Washington, March 26 -- HBO's highly anticipated series adaptation of JK Rowling's beloved 'Harry Potter' books has added another key piece to its cast.

According to Deadline, British actor-comedian Nick Frost is nearing a deal to play the iconic half-giant Rubeus Hagrid.

Frost, known for his collaborations with Simon Pegg in films like 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz,' would join a cast that already includes John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, and Paapa Essiedu, who are set to play Professor Albus Dumbledore, Professor Minerva McGonagall, and Professor Severus Snape, respectively.

Hagrid, the warm and friendly gamekeeper and groundskeeper at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was previously portrayed by Robbie Coltrane in the eight...