The upcoming Harry Potter series may have found its Hagrid, and the choice could be the perfect person for the role!
One of the biggest challenges for HBO’s Harry Potter adaptation is going to be the casting. It’s one thing for fans of the long-running book series who have imagined the characters in their heads. It’s another when the 2001-2011 movie series had what some would consider near-perfect casting for each character.
The HBO show hasn’t officially confirmed their castings yet, but according to various sources, the planned cast will include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape.
Now, Deadline is reporting that Nick Frost is in negotiations to play Hogwarts’ groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid. As with the other castings, HBO has yet to confirm the news themselves. However, Frost himself seemed to tease it with an Instagram post saying, “It’s happening, it’s actually happening,” and following the accounts of Lithgow and McTeer.
If Frost is, in fact, playing Hagrid, it’d be a great casting choice to make these series all the more exciting to viewers and book fans!
Why Nick Frost is great for Hagrid
The half-giant Hagrid is the first magical character book fans fully meet in Harry Potter. The half-giant is the one who drops an infant Harry off with the Dursleys and then, a decade later, reveals to Harry he’s a wizard and brings him to Hogwarts.
Hagrid would be a regular face in the various books, there for advice and helping Harry while putting up with some prejudice on his giant status. In the movies, he was played by the late Robbie Coltrane, who also lent his likeness to the Universal Studios attractions, including the popular Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike roller coaster.
Sadly, Coltrane passed away in 2022. However, Nick Frost seems to be a great choice for this part. The veteran British actor is best known for his work with Simon Pegg in the modern classic comedies Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World’s End.
Frost has scores of other credits, such as the TV show Why Women Kill, and recently voiced the pirate droid SM-33 in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
Frost has everything it takes to play Hagrid with his great humor, deep booming voice and friendly manner. He can be totally believable as a mentor and friend to Harry, deeply loyal to Dumbledore and handling the madness of Hogwarts.
The special effects will handle the giant part yet Frost has the human qualities to make Hagrid so loveable and connect with viewers. His past work has had Frost used to FX work, so he can handle the effects. It also helps he bears a good resemblance to the books’ illustrations of Hagrid and thus perfect for fans.
Indeed, while there has been controversy over the other reported choices (such as American Lithgow as Dumbledore), many Potter fans can see Frost as a near-perfect choice for Hagrid. Again, it hasn’t been confirmed, but if Frost is playing Hagrid, it’s the best casting choice yet for HBO’s Potter series.
The Harry Potter movies are streaming on Max and Peacock.