Harry Potter TV Show Cast Adding Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall

The Harry Potter TV show is close to casting two key members of the Hogwarts staff. A two-time Oscar nominee is negotiating to play a key character while a previously reported actor is closing a deal for another role.

HBO’s Harry Potter TV show has been touted as a “faithful adaptation” of J.K. Rowling’s books, with the series diving deep into each of the 7 novels over 10 years. While the Harry Potter TV series is expected to cast unknown child actors to play Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, more experienced and recognizable performers are seemingly being sought for the adult characters. Award-winning actor John Lithgow has been cast as Albus Dumbledore, and two more names have been added to the Harry Potter TV show cast.

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Deadline reports that Janet McTeer is in negotiations to play Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter TV show. The trade also reports that Paapa Essiedu is closing his deal to play Severus Snape. HBO reportedly declined to comment on the latest Harry Potter TV series casting news, but the network did release a statement to Deadline declaring that they will only confirm details about the show as deals are finalized:

McTeer would undoubtedly be a talented addition to the Harry Potter TV show cast. She is a two-time Academy Award nominee, first earning a Best Actress nomination in 1999 for her role as Mary Jo Walker in Tumbleweeds (she won a Golden Globe for the role) and scoring a Best Supporting Actress nod for playing Hubert Page opposite Glenn Close in 2011’s Albert Nobbs. McTeer’s television work is also noteworthy, as she delivered an Emmy-nominated performance as Clementine Churchill in the HBO film Into the Storm and landed notable roles in Netflix’s Ozark and Jessica Jones. Essiedu is an equally talented actor, earning an Emmy nomination for his breakthrough role as Kwame in the HBO miniseries I May Destroy You before landing roles in high-profile projects like AMC Plus’ Gangs of London, The Lazarus Project, and the Black Mirror episode titled “Demon 79.”

Harry Potter fans should be happy to know two acclaimed performers are joining the cast as Professors McGonagall and Snape. Besides Albus Dumbledore, these two characters are arguably the most important recurring members of the Hogwarts staff. McGonagall (played the late Maggie Smith in the 8 Harry Potter movies) is the Deputy Headmistress under Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts’ Transfiguration professor, and the head of Gryffindor House. Snape is the potions professor at Hogwarts and his history with Harry Potter’s parents initially makes him antagonistic towards the boy wizard. Both characters’ lives are dramatically changed after [Spoiler Alert] Dumbledore’s death.

Some fans are skeptical of the Harry Potter TV show due to the film series’ stellar reputation and the involvement of the controversial Rowling. However, the show is undoubtedly assembling a cast of talented actors for key roles. That said, the success or failure of the Harry Potter TV show will likely come down to nailing the casting for Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

HBO’s Harry Potter TV show is expected to premiere on Max in 2026 or 2027.

Harry Potter

Showrunner

Francisca Gardiner

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  John Lithgow

  Albus Dumbledore

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Source: Deadline