HBO’s HARRY POTTER Series Casts Bel Powley and Daniel Rigby as the Dreaded Dursleys
The Dursleys have been cast in the new live-aciton Harry Potter series and they’re bringing their signature brand of magical denial and emotional repression.
Variety reports that Bel Powley and Daniel Rigby have been cast as Petunia and Vernon Dursley in HBO’s Harry Potter series, offering a fresh take on one of the wizarding world’s most dysfunctional Muggle households.
Fans of the franchise know the Dursleys all too well: Petunia is Harry’s bitter aunt and the estranged sister of his late mother, Lily. Vernon, her equally unpleasant husband, is the kind of man who prides himself on his normality and has an allergic reaction to anything that might seem remotely unusual, including magic.
Together, they raise Harry in a cupboard and treat him more like a stray dog than a child. In the original film adaptations, Fiona Shaw and Richard Griffiths played the roles with a delicious mix of comedy and cruelty.
Bel Powley is best known for roles in The Diary of a Teenage Girl, White Boy Rick, and Apple TV+’s The Morning Show. Her TV work has recently included Masters of the Air and A Small Light.
Daniel Rigby, who nabbed a BAFTA TV Award for Eric and Ernie, will tackle the gruff and huffy Vernon. His recent work includes Renegade Nell, and Tom Jones, and he’s also set to appear in Amazon’s upcoming Blade Runner 2099.
Still to be cast is Dudley, their overindulged son and professional pudding-eater.
This news follows previous casting reveals, including Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, and Alastair Stout as Ron.
The ever-growing ensemble also features John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Filch.
HBO promises a “faithful adaptation” of J.K. Rowling’s beloved novels. According to the official logline, the series will be “exploring every corner of the wizarding world,” with each season delivering the full Harry Potter story to “new and existing audiences.”
Francesca Gardiner (Succession, His Dark Materials) is writing and executive producing the series, and will also serve as showrunner. Director Mark Mylod (Game of Thrones, The Menu) will helm several episodes and executive produce.