Apply for Harry Potter TV Roles: No Franchise Lines

Children across the U.K. and Ireland are preparing to participate in a new casting call for an upcoming Harry Potter series adaptation. HBO has announced an open casting search for young actors aged 9 to 11 to play the iconic roles of Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

The casting call requests that applicants submit two short self-tapes. One of the tapes should feature the reading of a poem or short story, but must exclude any text from the Harry Potter books. The casting notice encourages using material from favorite books, poems, or original pieces, and emphasizes using one's own accent.

Applicants are also invited to share information about close family members, friends, or pets in their video submissions. The casting call prioritizes inclusive, diverse casting, ensuring all candidates are considered regardless of ethnicity, sex, disability, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics.

The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2024, with filming scheduled to take place between 2025 and 2026 in the U.K. The series is set to be a "faithful adaptation" of J.K. Rowling’s original book series and will run for seven seasons, each covering one of the books. Francesca Gardiner, known for her work on Succession and His Dark Materials, will serve as showrunner, writer, and executive producer, with J.K. Rowling also set to executive produce.

HBO has not yet commented on the controversy surrounding Rowling’s recent statements but has focused on the series’ positive themes of love and self-acceptance. Mark Mylod, known for Succession and Game of Thrones, will executive produce and direct multiple episodes.

The original film series starred Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, along with a notable cast including Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Maggie Smith, Gary Oldman, Ralph Fiennes, and Helena Bonham Carter.