Kit Harington has explained what drew him to the upcoming second season of HBO’s Harry Potter series, even as the show faces backlash over author J.K. Rowling’s involvement and questions about whether a new adaptation is needed at all.
Why was Kit Harington excited to enter Harry Potter’s world?
The Industry actor will play Gilderoy Lockhart, a Hogwarts professor, in Season 2, which draws from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Kenneth Branagh played the role in the 2002 film version.
Speaking with Today, Kit Harington said his connection to the books runs deep and predates any controversy surrounding the project. “I’ve been a lifelong Harry Potter fan,” he said. “I was a fan when I was a kid, and then I rediscovered it as an adult, listening to it every night. I listen to it every single night, and it helps me go to sleep, and I know other people do that as well, so they’re really important books to me,” Harington added.
That familiarity extends beyond casual fandom. Kit Harington voiced Lockhart in a full-cast audio edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, released by Audible in December 2025. He also pointed to the format itself as a draw, arguing that a series allows for depth that the films couldn’t achieve. “When I knew this was happening as a series, I thought it was the best idea,” Harington said.
“I love the films, but with this, they can really explore the books at their fullest, and for a book nerd like me, that was a really great idea. So it was one that I had eyes on, I really wanted to be in it, and the part I’m playing is just the best,” he added.
The series, which aims to adapt all seven Harry Potter books, has drawn criticism on two fronts: skepticism that another adaptation is necessary, and objections tied to Rowling’s comments on transgender issues, which critics have called anti-transgender.
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