'Superman' actor joins HBO's 'Harry Potter' as Gilderoy Lockhart
HBO's 'Harry Potter' has welcomed another big name. Variety reports that the second season of the show based on 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' will feature Nicholas Hoult as Gilderoy Lockhart. For those unaware, the character was introduced in the second book of the series as the latest 'Defence Against the Dark Arts' teacher after Quirinus Quirrell. He was a fraudulent wizard who gained fame by taking credit for other people's adventures with dark creatures. Eventually, he lost his memory because of a memory charm gone wrong with Ron's wand. In the movies, the character was played by Kenneth Branagh, who received much acclaim from fans for his portrayal of the vain wizard.
Hoult previously appeared in the British teen drama 'Skins' and the Hulu comedy 'The Great.' His role in the latter as Emperor Peter III of Russia earned the actor Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. On the big screen, he is mostly known for his appearance as Lex Luthor in 2025's smash hit 'Superman.' He is all set to reprise the role in the upcoming 'Man of Tomorrow.' He has also made heads turn as Hank McCoy, also known as Beast, in the 'X-Men' series. Recently, he starred in movies like 'Juror #2' and 'Nosferatu.' His next appearance will be in Amazon MGM Studios’ 'How To Rob a Bank,' set to release in November this year.
During a podcast with Josh Horowitz, it was revealed that Hoult auditioned for the part of Harry Potter in the original movies. He, in fact, received multiple callbacks before the role ultimately went to Daniel Radcliffe. Decades later, his dream of featuring in the iconic book series' adaptation has finally come true. In the HBO series, Hoult joins an ensemble cast including Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, Alastair Stout, John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu and Nick Frost.
J.K. Rowling, Mark Mylod, Neil Blair, Francesca Gardiner, Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films are involved as executive producers of the HBO series. Gardiner, in addition to being an EP, is also the showrunner of the first installment. Mylod has also been in the director's chair for multiple episodes. Jon Brown, who served as a writer in the first season, will be on board as a co-showrunner in the second season. The first season, based on 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,' has already finished filming and will be released on Christmas Day this year. Months before the first season's premiere, HBO renewed the show for a second season.
