HBO’s Harry Potter series has cast Harry Gilby as Charlie Weasley, Jasper Talbot as James Potter and Hannah Chinn as Lily Potter, Variety reported. All three will appear in Season 1, titled “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”, which premieres on HBO on 25 December 2026.
The casting matters most for Charlie. Ron’s older brother is a minor character in J.K. Rowling’s books and never appeared in the films, so the series gives him his first screen role and departs from the movies in doing so. Harry’s parents, by contrast, were seen in the films only through flashbacks, photographs and magical manifestations.
Harry’s families on screen
The table brings together the actors playing the Potter, Dursley and Weasley families, based on the cast list published by Variety.
| Character | Actor | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Potter | Dominic McLaughlin | 1 |
| James Potter | Jasper Talbot | 1 |
| Lily Potter | Hannah Chinn | 1 |
| Petunia Dursley | Bel Powley | 1 |
| Vernon Dursley | Daniel Rigby | 1 |
| Dudley Dursley | Amos Kitson | 1 |
| Molly Weasley | Katherine Parkinson | 1 |
| Ron Weasley | Alastair Stout | 1 |
| Percy Weasley | Ruari Spooner | 1 |
| Fred Weasley | Tristan Harland | 1 |
| George Weasley | Gabriel Harland | 1 |
| Charlie Weasley | Harry Gilby | 1 |
| Arthur Weasley | Rafe Spall | 2 |
The wider cast includes Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
The story and the people behind it
The Season 1 logline begins: “There is nothing special about Harry Potter — or so his Aunt Petunia tells him.” A letter of admission to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry then opens a hidden world of magic, friendship and adventure, along with dark secrets and the darkest wizard of all.
Francesca Gardiner writes the series and is an executive producer. Mark Mylod executive produces and directs multiple episodes for HBO, in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, David Heyman of Heyday Films, Laura Neal and Jon Brown are also executive producers.
What comes next
Season 1 arrives on HBO on 25 December 2026. Season 2, based on “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”, is filming at Leavesden Studios outside London. Game of Thrones favourite Kit Harington joins it as Gilderoy Lockhart, alongside Lenny Rush as Dobby, Billy Barratt as Tom Riddle, Rafe Spall as Arthur Weasley, Molly Hewitt-Richards as Moaning Myrtle and Jasper Ambrose as Colin Creevey.