A new actress has been cast to take over Miriam Margolyes’ iconic Harry Potter role in HBO’s upcoming television adaptation.

The performer, originally from Oxford, gained global recognition for portraying Professor Sprout throughout the film series.

Her career encompasses character work in film, theatre, and television. She won the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing Mrs Mingott in Martin Scorsese’s 1993 movie, The Age of Innocence.

Audiences also remember her portrayal of Mother Mildred in the longstanding BBC medical drama, Call the Midwife.

In 2023, the American television network HBO confirmed plans to reimagine the Harry Potter franchise as a television series.

Sirine Saba will assume the role of Professor Sprout in the forthcoming wizarding world production.

The 51-year-old British-Lebanese actress received her training at RADA and has spent more than twenty years performing on stage at Shakespeare’s Globe, the National Theatre, and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Television audiences recognize her from appearances in Doctor Who, Holby City, Midsomer Murders, Beyond Paradise, EastEnders, Unforgotten, and Silent Witness, as well as the award-nominated film The Black Forest.

Oxford holds significant ties to the Harry Potter universe, with the city and Oxford University serving as filming locations for the original movie franchise.

Christ Church College provided the architectural inspiration for Hogwarts’ dining hall, with its staircase, cloisters, and Great Hall appearing in the films.

The Bodleian Library’s Duke Humfrey’s Library stood in for the Hogwarts library, including the restricted section.

The Divinity School also appeared in various scenes, notably the dance lesson sequence featuring Professor McGonagall, portrayed by Dame Maggie Smith, who herself grew up in Oxford.