- Gracie Cochrane, who was chosen to play Ginny Weasley in Harry Potter season one, will not return to the role for the next chapter.
- According to a statement shared by Gracie Cochrane and her family, the actress decided to step away from the project because of unexpected personal reasons.
- The new Harry Potter television series, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is expected to premiere during Christmas 202
HBO's upcoming Harry Potter television series is already seeing a major change in cast before filming gets underway for its second season. Actress Gracie Cochrane, who was chosen to play Ginny Weasley in season one, will not return to the role for the next chapter.
According to a statement shared by Gracie and her family, the actress decided to step away from the project because of unexpected personal reasons. Even though her journey with the series will end after the first season, they described the experience as special and said she was thankful to the casting team and production crew for welcoming her into the wizarding world.
They also shared that she is looking forward to future opportunities in her career. HBO later released its own statement by supporting the family's decision and thanked Gracie for her work on season one.
In a statement to Deadline, the Harry Potter team stated, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Gracie has made the challenging decision to step away from her role as Ginny Weasley in the HBO Harry Potter series after season one. 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. Gracie is very excited about the opportunities her future holds.”
HBO added, “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 one of the show. We wish Gracie and her family the best.”
According JK Rowling's Harry Potter books, Ginny Weasley is the younger sister of Harry Potter's close friend Ron Weasley. Gracie Cochrane was first announced as Ginny in 2025, along with the actors playing the rest of the Weasley family, including Tristan Harland as Fred Weasley, Gabriel Harland as George Weasley and Ruari Spooner as Percy Weasley.
Other cast members include Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, Alastair Stout, John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, Nick Frost, Rory Wilmot and Lox Pratt, among others.
The new Harry Potter series, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, will premiere during Christmas 2026.