knowledge about his acting ability or anything he's appeared in previously. He looks like Ron. He honestly looks a lot like young Rupert Grint, and I'm very okay with that. It's tough to have any sort of analysis on these kids, but I am excited to watch them in this hugely iconic roles for the next decade.

Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter

And last but not least, the boy who lived himself. Dominic McLaughlin also does not have really any acting credits (although he has been cast in a few things that are yet to be released) but he is our new Harry Potter. I think it's a good sign that he's getting cast in other things, because that likely shows his versatility and ability to act, and I think he looks good, while slightly different, than Daniel Radcliffe. This announcement today just got me more excited for this show, because now I can put faces to our new Golden Trio, and it is just so awesome. 2026 cannot come soon enough!