Katherine Parkinson, Mrs. Weasley in New “Harry Potter” Series, Says Show's Young Actors Are 'Completely Enchanting' (Exclusive)

Julia MooreMon, May 25, 2026 at 6:35 PM UTC

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Katherine Parkinson attends the 'Rivals' season 2 premiere in London on May 13, 2026; Alastair Stout, Dominic McLaughlin and Arabella Stanton in HBO's 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'
Credit: Neil Mockford/Getty; Aidan Monaghan/HBO -

Katherine Parkinson will play Mrs. Weasley in the new HBO Harry Potter series

The Rivals star tells PEOPLE what filming season 1 has been like and calls the show's young stars "enchanting"

Season 1, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, premieres in December on HBO

The Harry Potter set is as magical as it seems.

Rivals star Katherine Parkinson has been cast to play Mrs. Weasley in the new TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling's bestselling book series, and though her role in season 1, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is relatively small, she couldn’t be more excited about what’s to comeshe couldn't be more excited about what's to come.

"I have found those young children just completely enchanting," Parkinson tells PEOPLE of the cast, which includes Dominic McLaughlin as the titular wizard, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, taking over the roles originated by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.

It's a "relief," Parkinson says, that the young stars are so lovely, "because I'm going to be with them for probably a long time."

"I haven't done much yet, I do a lot more on the second series," she says. "But yeah, it's a great set to be on, and I really like my wig and costume."

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Katherine Parkinson attends the 'Rivals' season 2 premiere in London on May 13, 2026; Alastair Stout, Tristan Harland, Gabriel Harland, Ruari Spooner and Gracie Cochrane
Credit: Neil Mockford/Getty; Aidan Monaghan/HBO

Parkinson, 48, was spotted filming the new series in August at London's King's Cross station. She was joined by the young actors playing her kids, including Stout.

Rounding out the Weasley family is Ruari Spooner as Percy, twins Tristan and Gabriel Harland as Fred and George, respectively, and Gracie Cochrane as Ginny.

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Cochrane will be recast for the second season of the HBO series, which will adapt 1998's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Cochrane and her family said the young actress "made the challenging decision to step away from her role as Ginny Weasley in the HBO Harry Potter series after season 1,” citing "unforeseen circumstances."

“Her time as part of the Harry Potter world has been truly wonderful, and she is deeply grateful to Lucy Bevan and the entire production team for creating such an unforgettable experience," the statement continued. "Gracie is very excited about the opportunities her future holds.”

Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin, and Alastair Stout are cast as Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley
Credit: Aidan Monaghan/HBO

In a statement, the network said, "We support Gracie Cochrane and her family’s decision not to return for the next season of HBO’s Harry Potter series, and we are grateful for her work on season 1 of the show. We wish Gracie and her family the best.”

Production began on the HBO series last July, and the eight-episode first season is slated for a Christmas premiere, with season 2 already in the works. "They're writing season two now," HBO CEO Casey Bloys told The Times of London.

The release of the show — which intends to adapt each of Rowling's seven books into its own seasons — is "not going to be annual," he told the outlet, as "the show is too big and too massive." Still, "our goal is to not have a huge gap, you know, especially because the kids are growing," Bloys said.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone premieres on HBO this Christmas.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”