Nick Frost says landing the role of Hagrid in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series wasn’t just luck, it was something he actively tried to make happen long before the casting was announced.
The British comedian, now officially set to step into the shoes of the beloved Hogwarts gardener, revealed that his journey towards the role began months earlier with a very personal ritual.
In an interview on January 29, Frost shared that the idea came from his partner, who encouraged him to try to manifest the role originally played by the late Robbie Coltrane.
Frost took the suggestion seriously and immersed himself fully in the wizarding world during the holidays.
“So last Christmas I watched all the films back to back on the Sky Harry Potter channel while typing the word ‘Hagrid’ 7,000 times,” he said.
The unusual effort seems to have borne fruit.
Frost was officially cast in April 2025 and has been working on the series since production began in July.
His connection to Harry Potterhowever, goes far beyond the single moment of manifestation.
He explained that watching the movies again is a long-standing family tradition.
“I’ve seen all the movies,” he said, adding that they watch them together every Christmas. “We start on December 20 and finish a week and a half later.”
Frost has also been open about how seriously he approaches the role and the responsibility that comes with it.
Earlier in June 2025, he spoke about the legacy of Coltrane and made it clear that he is not trying to copy what came before.
“While I’m really aware of what went before me in terms of Robbie [Coltrane]’s amazing performance, I will never try to be Robbie,” said Frost.
“I will try to do something – not ‘differently’, I think you have to be respectful of the subject – but within that there is room for detail.”
He believes that the long TV format will allow him to explore Hagrid in greater depth than ever before.
Frost described his personal reading of the character by saying, “I always read Hagrid as he’s like a lovely, lost, violent, funny, warm kid.”
He added that adapting a book per season opens up space to dig into these layers, something he is particularly excited about.
Humor is also central to how Frost plans to portray the fan-favorite character. He aims for a version of Hagrid that fully embraces his emotional range.
“I want it to be fun and cheeky and scared and protective and childish. That’s what I’m going to do,” he said.
HBO’s Harry Potter series is currently in development and expected to premiere in 2027, with Frost’s take on Hagrid already drawing attention to the passion and intent behind it.
