Nicholas Hoult Joins HBO's Harry Potter Series as Gilderoy Lockhart

Actor Nicholas Hoult, known for his roles in the DC Universe as Lex Luthor and the X-Men films, has been cast as Gilderoy Lockhart in the upcoming second season of HBO's Harry Potter series.

Nicholas Hoult Joins HBO's Harry Potter Series as Gilderoy Lockhart

According to Deadline, Hoult will portray the vain and self-aggrandizing wizard in the show, which is adapting J.K. Rowling's second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Season 2 is set to begin filming in the fall.

In the original film series, Lockhart was played by Kenneth Branagh. The character ranked at number 22 on our list of the Top 25 best Harry Potter characters from the books and movies, praised for his "sheer charisma" and ability to establish himself as a renowned wizard through false claims and memory charms.

Lockhart's incompetence as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts eventually exposes his fabricated achievements, courtesy of Harry Potter and his friends.

Hoult is currently working on the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow and will next appear in the theatrical release of How to Rob a Bank on November 13. His extensive filmography includes roles in Mad Max: Fury Road, The Great, Warm Bodies, Nosferatu, Renfield, The Menu, Tolkien, About a Boy, and Skins.

The first season of HBO's Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone television series, consisting of eight episodes, is scheduled to debut on Christmas 2026 and will be available exclusively on HBO Max. The show is written and executive produced by Francesca Gardine, with a cast that includes Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and other notable actors in their respective roles.