New Generation of Harry Potter Child Stars Earns a Massive Payday
The latest trio of child stars in the new Harry Potter TV series are set to earn a staggering sum for their roles. Dominic McLaughlin, 12, Alastair Stout, 12, and Arabella Stanton, 11, have landed the parts of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger respectively in HBO’s small-screen adaptation. They beat over 30,000 other hopefuls to secure these iconic roles.
This reboot follows in the footsteps of Daniel Radcliffe, now 36, Rupert Grint, 37, and Emma Watson, 35, who rose to fame as young actors in the original film series based on J.K. Rowling’s beloved wizarding franchise.
Dominic, Alastair, and Arabella made their first major appearance this week when the trailer for the upcoming first series was released. The show is scheduled to premiere at Christmas, creating a lot of excitement among fans.
According to a TV insider, the child stars are set to earn £500,000 for the first season alone. This means they will be earning around £60,000 per episode, given that there are eight episodes in the first series, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
“This is a huge payday for three kids who haven’t even reached their teenage years yet — and it’s just the beginning,” the source said. “If they keep this up, they’re on track to be multi-millionaires before they turn 18.”
The Legacy of the Original Harry Potter Cast
The original Harry Potter films catapulted several actors into stardom. Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, James and Oliver Phelps (Weasley twins Fred and George), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) all became household names.
Other adult actors also found lasting fame through their roles. Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid, Dame Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall, and Sir Michael Gambon as Dumbledore are still revered today.
Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter, was reportedly paid £1 million for the first film at the age of 12. By the final two films, he had earned £37.5 million. His earnings didn’t stop there, as he continued to receive royalties from the franchise. It’s said he has now amassed a fortune of £96 million.
Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, earned a total of £49 million from the film franchise, with £24 million coming from the last two films. Her career has continued to thrive, with roles in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Beauty and the Beast, and Little Women.
Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley, earned £21 million for his role. In recent years, he has appeared in Knock at the Cabin and the AppleTV+ series Servant.
The Financial Success of the Harry Potter Films
The Harry Potter film series, which ran from 2001 to 2011, was an enormous financial success. It grossed $7.7 billion (£5.8 billion) worldwide against a budget of $1.2 billion (£904 million) for eight movies.
The final instalment, Deathly Hallows – Part 2, is among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time, having earned $1.3 billion (£979 million) alone.
The success of the films was built on the popularity of the original books, which have sold over 600 million copies worldwide and are the best-selling book series in history.
When Will the New Harry Potter TV Series Be Released?
The first Harry Potter series is set to debut at Christmas 2026, earlier than initially expected. Originally, it was thought to be released in early 2027.
J.K. Rowling serves as an executive producer for the series, which has sparked some controversy due to her past anti-trans comments. These comments have been publicly condemned by several members of the original cast, leading to some tensions.
Despite this, the cast of the new series, including John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, Nick Frost as Hagrid, and Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, has received support from the original leads.
Daniel Radcliffe expressed his support for the new cast, saying: “They just seem so young. I just look at them and say, ‘Oh, it’s crazy I was doing that at that age.’ But it’s also incredibly sweet, and I hope they’re having a great time.”
The Harry Potter TV series will air on HBO this Christmas.
