Kit Harington has replaced Nicholas Hoult as Gilderoy Lockhart in the second season of HBO‘s upcoming Harry Potter series.
Hoult’s casting was announced earlier this month, but it has now been confirmed that he has left the production due to scheduling conflicts with two other projects, according to Entertainment Weekly.
In his place will be Game Of Thrones star Harington, who has already played the character in a full-cast audio version of Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, which was released by Audible last December.
Lockhart is a vain and fraudulent wizard who becomes Hogwarts’ new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher in the second book, and he was portrayed by Kenneth Branagh in the 2002 film adaptation.
When accepting the audiobook role, Harington told Variety: “It was a really simple yes, because I love the character. It was a no-brainer.”
Hoult had faced criticism for taking the role, due to J.K. Rowling‘s controversial views on gender and the trans community. Some fans of the actor objected to his involvement in the project, on which Rowling serves as executive producer, with one saying “all of my goodwill towards him is fully gone”.
Several other cast members have distanced themselves from Rowling’s views, with Petunia Dursley actor Bel Powley saying she “strongly disagrees” with Rowling on the issue, adding: “I think that the trans community deserve safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance”.
John Lithgow, who is playing Albus Dumbledore, said he considered leaving the project after receiving criticism but ultimately chose to stay. He has described Rowling’s views as “ironic and inexplicable”, while saying the books themselves are “clearly on the side of the angels, against intolerance and bigotry”.
Nick Frost, who is portraying Rubeus Hagrid, said his opinions “don’t align in any way, shape or form” with Rowling’s. Severus Snape actor Paapa Essiedu, meanwhile, signed an open letter calling for the UK entertainment industry to protect trans rights.
Season two of HBO’s adaptation is set to begin filming this autumn, while the first season will premiere on HBO Max on Christmas Day.
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