HBO's highly anticipated "Harry Potter" television series has cast Tony and Olivier Award-winning actor Bertie Carvel as Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, an antagonistic character who creates significant challenges for the main stars.

Carvel is expected to take on the role of a recurring character across multiple seasons. He brings extensive theater and television experience to the wizarding world, having won critical acclaim for his stage performances and notable screen roles.

The 47-year-old British actor joins an expanding cast that includes newcomers Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. The golden trio was chosen from more than 30,000 young actors who auditioned for the lead roles during an open casting call last fall.

The latest casting reveal represents a significant age difference from the film series, where Robert Hardy portrayed Fudge starting with "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets." Hardy was in his late 70s when he joined the franchise, while Carvel's younger interpretation may offer a fresh perspective on the character.

The accomplished actor is well-known for his theater work, particularly his Olivier Award-winning performance as Miss Trunchbull in "Matilda the Musical" in London's West End. His television career includes starring as the title character in "Dalgliesh," portraying Tony Blair in Netflix's "The Crown," and appearing in "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell." Carvel was also cast in the upcoming "Game of Thrones" prequel series "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms."

Other established actors confirmed for the series include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. Luke Thallon will play Quirinus Quirrell, while Paul Whitehouse takes on the role of Argus Filch.

The series promises to be a "faithful adaptation" of J.K. Rowling's seven-book series, with each season covering one book. Francesca Gardiner serves as showrunner and executive producer, while Mark Mylod is an executive producer and will direct several episodes. Rowling herself is attached as an executive producer.

Production for the series is scheduled to begin this summer at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the United Kingdom, with the first season potentially airing as early as 2026 on HBO Max. The extended television format will allow the "Harry Potter" adaptation to explore storylines and character development that the film series had to compress due to time constraints.

HBO declined to provide official comment on the casting, stating that such a high-profile series naturally generates speculation and rumors.

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Hbo, Harry Potter, JK Rowling