Credit: HBOA recasting notice was issued this week to replace a key member of HBO’s Harry Potter reboot.
The upcoming Harry Potter reboot has divided fans, but it’s moving full steam ahead. Its first season – officially titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, rather than using the Sorcerer’s Stone moniker adopted by the film – starts airing this December, once again sending Potterheads into the magical world created by JK Rowling.
Like the first book and film, Season 1 will follow Harry (Dominic McLaughlin) as he discovers his magical ancestry and starts school at Hogwarts. There, he befriends Ron Weasley (Alistair Stout) and Hermione Granger (Arabella Stanton) and uncovers a conspiracy involving the Philosopher’s Stone.
Filming on the first season has already wrapped, with HBO sharing the first footage in a teaser earlier this year. The turnaround won’t be long, however, with Season 2 – adapting Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – expected to begin production in August.
But before cameras roll again, HBO has an unexpected problem to solve. Following the departure of one of the show’s main cast members, the studio is now racing to find a replacement.
HBO Begins Urgent ‘Harry Potter’ Casting Search
HBO has put out a casting call via Cast It Talent, seeking children aged 10 to 12 who are UK residents.
Specifically, the casting call is seeking an actress to play Ginny Weasley – younger sister of Ron Weasley, who plays a major role in the show’s second season.
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Originally, the role was awarded to Gracie Cochrane. In May, Cochrane exited the show due to “unforeseen circumstances,” leaving the part of Ginny vacant at a critical time in the story.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets sees Ginny Weasley – played by Bonnie Wright in the OG films – step into a much larger role as a first-year Hogwarts student. After unknowingly falling under the influence of Tom Riddle’s diary, she becomes central to the mystery of the Chamber’s reopening.
In other words, the young actor needs to be prepared to carry a pretty large role – one that grows bigger in later instalments, such as Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, when Ginny and Harry begin a romantic relationship.
As part of the casting call, young hopefuls must “prepare a short poem or story of your choosing” and ” record a short video telling us a bit about yourself.” The deadline for submissions is July 17, 2026.
While Cochrane is the first star to actually leave the series, she’s not the only one linked to a potential exit.
John Lithgow has been open about his moral dilemma starring in an adaptation of JK Rowling’s work. The actor, who plays Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore, previously admitted he “considered quitting the series” over concerns that remaining involved could be seen as endorsing Rowling’s views on the transgender community.
Speaking to The New York Times, Lithgow said that he ultimately “decided not to” leave the show. However, he also acknowledged that the subject of Rowling and her anti-transgender sentiments will likely come up “in every interview I will ever do for the rest of my life.”
Are you happy with the cast of the Harry Potter reboot?
