At this point in my life, I’ve been a ridiculously huge Harry Potter fan for a long time, with an entire wardrobe consisted of Gryffindor T-shirts. I love rewatching the Harry Potter movies, re-reading the books, and even just watching and reading fan theories about the franchise over and over again. However, one thing making me a little nervous has been HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV show.
Do I trust HBO a lot? Of course. The network has delivered iconic shows that have gotten the world talking, and have helped to change the culture of entertainment as we know it, with The Wire, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, The Sopranos and more proving its value, even if not everything is a clear-cut winner.
But it’s the beloved character Hagrid that I’ve been worried about, as it was announced some time ago that Shaun of the Dead vet Nick Frost would be taking over the role of Hagrid for the TV series. Though I’ve had my doubts, my thoughts on the matter have actually changed in the meantime.
Robbie Coltrane (may he rest in peace) as Hagrid, this is an opportunity to introduce the series to a new generation. I could see another actor playing Hagrid and becoming the love of this generation of kids.
Even so, it’s hard to let things go, and when Nick Frost was cast, I was a little concerned. I knew he was a great comedic actor, but would he be able to bring the zaniness to Hagrid that we love, as well as the devotion he has for magical creatures and his students? Could he show just how warm those giant hugs would truly be? I didn’t know.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait long to find out.
Nick Frost’s Performance In How To Train Your Dragon Changed My Mind
I freaking loved the live-action How To Train Your Dragon movie. I mean, everyone did, considering the film smoked the competition at the box office. But if we’re talking about all these live-action movie remakes, this one takes the cake. It’s better than most other Disney live-actions out there.
And one of the best parts was Nick Frost as Gobber the Belch. He perfectly captured the essence of the animated character and elevated it to a level I didn’t think possible. He was hilarious and heartwarming, and I honestly cannot see another actor playing him.
That’s what makes me so sure of Hagrid. If he can somehow capture that crazy character who sicked dragons on his students to try and teach them a lesson, then I really think he could rock it as Hagrid.
I Have Full Faith He’ll Bring Hagrid To Life
There have been some casting decisions for the HP TV show that I haven’t been massively supportive of fromt he start. Some have been great, to be sure, while others are more questionable.
But honestly, Nick Frost is the kind of actor that will really take it to another level. He has the skills and the comedic chops. And now, I know he can act well under loads of costuming and make-up – so Hagrid is the perfect choice for him.
Whether this series will end up being just as good as the original HP films, which have become some of the best fantasy movies of all time, is still up for debate. We’ll have to wait and see – and maybe reread the books and watch the film again in the meantime.