HBO has unveiled the first look of Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid in the highly anticipated Harry Potter series. The reveal follows the network’s recent announcement that production is officially underway. Before Hagrid, HBO had shared the first look of newcomer Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter. The character of Hagrid, originally portrayed by the late Robbie Coltrane in the film franchise, will now be played by Frost, best known for his roles in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.
In the still, Nick Frost is seen wearing Hagrid’s iconic shaggy coat, along with his wild beard and unkempt hair. However, Frost’s first look received a mixed response. Many fans expressed disappointment, saying they couldn’t see the actor as a fitting choice for Hogwarts’ loyal gamekeeper. Additionally, several users voiced dissatisfaction with the casting choice for Snape in the upcoming series.
Check out the look:
A fan wrote, “I love Nick Frost and he’s a great choice for this role. But… the wig and beard look very unnatural. Makeup artists needs a bit more work on this. It’s a bit cosplaylike.” “I don’t know why but what ever pics they are sharing of casts looks like AI. is it just me or you all also felt like that??” another person questioned. A comment read, “Every photo that comes out just looks like the actor doing a Halloween costume of a movie character we already have seen and love.” “Such a good casting! Except for Snape… it’s going to be soooo distracting,” a disappointed fan wrote.
The gentle giant of the wizarding world, Hagrid, has long been a fan-favourite character in J.K. Rowling’s magical universe. The shooting for season one of the web series started on Monday at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the U.K. and is expected to go on until spring next year.
