Harry Potter fans got a treat Sunday when the cast was announced for the upcoming play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. A photo was released of who would play Harry, Hermione and Ron.
We’re thrilled to confirm Jamie Parker, Noma Dumezweni & Paul Thornley will play Harry, Hermione & Ron #CursedChild pic.twitter.com/s1rsDbrXMO
— Harry Potter Play (@HPPlayLDN) December 21, 2015
If you’re not a follower of the Potter movies, you might not realize that Hermione Granger, who will be played by Swaziland-born actress Noma Dumezweni, was originally played by Emma Watson in the movies. Needless to say, some people felt some type of way about this.
They can’t make Hermione black.It would make this fictional story about a school for child wizards totally unrealistic. #HermioneIsBlack
— Mitch (@mitchprax) December 21, 2015
But, of course, there were also those who thought it was the greatest thing to ever happen, and they were quick to shut down any naysayers.
just think of all the kids who grew up with Harry Potter who saw only 3 black minor characters now will be seeing HERMIONE GRANGER as black!
— nic (@communistcorn) December 20, 2015
I love how Hermione being black is somehow more implausible to some people than a universe where the entire postal system depends on owls
— Snukes (@QueerDiscOx) December 20, 2015
Interesting that some people find a black Hermione Granger harder to believe in than, you know, magic spells…
— Mr HoHoHoldfield (@MrLROldfield) December 20, 2015
DEAR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO ARGUE ABOUT A BLACK HERMIONE GRANGER, just don’t.
— Katherine Locke (@Bibliogato) December 20, 2015
Some wondered what Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling thought about the casting—and she’s all for it:
Canon: brown eyes, frizzy hair and very clever. White skin was never specified. Rowling loves black Hermione 😘 https://t.co/5fKX4InjTH
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 21, 2015
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is being called “the eighth story 19 years later.” It’s set 19 years after the seventh book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
According to a press release about the play, Cursed Child will focus on Harry as an “overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.”
