Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the eight-film 'Harry Potter' franchise, has revealed he wrote a letter to Alastair Stout, the actor taking over the role in HBO's upcoming television series. Speaking to the BBC, Grint said he 'passed the baton' to Stout before production began, wishing him well and expressing hope that Stout enjoys the experience as much as he did.
Grint acknowledged the 'family resemblance' between himself and Stout, and described the new adaptation as 'a whole new thing' that will be 'its own thing.' He added that it feels 'quite strange to have the cycle happening again' but expressed intrigue about the series.
Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter in the films, also reached out to his successor, Dominic McLaughlin. Radcliffe told 'Good Morning America' that he wrote a letter to McLaughlin, receiving a 'very sweet note back.' He said he wanted to encourage the young actor to have an even better time than he did, noting that seeing pictures of the new cast makes him want to hug them.
Despite the new adaptation, Grint said he will 'never step out of Ron Weasley's shadow,' but he is fine with that. He expressed pride in the franchise's lasting impact and reiterated his support for new actors taking over the roles, having previously told GQ Magazine UK in July 2023 that he would love to see 'Harry Potter' adapted as a TV series.
The HBO series, which also stars Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, is set to debut on HBO and HBO Max in 2027.
