HBO’s Harry Potter series will create a new Ginny Weasley after child actress Gracie Cochran exits the series.
Cochran and his family said in a joint statement: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Gracie has made the difficult decision to leave her role as Ginny Weasley on HBO’s Harry Potter series after the first season.” “Her time as a member of the Harry Potter universe has been truly amazing 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 that lie ahead for her.”
An HBO representative said: “We support Gracie Cochran and her family’s decision not to return for another season of HBO’s Harry Potter series and appreciate her work on Season 1 of the show. We wish Gracie and her family the best.”
Ginny Weasley is only a small presence in the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, when she appears alongside her mother at King’s Cross station to see off her older siblings as they board the train to the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and greets them when they return.
However, the character plays a key role in Season 2, which is based on J.K. Rowling’s second series, The Chamber of Secrets, in which Ginny, the sister of Harry’s best friend Ron, is tricked into opening a secret chamber in Hogwarts castle and releasing a deadly serpent.
The first season has now finished and is due to be released this Christmas, while the second season is currently in pre-production at Leavesden Studios outside London.
