Harry Potter reboot's Lockhart will differ from audiobook version, assures Kit Harington

Kit Harington is taking over the role of Gilderoy Lockhart in Season 2 of HBO’s Harry Potter series, replacing Nicholas Hoult. Hoult had previously been announced for the part, but scheduling issues led to the role being recast.

What makes Harington’s casting more interesting is that he has already played Lockhart once. He voiced the character for Audible’s full-cast Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets audiobook, giving him some familiarity with Lockhart before stepping in front of the camera.

Still, fans should not expect Harington to simply repeat that performance. He has said his version of Lockhart in the series will be different from the one he created for the audiobook, where his voice did most of the work.

The television role gives him much more to play with. His expressions, gestures, body language, and overall presence can now become part of Lockhart’s personality, making the HBO version a new take on a character he already knows.

More details below!

Kit Harington already has experience playing Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter

For a lot of fans, Kit Harington is still popular for playing Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, one of HBO's highly successful series. However, Lockhart is a very different challenge, built around charm, vanity, and an almost theatrical confidence.

But Harington is not approaching the role completely fresh. He has experience in voicing the same character in Audible’s full-cast Harry Potter audiobook project. It includes the adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

So, earlier work gave him a chance to understand how Lockhart speaks and behaves. He has the chance to experiment with the character’s voice, attitude, and personality without having to worry too much about the live-action performance.

There is also a personal reason behind Harington’s interest in the role. He has spoken openly about being a big Harry Potter fan and has singled out Lockhart as one of his favorite characters from the series. Harington said (via Collider):

"... I’ve said a million times, for anyone who cares, that I’m a huge Potter fan. I’ve got to be honest, he’s one of my favorite characters. So, to be offered to play him is a real dream..."

That makes the casting more meaningful for him than simply taking on another fantasy role. Kit Harington has described being offered the part as a dream, especially because he was already familiar with the character.

Interestingly, Harington is not the only HBO cast member with an audiobook connection. Arabella Stanton, who plays Hermione Granger in the series, was also part of the audiobook cast and is now moving into the live-action adaptation.

For Harington, though, the previous experience gives him something useful: he already has an idea of who Lockhart is, while the television series gives him the chance to take that understanding in a new direction.

Why Harington's Lockhart in HBO's Harry Potter series will be different

The biggest difference is going to be the format. In the audiobook, Harington had his voice to establish Lockhart’s personality. On television, he can build that character through what audiences actually see on screen.

His expressions, looks, gestures, and everything else will speak a lot about the character. That matters with Lockhart because so much of his identity is tied to the image he presents to other people. His polished appearance and larger-than-life behavior are part of how he maintains his reputation as a famous author and adventurer.

Harington’s earlier performance can give him a useful starting point, but it does not lock him into one interpretation. The HBO series allows him to explore aspects of Lockhart that simply cannot be conveyed through audio alone. The actor also said:

"I think he’s going to be so fun. You said, I got to play him in the audiobooks. That’s not the exact way I’ll play him in the show because it’s an audiobook, but I’ve had a taste of him and felt my way around him. He’s just a wonderful creation."

Fans who have already heard Kit Harington in the Harry Potter audiobooks might find him even more interesting in the HBO series. The character is the same, but the way of bringing it to life is going to be entirely different.

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Also Read: 5 challenges that HBO's upcoming Harry Potter show might face

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