The casting for the stage production of the eighth installment in the Harry Potter series is complete and the biggest surprise is causing an uproar on social media.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child which will make its debut on London’s West End stage this coming summer will feature the three main characters, Harry (Jamie Parker), Ron (Paul Thornley) and Hermione (Noma Dumezweni) as grown ups. Dumezweni – a British actress born to South African parents happens to also be black.
The Laurence Olivier award-winning actress seems to be the perfect choice given the fact that even though Hermione was depicted as white on screen – author J.K. Rowling left more than enough room for interpretation when it came to the racial status of her globally beloved characters.
But the casting of a black woman isn’t sitting well with fans of the series who seem to be taking it rather personally that Hermione is being played by a woman of color regardless of the fact that it’s a stage production.
Twitter was alight with trolls expressing their disgust with the announcement and as always it wasn’t a pretty experience to navigate.
Rowling for her part is quite pleased with the new cast and can’t wait to see the characters dominate the stage with her words.
On the official Harry Potter website, Pottemore – she wrote, “I can’t wait to see Jamie, Noma, and Paul being the adult Harry, Hermione, and Ron to life on stage next summer”.
Sounds like it will be quite the production and the idea of a black Hermione played by a 45-year-old accomplished actress only adds more intrigue and certifies the endearing worth of a tale that has proven its cultural viability.