Nick Frost on Playing Hagrid in HBO’s HARRY POTTER: “I’m Never Going to Copy Robbie Coltrane”

Nick Frost knows exactly what he’s walking into, with HBO’s Harry Potter series adaptation, and he’s not taking it lightly.

Frost is stepping into the oversized boots of Rubeus Hagrid, the beloved Hogwarts gamekeeper originally brought to life by the late Robbie Coltrane.

While fans might be wondering how Frost plans to approach such a towering character, the Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz actor made it clear that there will be no mimicry, but plenty of respect. The actor told Collider:

“I’m going to try and do something, not ‘different,’ I think you have to be respectful to the subject matter, but within that, there’s scope for minutia.

“I always read Hagrid as he’s like a lovely, lost, violent, funny, warm child. I think the beauty of being able to do a book a season means I get to explore that a lot more, and I can’t wait.”

Frost’s comments come with a heartfelt nod to Coltrane’s legacy, with Frost saying: “I’m really aware of what went before me.” While he’s carving out his own version of the character, he’s doing it in full view of the shadow cast by Coltrane’s “amazing performance.”

This new HBO take on Harry Potter is shaping up to be something far more expansive than the films. Each season will adapt one book, offering deeper dives into characters and storylines that didn’t always have room to breathe in the original movie format.

That added depth is part of what excites Frost, who clearly sees the opportunity to peel back the layers of Hagrid’s complex personality.

Joining Frost in this reimagined series are Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.

Other key roles include John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, Luke Thallon as Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Filch.

Behind the scenes, the show is helmed by Succession director Mark Mylod, with His Dark Materials writer Francesca Gardiner as showrunner. Executive producers include J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and David Heyman, who also produced the original film series.

For Frost, he is looking to find the humanity and the humor inside the half-giant character who’s rough around the edges but endlessly lovable. And if there’s one thing he’s sure of, it’s this: “I’m never going to copy his ( Coltrane’s) work.”