Kit Harington is returning to HBO, but this time, he’s going to be very blond.
The Game of Thrones star has been cast in season two of Harry Potter, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
The actor will play the vain Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Gilderoy Lockhart.
The news comes as a surprise as Superman actor Nicholas Hoult was previously reported to have been cast as Lockhart.
Hoult reportedly dropped out over scheduling issues, with the actor currently filming the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow. Deadline was first to report the news.
Harington has already played Lockhart — the actor voiced the character in the Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions of J.K. Rowling’s second Potter novel, The Chamber of Secrets.
Lockhart is, of course, the handsome yet narcissistic con artist who is hired at Hogwarts during Potter’s (Dominic McLaughlin) second year. The character is renowned in the wizarding world for his many heroic deeds, though he’s later revealed as a fraud who took credit for the acts of others after erasing part of their memories. Lockhart was previously played by Kenneth Branagh in Warner Bros.’ 2002 Chamber of Secrets film.
HBO gave an early season two renewal to Harry Potter in May and the season is expected to shoot this fall.
The show’s first season, officially titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is set to premiere Dec. 25.
Harington has a long history with HBO. In addition to Thrones, he also starred in the three-part historical drama Gunpowder and has been a main character in seasons three and four of Industry.
Along with McLaughlin, the show’s core cast includes Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger), Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley), John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore), Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall), Paapa Essiedu (Severus Snape), Nick Frost (Rubeus Hagrid), Rory Wilmot (Neville Longbottom) and Lox Pratt (Draco Malfoy).
Francesca Gardiner is the showrunner for season one and executive produces with Mark Mylod (who also directs multiple episodes); Rowling, Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV; and David Heyman of Heyday Films, who produced the eight Harry Potter movies. Jon Brown (Succession) is co-showrunner with Gardiner on season two.
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