HBO has added three important new faces to the cast of its upcoming Harry Potter television series. Billy Barratt will play young Tom Riddle, Lenny Rush will portray Dobby, and Bonnie Hill will take over the role of Ginny Weasley for Season 2.
However, the new actors won’t appear when the series premieres this Christmas. Season 1 adapts Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, while these characters become substantially more important in the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Hill replaces Gracie Cochrane, who played Ginny in Season 1 but will not return after making the “challenging decision” to leave the role because of “unforeseen circumstances.” Meanwhile, Barratt’s Tom Riddle will provide another look at the future Lord Voldemort, while Rush brings one of the Wizarding World’s most beloved house-elves to the series.
Meet the New Harry Potter Actors
The new additions bring an impressive collection of credits despite their young ages. Barratt is particularly notable as the youngest-ever International Emmy winner and has appeared in Invasion, Bring Her Back, Kraven the Hunter and Blinded by the Light.
Rush has already established himself as a rising British performer, appearing in Am I Being Unreasonable?, Enola Holmes 2, Dodger and A Woman of Substance. His casting as Dobby is especially intriguing because the character was previously created through visual effects and voiced by Toby Jones in the movies.
Hill has appeared in The Six Triple Eight, Film Club and Girl Troop versus Aliens. Her casting gives HBO the opportunity to develop Ginny with a fresh performer just as the character becomes considerably more important to Harry’s story.
HBO’s Harry Potter Series Heads Toward Hogwarts
HBO’s new Harry Potter series is designed as a much more expansive adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s seven novels. Each book will receive its own television season, allowing the production considerably more time to explore characters and storylines than the movies could.
The series is led by showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod, with filming taking place at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the United Kingdom. The first season stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione and Alastair Stout as Ron.
Season 1 is scheduled to premiere on December 25, 2026, while Season 2 is expected to begin filming this fall. With the second season adapting Chamber of Secrets, fans can expect Barratt, Rush and Hill to enter the Wizarding World after the first season introduces HBO’s new generation of Hogwarts students.
