HBO’s “Harry Potter” series will recast its Ginny Weasley ahead of Season 2’s filming.
While Gracie Cochrane will appear as Ginny for Season 1, which debuts this Christmas, she won’t return for the second installment of the series due to “unforeseen circumstances.”
“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,” a statement from Cochrane and her family reads. “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.”
“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,” an HBO spokesperson said in a statement. “We wish Gracie and her family the best.”
Cochrane’s casting as Ginny was first unveiled in August 2025 alongside the rest of the Weasley siblings, which includes Tristan Harland as Fred Weasley, Gabriel Harland as George Weasley and Ruari Spooner as Percy Weasley.
The recasting news comes just two weeks after the “Harry Potter” series officially landed a Season 2 renewal from HBO, with production aiming to kick off this fall. The quick turnaround to get back into production falls in line with HBO boss Casey Bloys’ previous comments regarding not having a “huge gap” to account for the growth of their younger cast.
The recasting won’t be the only shift ahead of Season 2, with Season 1 writer Jon Brown (HBO’s “Succession,” “The Franchise”) also being elevated to co-showrunner alongside Francesca Gardiner.
“As we have laid out our plans for the overlapping production schedules to finish season one by Christmas and to return to production for season two this Autumn, it has become clear that bringing on a co-showrunner is the key to maintaining our momentum,” Gardiner said in a statement at the time. “I’ve loved working with Jon from the very first day we met on ‘Succession’ through to these recent times together on ‘Harry Potter.’ Not only do I have huge admiration for his writing, but he’s also a brilliant collaborator and a lovely person. We are lucky to have him.”
