It's been less than two weeks since HBO officially announced that Superman star Nicholas Hoult would play Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter Season 2 (an adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets). Now, though, Hoult is out, and Game of Thrones star Kit Harington is in.
As we first revealed on SFFGazette.com, Deadline has confirmed that, with Hoult already busy with two other projects, scheduling issues became a factor, and he's been released from his deal with the premium cable network. Why has this happened after contracts were signed? Well, it's said that Harry Potter had to move around Lockhart's scenes as Season 2's production schedule is being figured out, hence the clash.
From there, HBO reached out to Harington, who was available and excited to take over the role. Of course, this isn't the first time he's played the debonair Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
The actor previously took on the role in Audible's Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions, where he received widespread acclaim from fans and critics alike. Thor director Kenneth Branagh portrayed the character in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, released in 2002.
The news of Hoult's casting was met with something of a mixed response, prompting speculation that it contributed to his decision to move on from this Wizarding World role. That remains unfounded at this time.
In J.K. Rowling's novels, Lockhart is a celebrity wizard famous for his autobiographical books detailing encounters with dark creatures. A Ravenclaw alumnus and Order of Merlin recipient, he taught Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, but not all is as it seems with Gilderoy.
Discussing his approach to voicing the character in The Full-Cast Audio Editions, Harington previously said:
"There was very little research needed because I know the book so well and because I essentially come from the same world as Lockhart. I look at it this way: There’s a little part of Lockhart in all of us, and there’s more than a little bit of Lockhart in me. So I didn’t need to stretch too far. I knew that if you’re coming in and doing audio, you’re gonna go quite big for a character like that. I didn’t want to play him too suave. He is that much removed from reality that he can be as big as you like."
"I like Lockhart. I can see the trap he’s fallen into. I’ve probably fallen into it many times in my life being an actor. He’s a wonderful fable for anyone in the creative arts about getting ahead of yourself, hubris and this terrible lesson about seeing who you are but everyone else can see who you are. There’s a fear that we all have, like “Am I who I think I am or is everyone laughing at me behind my back?"
In The Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter's summer has included the worst birthday ever, doomy warnings from a house-elf called Dobby, and a rescue from the Dursleys by his friend Ron Weasley in a magical flying car.
Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridors—and then the attacks start. Students are found as though turned to stone... Dobby's sinister predictions seem to be coming true.
The main cast of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone includes Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, and Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone premieres on HBO Max this Christmas.