The announcement of the new trio stepping into the iconic roles of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley has sparked a wave of reactions online. Chosen from over 30,000 hopefuls, Dominic McLoughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout have officially been unveiled as the faces of the upcoming Harry Potter series. While the showrunners’ statements brim with excitement, the fandom — as always — is less unanimous.
Harry Potter — too cheerful, too well-fed?
15-year-old Dominic McLoughlin, previously seen in the series The Plan, is the new face of Harry Potter. But his casting drew the most backlash: fans claim he looks "a bit too plump" and "too content with life" for a boy who grew up in a cupboard under the stairs.
"He’s sweet, but he looks more like Dudley than Harry," reads one viral post.
In Rowling’s books, Harry is portrayed as a skinny, somewhat sickly boy, always a bit of an outsider. McLoughlin, critics argue, currently gives off more "kind athlete" energy than "miserable orphan." Still, the showrunners assure fans of his "extraordinary talent," and Rowling herself declared she "couldn’t be happier."
Hermione — canon to the teeth
Arabella Stanton might be the most spot-on casting choice. While some viewers noted her darker skin tone, the majority of comments are full of praise: chestnut hair, prominent front teeth — everything matches the books.
"Finally, Hermione looks like Hermione — not her Hollywood version," fans rejoice.
Ron — new-gen crush material
Newcomer Alastair Stout has been hailed as the breakout discovery: ginger, freckled, with a shy smile. His casting is perhaps the only one that’s been unanimously embraced.
"This is Ron! And he’s even cuter than before," fans gush.
Some are already swooning: "I think I’ve found my new crush."
HBO plays it safe — and learns from the past
After last year’s online storm over a fan film featuring a Black Snape, the show’s creators seem to have taken a far more cautious approach. This time, the casting decisions were made with J.K. Rowling’s full involvement — a strategic move that signals both creative control and brand protection. And she’s made her stance crystal clear: shortly after the new trio was announced, Rowling posted on X, "All three are wonderful. I couldn't be happier." Despite lively discussion online, the cast has been mostly well-received. And in a clear effort to avoid another digital firestorm, HBO turned off comments under official posts before the debate could even begin. When the author herself speaks, the internet tends to pause — if only for a moment.
Interestingly, J.K. Rowling had a hands-on role in casting the original Harry Potter films — and she was more than pleased with the results. She famously called Rupert Grint "perfect" as Ron Weasley and worked closely with Alan Rickman, personally selecting him for the role of Snape and even sharing secrets about the character that never made it to the books.
So, the Harry Potter series has officially entered a new era — with fresh faces and familiar emotions. Some will miss Radcliffe and Emma Watson; others are hopeful for a more “by-the-book” adaptation. One thing’s for sure: when it comes to Hogwarts, no one stays indifferent.
