Kit Harington replaces Hoult as Lockhart in HBO Harry Potter
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- Kit Harington will replace Nicholas Hoult as Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO's Harry Potter series, playing the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher in the second season based on Chamber of Secrets.
- Nicholas Hoult was released from the production after its filming schedule conflicted with his other commitments, a departure announced just two weeks after his casting had been confirmed.
- Harington previously voiced Lockhart in Audible's full-cast adaptation of The Chamber of Secrets, released in 2025, and told Collider he is a "huge Potter fan" for whom Lockhart is "one of my favourite characters."
- HBO's first season, Philosopher's Stone, is due to premiere on 25 December, with production on the second season scheduled to begin this autumn.
- Gracie Cochrane, who plays Ginny Weasley in the first season, is also leaving the series and will be replaced for season two, making Harington's casting the latest in a string of second-season recasts.
- Hoult faced backlash for joining the production from those opposed to JK Rowling's views on sex and gender, a controversy Harington's casting now sidesteps by default.
Why it matters: Harington's existing familiarity with Lockhart — through the Audible adaptation and his stated fandom — reduces the creative risk of a mid-pre-production recast, while HBO absorbs its second consecutive casting change for season two just weeks before the first season premieres on 25 December, raising questions about how stable the multi-season production slate is as it scales across Rowling's seven novels.
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