Original Weasley Actor Reveals His Honest Feelings About the New HBO Harry Potter Series [Exclusive]

Domhnall Gleeson is preparing to lead his next big TV project, but he hasn’t forgotten about the global franchise that gave him one of his earliest high-profile roles. While speaking with Collider’s Emma Kiely for a new interview to promote Peacock’s The Paper, Gleeson was asked about the HBO reboot of Harry Potter and whether he felt any sense of ownership of the series given his role as Bill Weasley. The actor admitted that while the films were a major cultural milestone, his own involvement was fairly minimal compared to some of his castmates.

“It’s funny to be at the age where stuff is getting made again. [Laughs] In some aspect of it, you just check your age. But no, I think it’s cool. I think it’s really well suited to TV. And also, I wasn’t inHarry Potter that much so I don’t feel that it’s mine in the same way that maybe some of the others would have a right to. I just hope it’s really good. I don’t really feel ownership of that.”

Though his run as Bill Weasley was relatively brief, Gleeson has since gone on to carve out a diverse career across film and television, from Ex Machina to Star Wars to The Revenant. Now, he’s stepping into something entirely different with his latest project.

What Is ‘The Paper’ About?

Just a day before its premiere, Peacock announced that The Paper has already been renewed for a second season. The streamer also confirmed that all Season 1 episodes will drop at once on September 4, giving fans of The Office the binge release strategy they’re used to. The early renewal is a clear vote of confidence in the show, signaling Peacock’s belief that it can carry on the comedy legacy of its predecessor.

Set in the same universe as the Emmy-winning workplace sitcom, The Paper follows the same documentary crew that once shadowed Dunder Mifflin. This time, their cameras turn to a historic Midwestern newspaper fighting to stay alive under the guidance of its eccentric publisher. Along the way, fans will spot connections to The Office, most notably through Oscar Nuñez reprising his role as Oscar Martinez, who has traded in paper sales for life at a newspaper after the Scranton branch’s closure.

The cast is led by Gleeson as Ned Sampson, alongside Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young, Tim Key, and Oscar Nuñez. The series is co-created by The Office mastermind Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, with Daniels also serving as co-showrunner, executive producer, and writer of the pilot. Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein, and Ben Silverman also executive produce.

Daniels hinted that the creative team has already started laying groundwork for Season 2:

“We definitely have ideas. We’ve been talking about stories for a possible Season 2. It’ll be interesting to see what the audience thinks. We’ve gotten really good feedback from people inside the company and journalists and friends, but you never know what the broader world of Office fans are going to think of it.”

The Paperpremieres September 4 on Peacock.