Nicholas Hoult criticised for joining HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’

Nicholas Hoult is the latest cast member to be announced for the upcoming Harry Potter series. However, fans on social media are criticising the actor for the decision in light of author J.K. Rowling’s controversial views on gender. The upcoming HBO adaptation of the works by Rowling will consist of seven seasons, one for each of the original books. Rowling will serve as executive producer on the series. This week, Hoult, 36, has become the latest cast member to be announced for the new show, playing Gilderoy Lockhart. In the original films, the part was played by actor Kenneth Branagh. On Hot Ones in 2024, Hoult revealed that he had unsuccessfully auditioned for multiple roles in the film versions of Harry Potter, including Harry and Draco Malfoy. “I remember doing a couple of auditions, and then meeting him and maybe having fake glasses for the audition,” he recalled on the show. “Not getting the role of Harry, and then maybe coming back and [them] being like: ‘Will you audition for Malfoy?’ I don’t think I got that either, and then they were like just gradually audition for every role in Harry Potter until they were like: ‘No.’ On social media, since the announcement, Hoult has ...