Highlights
- Gracie Cochrane will not return as Ginny Weasley after season one.
- HBO begins search for new actor to take over the role from season two.
- Series starts Christmas Day with ambitious 10-year plan ahead.
"Gracie has made the challenging decision to step away from her role as Ginny Weasley in the HBO Harry Potter series after season one," her family said in a statement shared with Deadline.
"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."
HBO responded quickly with a statement backing the decision. "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," the streaming service said. "We wish Gracie and her family the best."
Show continues production
Ginny Weasley is the youngest child and only daughter of pure-blood wizards Arthur and Molly Weasley in the Harry Potter universe.
Bonnie Wright played the character across all eight films in the original movie series based on J.K. Rowling's books.
The character has a small role in the early books but becomes increasingly important from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix onwards, eventually becoming a key figure in Harry's life.
HBO's Harry Potter adaptation already has a second season confirmed, which was announced earlier this month. Production for the second season is expected to begin this autumn.
Each season will cover one of J.K. Rowling's seven books, making this an ambitious 10-year television project.
Cochrane's casting was first revealed in August 2025 when HBO shared a selfie on Instagram with the caption "The Burrow is nearly full," showing her alongside other Weasley family actors.
Last month's trailer broke records as the most-watched HBO trailer in history, gathering over 277 million organic views across platforms in just 48 hours.
Newcomer Dominic McLaughlin takes over from Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, in the new series.
