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COURTESY OF AIDAN MONAGHAN/HBO

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A New Crew of Wizards

Meet three young actors who are putting a new spin on some of the most popular characters in history. 

November 23, 2026
By Nicole Tocco

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was published in the U.S. in 1998. Back then, few people would have guessed the boy wizard would still be popular nearly 30 years later. But readers couldn’t get enough of Harry, his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, and the magical world of Hogwarts. 

Eventually, the series included seven books that were turned into blockbuster films. Pottermania grew with the release of each new book and film. Around the world, fans dressed as their favorite characters and lined up for midnight book parties and movie screenings. 

This December, a new Harry Potter TV show will premiere. Hundreds of kids auditioned for the main roles. In the end, Dominic McLaughlin (Harry), Arabella Stanton (Hermione), and Alastair Stout (Ron) got the parts. The actors recently spoke to Scholastic News about filming the TV show and what Harry Potter means to them. 

Scholastic News: How does it feel to be playing such popular characters?

Arabella: It’s pretty cool to be bringing a new version of Hermione to life. 

Alastair: It feels like quite a lot of pressure because they’re such beloved characters. We’re the second people to play them on-screen, so it’s just like, “Am I going to do this right?” I want to bring Ron to life in my own sort of way.

COURTESY OF AIDAN MONAGHAN/HBO

From left: Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin, and Alastair Stout are the new faces of the Harry Potter series.

SN: What was the audition process like?

Dominic: It was a very fun time, actually. I met a lot of people and made friends that I’m still in contact with today. It was nerve-racking at times but never felt overwhelming. It was a bit weird to be in a room full of Harrys, Rons, and Hermiones, but it made it very easy to scope out the competition! 

SN: How did it feel to find out that you got the part?

Dominic: I was shocked and happy. I was with my dad, and we were both so stunned that we didn’t know what to say. It didn’t feel real. It still doesn’t!

Arabella: It was pretty surreal. It was just a flood of emotions.

Alastair: I was shaking. It felt like a dream.

SN: What was one of the most memorable moments from filming?

Alastair: I had a stunt where I get flung backward from a chessboard. The buildup felt like when you’re at the top of a roller coaster. Then you get flung backward and your heart drops. But it was fun!

SN: What can you tell us about the new TV series?

Arabella: The series includes more material from the books that wasn’t in the films. We go into a lot more detail and spend more time with the characters. I think big fans of the books are really going to enjoy that.

SN: Why do you think Harry Potter has remained popular for so long?

Dominic: It appeals to people of all ages. There are lots of different themes that people relate to: happiness, sadness, fear, love, grief. Because the characters grow, the readers are growing alongside them and get more and more from each book.

Arabella: The books just got better and more thrilling as the adventure continued. It’s such a magical place to be, imagining there’s this school out there where you can cast spells and fly on broomsticks. 


Note: The interviews have been edited and condensed. 

Harry Potter By the Numbers

Scholastic, Inc. (book); Warner Bros/BFA/Alamy Stock Photo (movie poster)
  • The first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in England in 1997. The next year, it was published in the U.S. with a different title. 
  • More than 600 million copies of the Harry Potter books have been sold, making it the best-selling book series in history.
  • The eight movies based on the Harry Potter books made a total of more than $7.7 billion worldwide.

 

Sources: Bloomsbury, Scholastic, ABC News

1. What does the author mean by “Pottermania”? What examples of Pottermania does she give?

2. According to the interview, how will the new Harry Potter TV series be different from the films?

3. How does the sidebar, “Harry Potter by the Numbers,” support the main article?

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