Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter in the film series, has written a letter to Dominic McLaughlin, the 11-year-old actor cast as the new Harry Potter in the upcoming HBO television series. Radcliffe shared the news during an appearance on Good Morning America on Tuesday, saying he sent a letter to McLaughlin and received a sweet note in return.
McLaughlin was announced for the role in May, alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, following an open casting call. The series also features John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
Radcliffe expressed his hopes for the young actor, saying: 'I just wanted to write to him to say, 'I hope you have the best time, and an even better time than I did.' He added that he sees pictures of McLaughlin and the other child actors and wants to hug them, noting how young they seem.
Radcliffe has distanced himself from the new series due to his falling out with author JK Rowling over transgender rights. He told E! Online in 2024 that he believes the producers want a 'clean break' and that it would not work for him to be involved.
The new series is set to premiere in 2027 and will be a 'faithful adaptation' of Rowling's books, with Rowling serving as an executive producer. HBO has said the series will run for 10 consecutive years.
