Kit Harington defends joining HBO Harry Potter series amid backlash

Kit Harington has defended his decision to join HBO's Harry Potter television series, explaining that his lifelong fandom and the potential of the long-form format outweighed the ongoing backlash surrounding author J.K. Rowling's views on transgender issues. The actor, known for his role in Game of Thrones, will portray the vain and theatrical Hogwarts professor Gilderoy Lockhart in the series' second season, which adapts Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. He discussed his casting in an interview on the Today show on September 16, 2026. "I've been a lifelong Harry Potter fan," Harington said. "I was a fan when I was a kid, and then I rediscovered it as an adult, listening to it every night. I listen to it every single night, and it helps me go to sleep, and I know other people do that as well, so they're really important books to me." Harington expressed enthusiasm for the television adaptation's ability to delve deeper into the source material than the previous film series. "When I knew this was happening as a series, I thought it was the best idea," he stated.