Nicholas Hoult was announced Aug. 11 as Gilderoy Lockhart, the charmingly self-obsessed professor introduced in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. His decision to join the Harry Potter reboot series quickly drew criticism from fans opposed to author J.K. Rowling’s involvement in the production and her continued attacks on transgender rights.
On Monday, the production announced Hoult had dropped out because of a scheduling conflict. There is no indication his departure was directly connected to the backlash.
“Before we begin year two at Hogwarts, there has been a slight change due to schedule,” the show’s official Instagram account shared. “Kit Harington will be stepping into the role of Gilderoy Lockhart.”
Harington is already familiar with Hogwarts’ famously vain Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. The Game of Thrones alum voiced Lockhart in Audible’s 2025 full-cast adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Kenneth Branagh played the character in the 2002 film.
Harington now becomes the latest performer to enter a franchise that has faced renewed boycott calls and criticism because of Rowling, who serves as an executive producer on the television adaptation.
Directors Are Publicly Turning Down the Series
Hoult’s exit arrives shortly after two prominent queer directors revealed they had rejected opportunities to work on the show because of Rowling’s anti-transgender rhetoric.
Ally Pankiw, whose credits include Black Mirror, Shrill and I Used to Be Funny, shared a screenshot of a conversation in which her agent asked if Harry Potter was a “hard no.”
“Absolutely f*cking not!” Pankiw responded. She added in the caption, “It simply is this easy to say ‘no’ to funding transphobia.”
Kate Herron, known for directing Loki, Sex Education and episodes of The Last of Us, then revealed that she had also been approached more than once.
“They’ve asked me twice and I’ve had to explain my answer is never going to change from a ‘no,’” Herron wrote.
What the ‘Harry Potter’ Cast Has Said About Rowling
Several members of the show’s cast have also been asked to explain how their participation squares with Rowling’s public campaign against trans rights.
Bel Powley, who will play Petunia Dursley in the upcoming series, said she strongly loves the book series but disagrees with the author’s views.
“I strongly disagree with J.K. Rowling’s views on gender,” Powley said. “I think that the trans community deserves dignity, safety and acceptance. And I think that it’s really important to say that.”
Powley stressed that accepting the role should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Rowling’s positions.
Nick Frost, who will play Rubeus Hagrid, also said Rowling’s opinions do not align with his own.
“She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine,” Frost said. “They just don’t align in any way, shape or form.”
Paapa Essiedu, the show’s Severus Snape, was among more than 1,500 entertainment industry figures who signed an open letter supporting the trans, nonbinary and intersex communities following a controversial U.K. Supreme Court ruling. Rowling later said she did not have the authority to fire Essiedu and would not do so if she did. The Guardian reported that Rowling had financially supported the group involved in the case.
John Lithgow, who plays Albus Dumbledore, has offered a more complicated response. He initially described Rowling’s views as “ironic and inexplicable” and admitted the backlash made him consider leaving the production.
“It was a hard decision,” Lithgow said. “It made me uncomfortable and unhappy that people insisted I walk away from the job. I chose not to do that.”
Lithgow later said some of Rowling’s comments had been “twisted and misrepresented.” He maintained that the opportunity to play Dumbledore and work with the creative team ultimately outweighed his hesitation.
The Reboot Is Still Moving Forward
Rowling remains an executive producer on the adaptation and has said she worked closely with its writers. She has denied being transphobic despite years of comments and financial support for efforts restricting transgender rights.
Francesca Gardiner serves as writer, showrunner and executive producer, while Mark Mylod will executive produce and direct several episodes.
The cast includes Lithgow as Dumbledore, Essiedu as Snape, Frost as Hagrid, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall and Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy. Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout lead the series as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, respectively.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone premieres Dec. 25 on HBO Max.
