HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Reveals New Hagrid in First Look Photo

Nick Frost’s transformation into Rubeus Hagrid is complete!

As production on the Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout-led Harry Potter TV series began Monday, HBO released the first look at the Shaun of the Dead actor as the beloved Hogwarts gamekeeper.

In the behind-the-scenes photo, snapped at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, UK, where filming on the “faithful adaptation” of J.K. Rowlings’ book series is currently underway, Frost can be seen in his robes and sporting Hagrid’s iconic long hair and beard. HBO said on social media that the actor “has walked his first day in the big boots of Hagrid on the set of the new HBO Original Harry Potter series.”

Frost takes over the role portrayed by the late Robbie Coltrane throughout the film series, though he told Collider in June of taking on the role that he is “never going to try and be Robbie.”

“You get cast because you’re going to bring something to that. While I’m really aware of what went before me in terms of Robbie’s amazing performance, I’m never going to try and be Robbie,” he said. “I’m going to try and do something, not ‘different,’ I think you have to be respectful to the subject matter, but within that, there’s scope for minutia.”

The Hot Fuzz star added that he’s “always read Hagrid as he’s like a lovely, lost, violent, funny, warm child. I think the beauty of being able to do a book a season means I get to explore that a lot more, and I can’t wait. He’s funny! I want it to be funny and cheeky and scared and protective and childlike. That’s what I’m planning on doing.”

Filming on the debut season of Harry Potter series, which will adapt the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, began Monday at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the U.K. and is expected to release in 2027, HBO said. Online reports suggest that Season 1 and Season 2 will film back-to-back, though HBO hasn’t confirmed those plans. Each season of the series is set to cover one book in Rowlings’ series.

The series, written and executive produced by Francesca Gardiner, also stars John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape. Katherine Parkinson, Lox Pratt, Johnny Flynn, Leo Earley, Alessia Leoni, Sienna Moosah, Bertie Carvel, Bel Powley, and Daniel Rigby round out the cast.