Nicholas Hoult Joins HBO’s 'Harry Potter' Series as 'Professor Gilderoy Lockhart' for Season 2
HBO’s Harry Potter series has added Nicholas Hoult to its Season 2 cast, with the actor set to play Professor Gilderoy Lockhart.
Hoult, known for Superman and The Great, will portray Lockhart, who arrives at Hogwarts during Harry’s (Dominic McLaughlin) second year as the school’s new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Nicholas Hoult joins HBO’s Harry Potter series as Professor Gilderoy Lockhart for Season 2, adapting Chamber of Secrets.
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The character plays a major role in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second book in J.K. Rowling’s series and the source material for the show’s second season. Lockhart is famous throughout the wizarding world for his supposed heroic achievements. However, he is eventually exposed as a fraud who took credit for other people’s accomplishments after erasing portions of their memories.
Kenneth Branagh previously portrayed Gilderoy Lockhart in the 2002 film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
HBO renewed Harry Potter for a second season in May, well ahead of the premiere of its first season. Officially titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first season is set to premiere Dec. 25.
The series stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom and Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy.
Francesca Gardiner serves as showrunner for the first season and executive produces alongside Mark Mylod, who also directs multiple episodes; J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV; and David Heyman of Heyday Films, who produced the eight Harry Potter movies.
For Season 2, Jon Brown (Succession) serves as co-showrunner alongside Gardiner.
Hoult began his breakout career with 2002’s About a Boy, starring opposite Hugh Grant. His other credits include Nosferatu, The Menu and four X-Men movies, beginning with 2011’s First Class.
He will next appear in Amazon MGM’s How to Rob a Bank and the Disney+/Hulu series Mosquito, from The Great creator Tony McNamara.
Hoult is represented by UTA, 42, Sloane Offer and Relevant.
Deadline first reported the news.