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'Harry Potter' series: HBO casts the Sorting Hat, Nearly Headless Nick and the Fat Lady

Just before Halloween, the Hogwarts ghosts are set: 'Shameless' star David Threlfall voices the Sorting Hat. The series premieres on HBO on Dec. 25.

TWN newsroom1 min read
Title graphic: 'Harry Potter' series casts the Sorting Hat, ghosts and Fat Lady

Graphic: TERRA WORLD NEWS (own graphic based on the sources listed)

HBO's 'Harry Potter' series has cast more well-known Hogwarts characters. British actor David Threlfall, known as Frank Gallagher in the UK series 'Shameless', voices the Sorting Hat, which assigns new students to their houses. Leo Bill ('Alice in Wonderland') plays the Gryffindor house ghost Nearly Headless Nick.

Laura Smyth ('Baby Reindeer') takes on the Fat Lady, the portrait guarding the Gryffindor common room that only lets students in with the right password. Andrew Brooke plays the Bloody Baron, Slytherin's house ghost, and Daniel Fearn the Fat Friar, the ghost of Hufflepuff.

The first season adapts 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone', with each season meant to follow one of J.K. Rowling's seven books. Harry, Hermione and Ron are played by Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout; John Lithgow is Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu Snape and Nick Frost Hagrid. Francesca Gardiner wrote the series, and Mark Mylod directs several episodes. It premieres on Dec. 25, 2026, on HBO and HBO Max.

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