HBO Casts James, Lily and Charlie for Harry Potter Series

HBO has cast Jasper Talbot as James Potter, Hannah Chinn as Lily Potter and Harry Gilby as Charlie Weasley in the first season of its Harry Potter television series, adding characters whose roles in the story differ from their appearances in the earlier films. The announcement places Talbot and Chinn in the roles of Harry Potter’s parents, who are dead before the main events of the first novel begin. Gilby will play Charlie, the second-oldest Weasley brother, who works with dragons. HBO has not said how much screen time any of the three characters will receive. Charlie is mentioned in the first book but does not physically appear in it. In the novel, he helps arrange for the young dragon Norbert to be taken from Hogwarts and sent to Romania. One report speculated that Gilby’s casting could mean Charlie helps in person, but HBO has not confirmed a change to that plot. James and Lily appear in the first story through references and images, including Harry’s memories and a photo album. Their deaths at the hands of Voldemort provide the backstory for Harry’s life with the Dursleys and his entry into the wizarding world. The casting announcement does not specify which scenes...