The Weasley family just got its missing brother. HBO has cast Harry Gilby as Charlie Weasley in its Harry Potter series, along with Jasper Talbot and Hannah Chinn as Harry’s parents, James and Lily Potter. HBO Max announced the three new Season 1 cast members on Instagram on October 27.
Who’s playing who
Harry Gilby (The Last Kingdom) is Charlie Weasley. Ron’s second-oldest brother is the one the films skipped. He was glimpsed in a family photo but never appeared as a character.
Jasper Talbot (Broadchurch) is James Potter, and Hannah Chinn (The Conjuring: Last Rites) is Lily Potter. Adrian Rawlins and Geraldine Somerville played them in the films, where they appeared in flashbacks, photographs and the Mirror of Erised.
Why Charlie matters
In Philosopher’s Stone, Charlie is mostly a presence offstage: he’s the Weasley working with dragons in Romania, and his friends are the ones who come for Norbert. In the books he doesn’t show up in person until Goblet of Fire. HBO hasn’t said how much he’ll be on screen in Season 1, so don’t expect a dragon-keeper spinoff just yet. What the casting does show is a series willing to fill in book characters the films cut. That fits Warner Bros.’ promise of a faithful adaptation.
Where the series stands
The new additions join Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione and Alastair Stout as Ron, alongside John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Snape and Nick Frost as Hagrid. Season 1, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Christmas Day.
HBO renewed the show for Season 2 in May, and that cast is already filling out too, including Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart. Francesca Gardiner writes and executive produces the series, and Mark Mylod executive produces and directs multiple episodes.
Join the conversation
Be kind. Be curious. No fandom wars — we're all here because we love this stuff.