As an actor playing an established character, you have big shoes to fill - but arguably few bigger than the beloved role of Harry Potter.
When HBO announced they were making a new series of Harry Potter, all eyes were on who would be stepping into the role of the young wizard - and now we know that's Dominic McLaughlin.
A new picture of Dominic from set wearing Harry Potter's trademark round glasses and Hogwarts uniform has been released, and it's captured the interest of the internet. He is joined by Arabella Stanton, who plays Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout, who plays Ron Weasley. After a casting call last year, the talented trio beat over 30,000 actors to the role.
Under a picture of Dominic on Instagram, fans were quick to share their thoughts. 'Nice casting, exactly looks [like] little Harry,' one user commented. Another penned 'He looks great as Harry!'
Who is Dominic McLaughlin?
Dominic McLaughlin is Scottish actor, who started his career at the Performance Academy Scotland, where he has studied for the last five years.
The school were excited when they learned Dominic got the part of Harry, sharing a statement that read: 'We are not sure this will ever feel real but we said from the start that Dominic was the perfect Harry and we are thrilled for everyone else to see this soon, too.'
How old is Dominic McLaughlin?
Dominic McLaughlin is 11-years-old. This is actually the same age Daniel Radcliffe was when he took on the role of Harry Potter in the Philosopher's Stone.
What else has Dominic McLaughlin been in?
Being just 11-years-old, Dominic doesn't have much screen time to his name so far. However, it's going to a busy year for the young actor. Alongside Harry Potter, he will also be appearing in a Sky comedy called Grow, alongside Nick Frost (who plays the new Hagrid in Harry Potter) and Golda Rosheuvel.
The series follows a man who returns to the town he grew up in after his father's death, but becomes involved in some dodgy drug deals.
Dominic has also starred in Macbeth at the Royal Highland Centre, with Indira Varma and Ralph Fiennes.
Who else has been cast in the Harry Potter series?
Other confirmed cast members confirmed include, John Lithgow as Album Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.
When does the HBO's Harry Potter start?
The series will debut on HBO late 2026 or early 2027 - so we have a couple of years to wait yet! Like the films, it will follow Harry as he attends Hogwarts, and learns that he is a wizard. While it was initially thought that each season of the shoe would cover one of the seven books, the project could run for 'ten consecutive years' according to Casey Bloys, the head of HBO.
'The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen,' said executive producers Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod while introducing actors who play Harry, Ron and Hermione in May. 'We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It’s been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.'
Alice Hall is the Staff Writer at Grazia UK. She was previously a Junior Features Writer for The Daily Telegraph. At Grazia, she writes news and features about pop culture, dating, health, politics and interiors.