Shakin’ Stevens’ grandson cast as young Voldemort in Harry Potter series
Nation.Cymru staff
Welsh music legend Shakin’ Stevens isn’t the only member of his family making a successful career in showbusiness.
His talented grandson Billy Barratt is taking giant strides in film and TV – and he’s also a talented musician with his own band.
The young star has now been cast in his most high profile role yet – as Tom Riddle (the young Voldemort) in Season 2 of HBO’s Harry Potter series.
His new role was revealed as part of an announcement which introduced Barratt as Harry POtter’s arch-nemesis, with Lenny Rush to play loyal house-elf Dobby and Bonnie Hill taking over the role of Ron’s sister, Ginny Weasley, in a recasting.
The role of Ron Weasley’s little sister is being recast because Gracie Cochrane, who plays Ginny in Season 1, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is not returning for Season 2, a decision the young actress and her family announced jointly.
The trio join fellow Season 2 cast addition Kit Harington, who is set as Gilderoy Lockhart.
Greenlighted in May, Season 2 of Harry Potter is scheduled to begin filming this autumn , ahead of the Christmas premiere of Season 1 on HBO and streaming exclusively on HBO Max.
For Barratt, who was the youngest winner of an International Emmy at age 13 for the 2019 BBC Two TV movie Reasonable Child, has been part of the main casts of such series as Apple TV’s Invasion, ITV1’s Gone and Prime Video’s upcoming Life Is Strange – a television adaptation of the adventure game series.
Barratt made his film debut in To Dream (2016) and later played a street urchin in Mary Poppins Returns (2018). He received huge acclaim for his most recent film role in supernatural horror film Bring Her Back, in which he starred alongside Sally Hawkins.
The terrifying movie follows two step-siblings who find themselves orphaned and placed in the middle of an occult ritual by their new foster mother.
Barratt’s dad is Shaky’s son, record producer Dean Barratt, and his mum is Carolyn Owlett, formerly of RnB girl band 411.
And the youngster, is most definitely keeping the family’s music flame burning brightly with his band – indie rock outfit The Hunger.
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