Lenny Rush is HBO's Dobby, and nobody will say whether he will be CGI, motion capture or prosthetics
HBO Max’s new Harry Potter TV show has picked its Dobby — a BAFTA-winning actor — and fans are already wondering about one key detail.
Right, Harry Potter is back in the spotlight (as if it ever really left), and HBO’s shiny new series adaptation has stirred up a genuine frenzy over its latest bit of casting. Lenny Rush — yes, the BAFTA winner — is stepping in as Dobby, and honestly, fans cannot stop arguing about what on earth that actually means.
Lenny Rush joins HBO's Harry Potter series as Dobby, prompting a flurry of speculation about whether Dobby will appear as CGI, practical effects, or something else entirely.
Dobby was, of course, one of the most memorable weirdos from the original films — a sort of wobbly digital elf with big eyes and even bigger feelings, all computer-generated by Warner Bros. Toby Jones did the voice work back then, and not a single actor bothered to squeeze into a set of pointy ears; Dobby was pasted in afterwards using full CGI.
Now though, with Rush on the call sheet, the whole process is up in the air, and fans are in meltdown. Social media responses range from pure delight to utter disbelief: plenty are over the moon at the thought HBO might try a more 'real' approach — makeup, puppetry, maybe something out of The Muppet Show playbook, you get the idea. Others are already bracing for disappointment if it turns out he's only providing the voice while the VFX team work their usual wizardry behind the curtain.
Just to clear it up: as things stand, nobody at HBO has confirmed what method they're actually using. Rush might pull on a motion capture suit, he could sit in a dark VO booth, or they might glue rubber ears onto the poor bloke — there’s just no official word.
New Faces in the Wizarding World
Dobby, of course, isn’t the only new face on the Hogwarts Express. Billy Barratt is on board as the teen Tom Riddle — prime villainy material. If you’re keeping track of the books, he’ll be causing trouble via that sinister diary in season two’s crack at Chamber of Secrets. That plotline gets plenty of fans worked up anyway, so bringing in a new Riddle is no small thing.
They’re also shaking things up with Ginny Weasley. Out goes Gracie Cochrane after season one, in comes Bonnie Hill as Ginny for the next run. If you recall, Ginny pretty much owns the stage in Chamber of Secrets, so the recast is a proper big deal. The internet’s already got opinions about that — as always.
Still, it’s Dobby who’s dominating the conversation. Until someone from HBO comes clean about how they’re bringing him to life, don’t expect the speculation to die down.