EXCLUSIVE: Ruari Spooner, who plays Percy Weasley in HBO‘s upcoming Harry Potter series, has joined the cast of Bender, the coming-of-age comedy shooting in Ireland over the summer.

Spooner will join a cast that includes Slow Horses actress Ruth Bradley, Bill Burr, and Chris O’Dowd. They will also be joined by newcomer Kitty Graham.

Described as Superbad meets Derry Girls, Bender is based on the late-’70s, post-punk Dublin coming-of-age experiences of Adrian Cunningham, who penned the script with Ciaran Bartlett. Set against the frenzy surrounding an impending papal visit, the story follows a suburban Dublin family navigating mounting financial pressures amid a bleak economic recession.

Burr plays a gruff American record-store owner who convinces a ragtag gang of teenage misfits that their best, and possibly only, chance to lose their virginity before graduating high school is at a massive open-air mass for the visiting Pope.

Spooner stars as the leader of the hopeless but resourceful gang of teenagers. Graham plays an alluring arrival from the United States.

Michael Medico (XO, Kitty) is directing with Stephen McCormack of Reflektor Media, Craig Verdon, and actress Lesley-Ann Brandt (Presumed Innocent) producing through The Mal Picture Company and in partnership with Cunningham through Martello Films. Bill Burr also serves as an executive producer. 

Spooner is repped by Gordon and French. Graham is repped by Mark Jermin Management. Filming is underway in Belfast.