Who Is Arabella Stanton? Meet The New Hermione In HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Series

A new chapter in the Harry Potter franchise has begun. HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter original TV series has officially cast newcomer Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. But what do we know about the rising star who will be taking over Emma Watson’s iconic role?

On May 27, HBO finally revealed who will be playing the Harry Potter trio in the network’s upcoming adaptation. Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, and Arabella Stanton will portray Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, respectively.

Over 32,000 young actors auditioned for the roles previously held by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint after HBO opened a casting call last fall. The series was seeking children between the ages of 9 and 11 who were residents of the UK or Ireland. In the initial round, candidates were asked to film two videos: one performing a short story or poem, and another talking about themselves and a family member, friend, or pet they felt close to.

ForbesOriginal ‘Harry Potter’ Star Reveals Who They Would Play In TV SeriesBy Monica Mercuri

“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,” said showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod in a statement.

Keep reading to learn more about the actress cast as Hermione, including Stanton’s previous acting experience.

Who Is Arabella Stanton?

Arabella Stanton is an 11-year-old rising actress from Britain. She is best known for playing Matilda Wormwood in Matilda the Musical in London’s West End from 2023 to 2024. She also starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s play Starlight Express as the narrator Control at Wembley Park Theatre in Wembley, England.

In a post shared to an Instagram account that appears to belong to the young star, Stanton reflected on her West End debut playing Matilda.

“I started auditioning for Matilda the Musical the week after my 9th birthday and feel so lucky and honoured to have spent the age of 9 being able to play Matilda Wormwood at the Cambridge Theatre, London for the Royal Shakespeare Company (and at Buckingham Palace for an extra special performance at the BBC 500 Words Final),” the post says. “Being able to play the part of Matilda as my West End debut has been incredible .. dreams really can come true!”

Who’s Been Cast in HBO’s Harry Potter So Far?

The casting of Harry, Ron, and Hermione follows several major casting announcements in recent months. Here are all the confirmed actors joining Harry Potter and their roles in the TV series as of May 27, 2025.

• Harry Potter: Dominic McLaughlin
• Ron Weasley: Alastair Stout
• Arabella Stanton: Hermione Granger
• Albus Dumbledore: John Lithgow
• Minerva McGonagall: Janet McTeer
• Severus Snape: Paapa Essiedu
• Rubeus Hagrid: Nick Frost
• Quirinus Quirrell: Luke Thallon
• Argus Filch: Paul Whitehouse

We are still waiting to hear the cast announcements for other major characters, including Lord Voldemort, Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Fred and George Weasley, Molly and Arthur Weasley, Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin and more.

None of the original Harry Potter actors are expected to return for the TV adaptation. English actor Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom in the blockbuster films, said he’s “too old to play Neville again.” However, he would like to play a different character: Remus Lupin, Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and werewolf.

“The character I enjoyed was Professor Lupin,” Lewis said at the Harry Potter panel at MegaCon in Orlando, Florida, in February 2024. He also honored the “incomparable David Thewlis,” who portrayed Lupin in the films. “If I was to have a go, that would be one that I’d do,” Lewis revealed.

In April 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery announced the creation of a new Harry Potter TV series on Max. The series, which will be developed over 10 years, will be a “faithful adaptation” of the successful book series from author and executive producer J.K. Rowling. The series is slated to premiere on Max sometime in 2026.