Inside life of HBO's Hermione Arabella Stanton and where you've seen her before
HBO has revealed the young stars set to embody the iconic characters Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley in its highly anticipated television adaptation of J. K Rowling's celebrated book series.
This new venture promises a "faithful adaptation" of the beloved books, with J. K Rowling herself taking a hands-on approach as an executive producer.
Fan anticipation has reached fever pitch with recent announcements revealing who will portray Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, and Rubeus Hagrid. However, until now, the identities of the actors portraying the core trio have been a closely guarded secret, reports Surrey Live.
An astonishing 32,000 hopefuls auditioned for the parts made famous by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, with the selection process asking 9 to 11-year-olds to submit a video performing a narrative or poem and another discussing someone or something dear to them.
Dominic McLaughlin is set to step into Harry Potter's shoes, while Alastair Stout will take on the role of loyal friend Ron Weasley. Meanwhile Arabella Stanton has been cast as the smart and fearless Hermione Granger.
Despite her young age, Arabella may already be recognised by some, given the 11-year-old's previous acting experience. So where might you have seen her before?
Arabella previously took on the titular character Matilda Wormwood in the West End production of Matilda the Musical between 2023 and 2024. Her acting portfolio also includes playing the narrator Control in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express.
An Instagram account run by her parents showcases the budding star's achievements in the arts. On the eve of her 10th birthday, Arabella reflected: "I started auditioning for Matilda the Musical the week after my 9th birthday and feel so lucky and honoured to have spent the age of 9 being able to play Matilda Wormwood at the Cambridge Theatre, London for the Royal Shakespeare Company (and at Buckingham Palace for an extra special performance at the BBC 500 Words Final).
"Being able to play the part of Matilda as my West End debut has been incredible... dreams really can come true! Thank you for the opportunity @thersc. I'm hoping double digits will bring more exciting opportunities."
True to her words, just over a year later, it was announced via her Instagram that she would be stepping into the shoes of Hermione Granger, succeeding Emma Watson.
Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod, showrunner and executive producer respectively, celebrated the fresh cast additions, saying: "The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen."
They also expressed their gratitude to the multitude of young stars who auditioned: "We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It's been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there."
HBO Harry Potter series cast so far
Harry Potter: Dominic McLaughlin
Ron Weasley: Alastair Stout
Arabella Stanton: Hermione Granger
Albus Dumbledore: John Lithgow
Minerva McGonagall: Janet McTeer
Severus Snape: Paapa Essiedu
Rubeus Hagrid: Nick Frost
Quirinus Quirrell: Luke Thallon
Argus Filch: Paul Whitehouse
Harry Potter is expected to release on HBO Max in 2026
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