Nick Frost clarifies his involvement with HBO's Harry Potter series

The upcoming HBO Harry Potter series will soon begin production in Leavesden. While the three protagonists of the show are yet to be cast, rumors have been circulating across the internet about various actors who supposedly play the supporting roles. One of the actors rumored to be a part of the show is Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.

If Frost does play Hagrid in the upcoming series, this will be a casting choice that Harry Potter fans across the world would celebrate. Frost recently appeared at Awesome Con in Washington, DC, and during a panel session, the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy actor spoke about his involvement in the Wizarding World series.

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What did Nick Frost say about the Harry Potter series?

Frost's involvement in the HBO Harry Potter show was first hinted at through a Deadline report published on March 25, 2025 that stated Nick Frost was close to signing the deal to play the Hogwarts gamekeeper, groundskeeper, and, subsequently, the Care of Magical Creatures professor from the third book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

This was surprising for everyone because until then, the Ted Lasso actor Brett Goldstein was reportedly considered to play the gentle half-giant. Even Nick Frost seemed to hint at something happening in an Instagram post dated March 20, 2025, whose caption read:

"What a bloody lovely day! It’s happening, it’s actually happening. Stay cool."

Now, during his recent Awesome Con appearance, Frost did touch upon his reported casting as Hagrid. The actor's exact comments were:

“It’s in no way, shape, or form confirmed. I’m thrilled that I would even be considered.”

This seems to suggest that Frost is intentionally trying to keep fans guessing until an official cast announcement is made, with the deal yet to be finalized. Until then, we can't say for sure that he is going to play Hagrid in the show.

However, if Frost does end up playing the role, he will be joining John Lithgow's Albus Dumbledore, who has been officially confirmed to play the eccentric Hogwarts headmaster.

Other than Lithgow, Paapa Essiedu is closing a deal to play Snape while Deadline reports Janet McTeer is being considered to play Professor McGonagall. However, as the production date of Summer 2025 approaches, we can expect to hear an official cast announcement soon, including the main trio.

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What is the upcoming Wizarding World series about?

Before an official confirmation on April 12, 2023, rumors of a Harry Potter series were circulating across the internet for a while. Each season of the show will be adapting one book of the series. At the time of announcement, Casey Bloys, the chairman and CEO of HBO & Max Content, released the following statement:

“We are delighted to give audiences the opportunity to discover Hogwarts in a whole new way. Harry Potter is a cultural phenomenon and it is clear there is such an enduring love and thirst for the Wizarding World. In partnership with Warner Bros. Television and J.K. Rowling, this new Max Original series will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years.”

Approximately a year later, it was revealed that Francesca Gardiner would be serving as showrunner for the series and Mark Mylod would direct multiple episodes. In an interview with the official Harry Potter blog, they revealed that the series would delve deeper into the lore of the fictional universe and also include Peeves, a character that the movies had ignored.

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What do you think of Nick Frost playing Rubeus Hagrid in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter show?