Kit Harington is headed to Hogwarts. The “Game of Thrones” star has been cast as Gilderoy Lockhart in the second season of HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” series, replacing Nicholas Hoult, who has exited the production because of scheduling conflicts. HBO announced the change shortly after Hoult was revealed as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Hoult’s departure was attributed to conflicts involving his existing acting commitments, rather than a creative decision by HBO.
Harington will portray Lockhart in the season based on “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” the second book in J.K. Rowling’s series. Lockhart is a celebrated but deeply self-absorbed wizard who arrives at Hogwarts as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, only for his reputation and abilities to prove considerably less impressive than advertised. Kenneth Branagh previously played the character in the 2002 film adaptation.
The role gives Harington a head start of sorts: He already voiced Lockhart in Audible’s full-cast “Harry Potter” audio adaptations, including “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” released in 2025. The actor, best known for playing Jon Snow on HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” has also returned to the network in recent years with a role in the drama “Industry.”
HBO’s “Harry Potter” series is scheduled to debut Dec. 25, with Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. John Lithgow will play Albus Dumbledore, while Paapa Essiedu portrays Severus Snape and Janet McTeer plays Minerva McGonagall.
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