HBO's Harry Potter Officially Casts Its New Sorting Hat and Ghosts

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has filled out its cast

HBO's new Harry Potter TV show is just two months away, but key roles are still being cast — or at least officially announced — for the series. The new Harry Potter will be full of fresh faces, including new lead actors Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.

On Friday, HBO confirmed new actors for multiple key roles, including Hogwarts' Sorting Hat and a handful of spooks, specters, and ghosts that haunt the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

HBO's Harry Potter has four new ghosts

New to the cast of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is Leo Bill, who will portray Nearly Headless Nick, the house ghost of Gryffindor Tower at Hogwarts Castle. Also known as Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, the role was previously played by John Cleese in the eight-part Harry Potter film series.

Andrew Brooke is the show's new Bloody Baron, the house ghost of Slytherin House. The late Terence Bayler played the baron in the film version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Daniel Fearn is Harry Potter's Fat Friar, the house ghost of Hufflepuff House. The late Simon Fisher-Becker played the friar in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Laura Smyth is Harry Potter's new Fat Lady, the witch-turned-painting who guards the entrance to Gryffindor Tower at Hogwarts. Elizabeth Spriggs played the Fat Lady in the films.

They'll join Peter Serafinowicz (Shaun of the Dead, The Tick), who was cast earlier this year as Peeves the Poltergeist. Peeves is a character from the books who was cut from the film adaptations.

Finally, David Threlfall is the television series' new Sorting Hat. Leslie Phillips voiced the hat in the films.

HBO's latest casting news follows recent confirmation of three other key roles. Jasper Talbot (Broadchurch) and Hannah Chinn (The Conjuring: Last Rites) are confirmed to be the new James and Lily Potter in HBO's Harry Potter. Additionally, Harry Gilby (The Last Kingdom) has joined the cast as Charlie Weasley, the second-eldest son of Molly and Arthur Weasley and brother of Ron.

The full cast of HBO's Harry Potter

HBO has assembled an all-new cast for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, starting with young lead actors Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. They'll be supported by 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, Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Elijah Oshin as Dean Thomas, Tristan Harland as Fred Weasley, Gabriel Harland as George Weasley, Ruari Spooner as Percy Weasley, Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil, Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown, Finn Stephens as Vincent Crabbe, William Nash as Gregory Goyle, Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick, and Sirine Saba as Pomona Sprout.

The robust cast also includes Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy, Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Gracie Cochrane as Ginny Weasley, Richard Durden as Cuthbert Binns, Louise Brealey as Rolanda Hooch, Bríd Brennan as Poppy Pomfrey, Leigh Gill as Griphook, and Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander.

The second season of the show, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, is also coming together, with Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) playing Gilderoy Lockhart, Lenny Rush voicing Dobby, Billy Barratt playing Tom Riddle, and Rafe Spall as Arthur Weasley.

The series' first season, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Dec. 25.