HBO’s “Harry Potter” series is casting Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart for Season 2, replacing Nicholas Hoult, who exits the production. Multiple outlets report that the change affects a central character tied to the second book, “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, TVLine, and /Film all describe the switch as Hoult stepping away and Harington taking over the Lockhart role.
The reasons for Hoult’s departure are presented differently across coverage. Variety and the entertainment trades cite scheduling conflicts as the cause. Metro also reports Hoult’s exit, but adds that the initial announcement sparked fan backlash related to discussions about Hoult and author J.K. Rowling’s social media activity. The outlets generally agree that Hoult’s replacement is Harington.
Harington’s involvement connects to prior “Harry Potter” audio work: he voices Lockhart in Audible’s audiobook productions, taking over the role from Kenneth Branagh. Metro and Variety also note Harington had expressed enthusiasm for the character. Filming for the new season is expected to begin in the fall, with the first season releasing on HBO and HBO Max on Christmas Day.
