Kit Harington Backed HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Reboot Long Before Landing Gilderoy Lockhart Role

Kit Harington is heading back to premium fantasy television, but his enthusiasm for Hogwarts started long before he bagged a wand. The former *Game of Thrones* star was already an outspoken champion for HBO’s upcoming *Harry Potter* series long before securing his own spot in the reboot's ensemble cast. Harington is set to join the project for its second season, which adapts the fantasy novel *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*. Speaking during a recent podcast interview, the actor revealed that he immediately thought adapting the magical universe into a long-form television show was a brilliant idea, praising its potential to explore storylines the original feature films had to streamline.

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Harington’s affection for the wizarding world stretches back to his childhood as an avid reader of the books, but the fantasy series took on a vital new significance in his adult life. The actor shared that listening to the *Harry Potter* audiobooks narrated by Stephen Fry became an essential part of his daily routine and mental well-being. He explained that an overactive mind has always made going to sleep difficult, a struggle that became particularly challenging after he achieved sobriety. Listening to the audiobooks every evening became his primary tool to settle his brain before sleep, giving the stories a deeply meaningful place in his life.

BUZZBEAT

That bedtime routine has now come full circle into a major role. Harington has officially signed on to portray the vain, fame-seeking wizarding author Gilderoy Lockhart, who steps in as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher during the events of *The Chamber of Secrets*. Going from a dedicated nightly listener to a core cast member, Harington is bringing his major television star power back to HBO, ready to put his own spin on the flamboyant fan-favorite character.