The Harry Potter HBO series is moving ahead quickly and a whole batch of actors were announced for the project today. Among them is Nick Frost, the British star of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, who will be playing Hagrid.
Frost is clearly thrilled to have won the role of the half-giant Hagrid, Harry Potter’s first friend when he enters the Wizarding World. He took to Instagram and made a post where he held up the front cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, a cover that prominently features Hagrid.
«You’re a wizard, Harry!!!» he wrote, quoting one of Hagrid’s most famous lines from JK Rowling’s saga. «Thank you for trusting me with such a loyal, gentle and courageous half-giant like Rubeus Hagrid. Robbie, I promise I won’t let you down.» The Robbie he’s shouting out is Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the original Warner Bros Harry Potter movies. Coltrane was a favorite among fans and when he passed away in 2022, Potterheads paid tribute to him.
Robbie, I promise I won’t let you down.
Frost isn’t the only cast member who will be replacing an actor who has since passed on. Paapa Essiedu will be playing Snape, who was previously played by Alan Rickman, who passed away in 2016. Janet McTeer will be playing Professor McGonagall, whose original actress Maggie Smith passed away in 2024. And both actors for the original Dumbledore, Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, have passed on now. John Lithgow will be the new Dumbledore.
Frost, Essiedu, McTeer and Lithgow will be joined by Luke Thallon as Professor Quirrell and comedian Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch. Casting for the three main roles — Harry, Ron and Hermione — has yet to be announced.
The Harry Potter Show Comes With A Lot Of Controversy
Some may raise eyebrows at Nick Frost holding up a Harry Potter book in his Instagram post… or even agreeing to be in the show at all. While it’s undoubtedly a good opportunity for an actor, the fact remains that J.K. Rowling is a deeply controversial person and has been labeled as a hate figure to some. She has ramped up her attacks on the transgender community in the past few years, and recently attacked the asexual community as well.
She is tied to the show in a way many of the anti-Rowling Potter fans resent. In 2024, HBO gave a statement to Variety about the author, stating, «J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.» But the original Harry, Ron and Hermione — Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson — have fallen out with her over her transgender views.
It remains to be seen if Nick Frost ends up taking a stance on the issue.
