‘Harry Potter’ HBO series starts production, casts Neville Longbottom
Aidan Monaghan/HBO
Cameras have started rolling on HBO’s Harry Potter series.
Production has started on the upcoming Harry Potter TV series at the Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, England. The show is filming in the same location where all eight of the Harry Potter films were made.
HBO has also announced new members of the show’s cast. Rory Wilmot will play the young Gryffindor wizard Neville Longbottom while Amos Kitson will play Harry Potter’s cousin, Dudley Dursley.
Additionally, Louise Brealey will play flying instructor and Quidditch referee Madam Rolanda Hooch and Anton Lesser will take on the role of wandmaker Garrick Ollivander.
As previously reported, newcomers Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout will play the golden trio of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in the series.
HBO has released a behind-the-scenes photo of McLaughlin in costume as Harry Potter, lighting-bolt-scar-on-the-forehead and all.
The upcoming show is described as a faithful adaptation of the books by author J.K. Rowling, who serves as an executive producer on the series. Multiple seasons of the show are planned, with each one bringing the Harry Potter characters on new adventures.
The Harry Potter series will premiere on HBO and HBO Max in 2027.
Former television host Ananda Lewis has died, her sister Lakshmi Emory shared in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Lewis was 52.
Lewis, who was known for her role as an MTV VJ and host of Teen Summit, was battling Stage 4 breast cancer.
“She’s free, and in His heavenly arms,” Emory wrote on Facebook. “Lord, rest her soul.”
Lewis first revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2020, via an Instagram video that included her hope to encourage other women to get a mammogram. Lewis was battling Stage 3 cancer at the time.
“I have been fighting to get cancer out of my body for almost two years,” she said at the time. “For a really long time, I have refused mammograms, and that was a mistake.”
Lewis admitted that she refused regular mammograms because of her fear of being exposed to radiation.
People with an average risk of breast cancer are recommended to start mammogram screening starting at age 40 and even younger for those with higher than average risk. Mammograms are considered safe. They emit a very small amount of radiation, but less than a standard X-ray.
“I need you to get your mammograms,” she implored, sharing that she had to adjust her diet and lifestyle. “I still have a lot of work to do. … I wish I could go back. I have a 9-year-old I need to be here for.”
In October 2024, a year after her cancer had progressed to Stage 4, Lewis spoke with ABC News’ Kelley L. Carter to talk about her diagnosis and the treatment decisions she had to make, which included a refusal to undergo a medically recommended double mastectomy followed by rounds of chemotherapy.
“I couldn’t handle doing such a drastic surgery in my life at that time,” she said. “I was a stay-at-home mom, homeschooling my son. Cancer doesn’t come and replace all the other stuff you have to do. Cancer happens on top of your life, and for me, it was just too overwhelming in the beginning.”
Lewis said at the time that she had opted for homeopathic treatment, including a change in her diet and fractionated chemotherapy, which is not recommended by doctors as effective.
Since she revealed her cancer diagnosis, Lewis faced criticism from others for her decision to not have surgery years earlier.
“None of those people know me and they don’t know the details of my situation,” she said. “I’m not gonna sit here and battle people about their opinions. That has no bearing on my life. It’s a waste of my time. And I don’t have time to waste.”
“Life owes me nothing,” she added. “Every day I get, I’m grateful for. What I do is focus on what I can fix. And what I can control.”
Lewis, who was born March 21, 1973, in Los Angeles, began her career on BET when she landed a role as host of Teen Summit in 1993, a talk show program that focused on issues faced by Black teens. It also included live performances.
In 2001, she had her own talk show called The Ananda Lewis Show.
The role that many know Lewis for was as an MTV VJ. She hosted a variety of shows including Total Request Live and Hot Zone.
She was a correspondent on The Insider from 2004 to 2017.
In her 2024 interview with Carter, when asked how she wanted people to remember her, Lewis said, “That I loved hard and lived loud and didn’t back away from problems and loved this life. And was O.K. with letting it go too.”
“It’s a temporary situation, so do your best,” she added. “That’s all we’re all doing is our best.”
Demi Moore is opening up about her relationship with Bruce Willis.
The Oscar nominee has been named People magazine’s World’s Most Beautiful person of 2025. In the corresponding cover story, Moore opened up about how she will always have a deep appreciation for her former husband.
Moore said that when it comes to her relationship with Willis, she is most grateful for their ability to remain a family throughout everything.
“Regardless of what the outside relationship has been, we have maintained being a family in various forms. The foundation of making our children our priority has never wavered,” Moore said.
The actress shares daughters Rumer, Scout and Tallulah with Willis.
“Giving birth is one of the only times that you can 100 percent know that pain is bringing you a gift,” Moore said. “And when you can apply that to other things, you start to see that that is a truth of all things that are difficult.”
Moore also said it felt incredible to be present while Rumer gave birth to her granddaughter, Louetta.
“Rumer was at Scout’s birth; Scout and Rumer were at Tallulah’s birth. Rumer had a home birth, and there was a moment when I thought, ‘Oh boy, I don’t know if she’s going to make it,’ like she has a different pain threshold than I do,” Moore said. “To just see her move into her own power and focus, it was a really extraordinary, beautiful moment.”
Krysten Ritterwill be reprising her role as the Marvel superhero for the second season of Daredevil: Born Again, Disney announced at its Upfront presentation Tuesday.
Ritter first played the role in the Netflix series Jessica Jones, which ran for three seasons from 2015-2019.
“It’s so great to be back, returning to Jessica after three seasons and The Defenders and now joining the MCU,” Ritter said. “I’m so excited to bring back this iconic character, and without giving too much away, there is much more in store for Jessica Jones. This is going to be an incredible season!”
Jessica Jones was one of five Marvel series that aired on Netflix, including Daredevil and The Defenders, before Disney launched its own streaming service, Disney+.
Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio reprised their Daredevil roles for Daredevil: Born Again, which aired its first season on Disney+ earlier this year.
Disney is the parent company of Marvel and ABC News.
