Additional Coverage:
- Daniel Radcliffe sent new ‘Harry Potter’ actor Dominic McLaughlin a letter (without an owl) (latimes.com)
Passing the Wand: Daniel Radcliffe Reaches Out to New Harry Potter Actor
The magical torch has officially been passed! Daniel Radcliffe, the beloved actor who brought Harry Potter to life in the original film series, recently shared that he’s connected with Dominic McLaughlin, the young star stepping into the iconic role for the upcoming HBO series. And no, he didn’t need an owl to do it!
Radcliffe, currently promoting his return to Broadway in “Every Brilliant Thing,” revealed on “Good Morning America” that he penned a letter to McLaughlin. “I know a few people working on the production, so I wrote to Dominic,” Radcliffe explained. “I sent him a letter and he sent me a very sweet note back.”
The new “Harry Potter” series is currently filming across the pond in the U.K. McLaughlin is set to portray the titular orphan who discovers his magical heritage after receiving his Hogwarts acceptance letter. He’ll be joined by Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, rounding out the new golden trio.
Radcliffe expressed his heartfelt hopes for the young cast, stating he wants them to be “having a great time” and that seeing their pictures made him “just want to hug them.” He emphasized his desire not to “be a specter in the life of these children,” but rather to offer genuine encouragement.
“I just wanted to write to him and say, ‘I hope you have the best time and an even better time than I did. I had a great time, but I hope you have an even better one.'”
Radcliffe, of course, starred in all eight original “Harry Potter” films, from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (2001) to “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” (2011), alongside Emma Watson as Hermione and Rupert Grint as Ron.
The new HBO series, written and executive produced by Francesca Gardiner, is billed as “a faithful adaptation” of J.K. Rowling’s seven-book saga, with Rowling also serving as an executive producer. Mark Mylod will direct multiple episodes and serve as an executive producer.
Fans will be thrilled to learn that some familiar faces will be returning to the Wizarding World. Warwick Davis will reprise his role as Professor Filius Flitwick. Joining the Hogwarts staff are an impressive lineup of actors, including John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Sirine Saba as Pomona Sprout, Richard Durden as Cuthbert Binns, Bríd Brennan as Poppy Pomfrey, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.