HARRY Potter bosses have used a very clever trick to transform actor Nick Frost into Hagrid for the new TV series.
Scenes were shot yesterday as London’s Borough High Street was taken over by film crews and turned into magical Diagon Alley.
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New photos show a very tall body double walking around in a lifelike Hagrid animatronic head.
In the Harry Potter franchise, Rubeus Hagrid, played by Robbie Coltrane, was often depicted using various techniques, including a body double and an animatronic head.
Former rugby player Martin Bayfield served as a body double, often wearing a fat suit and prosthetics, while the animatronic head was specially crafted to resemble Coltrane’s face.
And bosses have implemented the same technique for the new HBO series.
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Pictures from filming show a body double wearing Hagrid’s long moleskin overcoat, a green striped shirt, a large belt and old boots.
The books say that Hagrid is 11’6″ (3.5 meters) tall, making him a “half-giant”, whereas Nick Frost is only 1.7m in real life.
Another snap shows Nick, who is normal sized, dressed in Hagrid’s outfit with a thick and bushy wig hiding most of his face.
Nick can be seen standing in the middle of the road next to a black taxi during filming, which puts into perspective the height of Nick compared to his body double.
The pictures also show rising star Dominic McLaughlin, who plays Harry, filming scenes alongside Hagrid.
Earlier this month, The Sun revealed that Network Rail staff have been approached to appear as extras when the HBO show starts filming scenes featuring the Hogwarts Express locomotive.
A source said: “The magic of Harry Potter is alive in London and bosses want to help people’s dreams come true. They’ve called out for Network Rail staff to appear as extras in scenes which will be filmed at a station later this month.
“It’s been really successful and they have had loads of interest from people who work as conductors and controllers who are keen to get their faces on screen.
“This telly series is a surefire mega-hit so it’s not surprising their call-out has proved massively popular.
“Bosses at HBO know there’s nothing better than having real people in on the action as it will all look totally natural.”
Show makers HBO previously confirmed they will use an old steam train that was rescued from a scrap heap in Barry Island in Wales as the magical locomotive.
The train is currently green, but bosses are staying tight-lipped about whether they will repaint it to match the locomotive seen in the hit Noughties films, which are based on JK Rowling’s best-selling books.
The first series is expected to run for eight episodes and has been scripted from the first book, Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone.
Rising star
JK’s debut novel was originally released in 1997, while the blockbuster film came out four years later in 2001.
The films turned Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint into household names thanks to their portrayals of young wizard Harry and his pals Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
This time around Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry, Alastair Stout is taking on Ron and Arabella Stanton is in place as Hermione.
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