A casting row has erupted online following the reveal of the young actors set to play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger in HBO’s upcoming TV reboot of the beloved book series.
Earlier this week, Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout were announced as the three actors chosen to portray the wizard trio in the new adaptation of JK Rowling’s novels.
They join a cast that already includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Hagrid.
While the casting has been celebrated by some, others have taken to social media to voice frustration over one recurring oversight.
Fans pointed out that once again, a key physical detail from the books has been overlooked – Harry Potter’s green eyes.
One user on X posted: “Dominic McLaughlin, who will play Harry Potter. This is perfect, just one thing. The eyes Harry is meant to have green eyes. But in this picture, it looks blue.”
Another questioned: “Black hair. Green eyes. How is this so hard?”
A third echoed the sentiment, writing: “Where’s his green eyes?” while a fourth person fumed: “It can’t possibly be that f***ing hard to find a black haired child with GREEN eyes to play Harry Potter.”
Another fan added: “Far from being precious about the books, one thing I hope is that Harry gets his green eyes back.”
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The detail is considered significant by fans, as Harry’s green eyes are frequently mentioned throughout the books and are a direct link to his mother, Lily Potter.
This connection plays a key emotional role in scenes involving Snape, who reveals his complicated feelings toward Harry largely stem from this resemblance.
This isn’t the first time fans have raised concerns over Harry’s eye color.
Daniel Radcliffe, who played the character in the original film series, also had blue eyes.
Attempts to use green contact lenses during the filming of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone were abandoned due to an allergic reaction.
Despite the backlash, Rowling voiced her approval of the casting news, writing on X: “All three are wonderful. I couldn’t be happier.”
Executive producers Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod also praised the new trio in a joint statement.
They wrote: “After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione, and Ron.
“The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen.
“We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It’s been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.”
The Harry Potter TV series is set to stream exclusively on Max in 2026.
