‘Harry Potter’ Star Bonnie Wright Desires Ginny’s Nuanced Moments in HBO Series

“Harry Potter” actor Bonnie Wright, best known for her role as Ginny Weasley in the eight-film Warner Bros. series, is excited about HBO’s upcoming adaptation of the J.K. Rowling novels. As someone who portrayed Ginny from ages 9 to 19, Wright hopes the new TV series includes some crucial moments that were missed in the original films, such as key interactions between Ginny and Harry, originally played by Daniel Radcliffe.

Wright shared her thoughts with Variety during Sunday’s Back to Hogwarts event at New York’s Grand Central Terminal. “So many things. More of the development of the relationship between Ginny and Harry,” she said, pointing to nuanced moments where their love begins to blossom. Wright desires to see more of Ginny’s character arc, becoming a loyal partner to Harry and understanding his journey deeply. She also wishes for more screen time for other beloved characters like Neville and Luna. “If only we could have had five-hour movies,” she mused. “I just hope we see that evolution of that character — and so many characters.”

While she refrains from giving specific advice to the new cast members, Wright acknowledges the “bit more pressure” the young actors might face today. “When we were making them, we didn’t know where ‘Harry Potter’ was going,” she said. “At the time, there wasn’t social media, and there wasn’t as much access to public opinion.” She believes that this generation of actors has the chance to bring their unique interpretations to the roles. “I don’t think I would have any advice, to be honest, because I think it’s so important for them to be in their world and their interpretation of it,” Wright added. She is looking forward to being on the other side this time, watching the new series as part of the audience. “I really hope that the interpretations feel different and alive and new and fresh.”

The idea of making a cameo appearance in HBO’s “Harry Potter” series, slated for a 2026 premiere, doesn’t appeal to Wright. She believes that having the original cast in new roles could be confusing. “It might be weird. So no, I’m happily just going to be watching,” she confirmed.

Instead, Wright is excited about her new role as a guest judge on Food Network’s upcoming “Harry Potter”-themed baking competition, “Wizards of Baking.” She will join hosts James and Oliver Phelps, who played Fred and George Weasley in the movies. “I always love going back, so many memories bled through and come back,” she shared. Wright relished filming on some of the original “Harry Potter” sets that are now tour locations. “It was also fun doing something in a totally different context. Filming a baking show, I never would have imagined that, so it was a fun surprise.”

Wright praised the creativity of the showrunners and enjoyed working with James and Oliver again. “They just do such a fabulous job of presenting the show and making it just so fun and taking us back to all the memories and stories,” she said. The new competition allowed her not only to judge and meet contestants but also to share more stories about her time on set. “And I think people probably miss all these sets dearly,” Wright concluded.