Kevin McKidd, who recently departed the long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy after 18 years, has addressed speculation that he might join the cast of HBO's highly anticipated Harry Potter television series. The 52-year-old actor played Dr. Owen Hunt on the show, exiting during the season 22 finale.
Fan Speculation and Social Media Clues
Rumours about McKidd's potential casting emerged when observant fans noticed that Gracie Cochrane, the young actor set to portray Ginny Weasley in the forthcoming adaptation, began following the Scottish actor on Instagram. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, McKidd responded coyly to the growing online chatter.
“I saw something about this,” he said. “And listen, I would never say never. I’m a massive Harry Potter fan.”
A Missed Opportunity from the Past
McKidd revealed that years ago, while starring in the short-lived sci-fi series Journeyman, Harry Potter director David Yates sent him a letter offering a role in the final two films: Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) and Part 2 (2011). However, he was under contract and waiting to hear if Journeyman would be renewed for a second season, which ultimately did not happen.
“So I missed out on that chance of being in the final two Harry Potter films back in the day, which still makes me sad,” McKidd admitted. He added that the “idea of getting another crack at that, because I was asked to be in it once, already gets me very excited.”
He recalled being offered the role of “some kind of werewolf character.” In the final three films of the franchise, Dave Legeno played Fenrir Greyback, the evil werewolf Death Eater enforcer.
Current Casting Status for the HBO Series
While HBO has announced most of the main cast for the Harry Potter series, including several members of the Weasley family, the role of the family patriarch Arthur Weasley has not yet been cast. British actor Katherine Parkinson has been cast as Arthur’s wife, Molly Weasley. Since Arthur does not appear until the second book, and the series plans to adapt each of J.K. Rowling’s seven books over a season, the casting announcement may come later.
“So listen, if those rumors can turn into something real, I would be very happy about that,” McKidd said.
McKidd's Farewell to Grey's Anatomy
The series is scheduled to debut this Christmas and has already been renewed for a second season, with filming set to begin this fall. McKidd officially bid an emotional farewell to Grey's Anatomy in the season 22 finale.
“Grey’s Anatomy has been a huge chapter of my life, creatively and personally, and I’m deeply grateful for everything the show has given me over the years,” the actor said in a statement. “Playing Dr. Owen Hunt and directing on the show have both shaped me enormously, and I’ve had the privilege of working with an extraordinary group of people throughout that time. I’m particularly thankful to Shonda Rhimes for creating Owen, and for the encouragement she gave me as I stepped into directing.”
