Nicholas Hoult joins the Harry Potter universe as Gilderoy Lockhart, one of the key characters in The Chamber of Secrets.
Nicholas Hoult has a new destination in one of entertainment’s biggest franchises: Harry Potter. The British actor is joining HBO’s ambitious series to play Gilderoy Lockhart, the extravagant Defence Against the Dark Arts professor who will have a prominent role in the show’s second season.
The casting marks a major move in Hoult’s career, taking him from the world of Superman, where he plays Lex Luthor, straight into the corridors of Hogwarts. They are two completely different universes that underline his position as one of the most prominent British actors working across major international productions.
His arrival will coincide with the adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second book in the series created by J.K. Rowling. HBO intends to devote each season to one of the novels, allowing characters, storylines and details that received less screen time in the films to be explored more extensively.
That could be one of the biggest attractions of seeing Nicholas Hoult as Gilderoy Lockhart. The character originally appeared in the second film, released in 2002, where he was played by Kenneth Branagh. More than two decades later, Hoult will have the opportunity to create a different interpretation for a new generation of viewers.
Lockhart arrives at Hogwarts as a major celebrity within the wizarding world. He is the author of numerous books recounting his supposedly extraordinary encounters with dangerous creatures and constantly boasts about his remarkable abilities. His fame, obsession with his own image and relentless need to be the centre of attention immediately make him one of the school’s most eccentric professors.
However, behind that seemingly perfect image lies a secret that becomes crucial to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. As Harry, Ron and Hermione begin to know him better, they discover that his enormous reputation hides a very different reality.
The casting of Nicholas Hoult is particularly intriguing because of the actor’s ability to combine comedy, arrogance, eccentricity and darkness. His performance as Peter III in The Great already demonstrated his talent for turning an egotistical and unpredictable character into a magnetic screen presence.
That experience could make him an ideal fit for Gilderoy Lockhart, a character who must simultaneously work as comic relief, an insufferable celebrity and an important piece of the mystery threatening Hogwarts.
The television format could also give Hoult considerably more room to explore the character. The new Harry Potter adaptation aims to delve deeper into the novels and develop certain events in greater detail than was possible within the running time of the original films.
His involvement also comes at an especially strong point in his career. After taking on the role of Lex Luthor in Superman, Hoult continues to balance major franchises with prestigious film projects. Titles including Nosferatu, Juror #2, The Menu and The Order have strengthened his reputation as a performer capable of moving effortlessly between completely different genres.
Now, Harry Potter will add another enormous franchise to his filmography.
HBO’s new series will introduce an entirely new generation of characters. Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will portray Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout will take on the role of Ron Weasley, forming the new central trio tasked with bringing audiences back into the wizarding world.
The adult cast also includes several major names, with John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
