Nick Frost has shared his first insights into portraying Hagrid in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series, emphasizing his intention to bring a fresh yet respectful take on the beloved character. Known for his roles in Hot Fuzz and the live-action How to Train Your Dragon, Frost revealed he has already started pre-production preparations and is shaping his version of the Hogwarts groundskeeper to be both distinctive and familiar to fans.
“I’m very aware of what went before me—Robbie [Coltrane] gave such an incredible performance,” Frost told Collider. “I’m never going to try and be Robbie. I want to do something that isn’t just different for the sake of it. You have to respect the material, but there’s room to explore the subtleties.”
Robbie Coltrane famously played Hagrid in all eight Harry Potter films and was also influential in shaping the original book character. Frost, now set to portray Hagrid over the next decade as each novel is adapted into its own season, is excited about the long-term journey ahead.
“I’ve seen some of the sets already, and they’re working on a Hagrid beard,” Frost added in an interview with ScreenRant. Whether this refers to a prosthetic or a real beard being grown and later applied remains to be seen.
Nick Frost shares his thoughts on stepping into the role of Hagrid in the new Harry Potter TV series. Photo by Borja B. Hojas/Getty Images.
Last month, the young cast was officially announced, with Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. As a father himself, Frost expressed a strong sense of responsibility toward the child actors: “I’ll be very protective of them. That’s one of the core aspects of Hagrid’s relationship with those kids—he deeply cares for them. I can’t wait to work with them.”
The show’s adult cast includes John Lithgow (Conclave, Dexter) as Albus Dumbledore and Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You, Black Mirror) as Severus Snape.
Harry Potter HBO TV Series Cast and Characters: Who's Confirmed?
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Janet McTeer (Me Before You, The Menu) will play Minerva McGonagall, Luke Thallon (The Favourite, Present Laughter) takes on Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse (The Fast Show, Alice Through the Looking Glass) will portray caretaker Argus Filch.
Frost described his interpretation of Hagrid: “I always read him as a lovely, lost, funny, warm, and surprisingly violent child.” He continued, “The advantage of having a full season per book means I can really dive into that depth. I want Hagrid to be funny, cheeky, scared, protective, and childlike—all at once. That’s the version I’m aiming to deliver.”
Production on the first season of the Harry Potter TV series is expected to begin later this year, with the debut season scheduled to air on HBO in early 2027.
