Nicholas Hoult to play Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ series
Nicholas Hoult is headed to Hogwarts as Gilderoy Lockhart.
The British actor has been cast as the vain Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in the second season of HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series.
Hoult, 36, will take over the role previously played by Kenneth Branagh in the 2002 film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Lockhart is known in the wizarding world for his "larger-than-life" reputation and his books on defeating dark creatures. However, his actual magical abilities are still up for debate.
The second season is expected to adapt the second installment of the Harry Potter books. Production is set to begin this fall, with the first season premiering on Dec. 25, 2026.
Hoult joins a cast led by Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.
The series also stars John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
Hoult is best known for playing Beast in the X-Men prequel films and for playing Lex Luthor in Superman (2025). He also earned an Emmy nomination for his role as Emperor Peter III of Russia in the Hulu series The Great.
The HBO series will follow the Harry Potter books across multiple seasons, with each season adapting one novel in the series.
