HBO has announced that actor and TV presenter Lenny Rush will play Dobby the house elf in its upcoming Harry Potter series. The 17-year-old is best known for his role in the comedy drama Am I Being Unreasonable, which earned him a BAFTA for Best Male Comedy performance.
His TV credits include presenting BBC Children in Need and the BAFTA Awards, as well as an appearance on the comedy panel show Would I Lie to You? He is also set to star in the BBC's upcoming six-part series The Reluctant Vampire, expected later this year.
Star's throwback tribute
Shortly after the casting was made public, Rush broke his silence by posting a slideshow of photographs. Among them were two throwback snaps showing him as a young child dressed as Harry Potter at the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London.
Captioning the photos, he wrote: "I am over the moon to be joining the magical world of HBO’s Harry Potter series, as Dobby. Even littler me (a massive Harry Potter fan, as you can tell) wouldn’t believe it! Very excited to join this amazing franchise."
He added: "Also, on the fourth slide, it’s only a butterbeer I was drinking, at the Harry Potter Warner Brothers tour, don’t worry!"
Season two additions
Dobby will appear in the second season, alongside two other newly announced cast members. Bonnie Hill will play Ginny Weasley, and Billy Barratt will take on the role of Tom Riddle, who later becomes the dark wizard Lord Voldemort.
Season one is set to premiere this Christmas. A synopsis teases: "There is nothing special about Harry Potter - or so his Aunt Petunia tells him. But when a mysterious letter of admission to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry arrives, it opens the door to a hidden world of magic, friendship and adventure."
"Yet behind Hogwarts’ enchanted walls lie dark secrets. Harry must find the courage to prove himself against the darkest wizard of all."
