Thai-British actress lands Pansy role in Harry Potter series
Official Harry Potter channels have confirmed Thai-British actress Laila Barwick in the new HBO cast as Pansy Parkinson.
- Thai-British actress Laila Barwick has been cast as Pansy Parkinson in the new HBO Harry Potter television series.
- The character is described as a Slytherin student and a friend of Draco Malfoy.
- Barwick, who is of British and Thai ethnicity, confirmed the news on her Instagram account.
- The first season of the new series is scheduled to debut on HBO in Christmas 2026.
Thai fans have reason to celebrate after HarryPotter.com, the official Wizarding World website, announced that Laila Barwick has been cast as Pansy Parkinson in HBO’s new Harry Potter television series.
The official casting update lists her among the new Hogwarts students and identifies Pansy as a friend of Draco Malfoy.
Barwick also confirmed the news on Instagram via her account, @laila.barwick, saying she felt “incredibly lucky” to have been cast and was excited to join Slytherin.
Her agency profile lists her ethnicity as British and Thai and gives her location as Greater London, England.
The casting gives a young actress of Thai heritage a notable role in one of the franchise’s best-known Slytherin characters.
The latest official update says the first season, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, will debut at Christmas 2026 on HBO and will stream on HBO Max, where available.
