It’s one thing to step into the role of an iconic and beloved literary character. It’s another thing to do so when another actor has already put their own stamp on the part. That’s the challenge for Dominic McLaughlin as he takes the lead role in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series. He has to live up to the expectations of the millions of book readers in bringing Harry to life. More daunting is having to live up to Daniel Radcliffe’s excellent portrayal of Harry in the long-running movie series.
The pressure is big on all the young actors, with HBO already ordering a second season of the series. Radcliffe himself made news in November, relating that he’d written a note to McLaughlin about taking on the role and was happy to have a letter in return. Speaking to BBC’s Saturday Mash-Up! Live, McLaughlin related how it felt to receive that letter and marveled at Radcliffe’s support.
“It was insane," McLaughlin said. "My Dad tapped me on the train and just gave me this letter. I read it and then I got to the bottom, and it said, ‘Dan R.’ I was going mad, but I had to [keep cool]. I was on the train.”
That it happened on a train is truly fitting, given the adventures Harry has on the Hogwarts Express. It’s moving to see how McLaughlin and Radcliffe have this connection, as Radcliffe knows first-hand what the young actor is going through. He was thrust into the spotlight in 1999 when he was cast as Harry, winning a massive search for the right actor and that pressure was in a time before social media.
Radcliffe was able to endure that to build up a good movie career, yet remembers how it felt to literally grow up before the eyes of the world. Given McLaughlin is likely to stick with the role of Potter for the next decade of the show makes it understandable why Radcliffe sympathaizes with the young man.
Radcliffe also discussed the letter exchange with McLaughlin on Good Morning America, saying, “I don’t want to be a specter in the life of these children but I just wanted to write to him to say, ‘I hope you have the best time, and an even better time than I did — I had a great time, but I hope you have an even better time.' And I do, I just see these pictures of him and the other kids and I just want to hug them. They just seem so young. I just look at them and say, ‘Oh, it’s crazy I was doing that at that age.’ But it’s also incredibly sweet and I hope they’re having a great time.”
Radcliffe isn’t alone, with Ron Weasley actor Rupert Grint revealing he too wrote a letter to Alastair Stout, who takes on the role of Ron in the new show. It’s good for these actors to spread their support to the new cast as trying to follow in their large footsteps is added pressure for anyone that age. As noted, the original cast didn’t have to deal with today’s social media, which is always ready with a harsh judgment.
It’s a fun connection between the two young actors who share this responsibility of doing justice to famed characters, and why this Harry Potter series will be even bigger than the movies were.
The Harry Potter movies are streaming on HBO Max. The new Harry Potter series is expected to debut in 2027 on HBO.