Sophie Turner Offers Advice To New 'Harry Potter' Child Actors

Actress Sophie Turner, known for her breakout role as Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones, is voicing concern for the young stars of HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series. Having entered the spotlight at age 14, Turner reflected on the challenges of growing up in the public eye and warned of the harmful impact social media can have on young actors.

In a recent interview with Flaunt magazine, Turner recalled how social media began to grow just after she started her career and described its damaging effect on her mental health. “It had such a profound impact on my mental health, like more than I could tell you,” she said. “It almost destroyed me on numerous occasions.”

Turner offered heartfelt advice to the young actors cast in the Harry Potter reboot, including Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. “I look at the kids who are about to be in the new Harry Potter, and I just want to give them a hug and say, ‘Look, it’s going to be okay but don’t go anywhere near [social media]’,” she said. “Stay friends with your home friends, keep living at home with your family, make sure your parents are your chaperones — it’s so important to have that grounding.”

The new Harry Potter series, announced by HBO, will adapt each of J.K. Rowling’s seven novels into its own season. Francesca Gardiner will serve as showrunner and executive producer, with Mark Mylod also joining as a director and executive producer. Rowling will serve as an executive producer and has said she worked closely with the writers on the project.