Britain will be seeing a black Hermione Grainger very soon onstage, and it’s causing quite a stir among the Potterheads online.
The production team for the upcoming musical Harry Potter and The Cursed Child has just announced their final cast for the Big Three. Thespians Jamie Parker, Noma Dumezweni & Paul Thornley are set to play Harry Potter, Hermione Grainger, and Ron Weasley respectively.
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
A number of fans were up in arms with the casting decision, complaining that the powers that be should have “kept” Hermione white. Talk about a major meltdown.
…of the Harry Potter books, why has Hermione, a described white character, been cast as black? It makes no sense.
— Dylan (@RandyGiles_) December 21, 2015
i’m offended by the casting of #CURSEDCHILD hermione is a white character. we may not make poc characters white so white should not be poc
— Michelle (@1006michelle) December 20, 2015
Potterheads over at Tumblr felt this very, very deeply.
@Bibliogato Tumblr has made me believe deeply in a black Hermione
— ppyahumbug (@ppyajunebug) December 20, 2015
Out came all the Black Hermione fan art.
Some of my favourite Hermione fanarts next to our new Hermione! pic.twitter.com/80bIkcLBMJ
— alice in wonderland (@alwaysdragxns) December 20, 2015
Fans more accepting of diversity celebrated it.
A WOMAN OF COLOR IS PLAYING HERMIONE THIS IS THE BEST OH YES OH YES #CURSEDCHILD
— Tessa Netting (@tessanetting) December 20, 2015
I think that’s like…1,000 points? Yeah, 1,000 points to #CursedChild, pretty sure.
— Veronica Roth (@VeronicaRoth) December 20, 2015
?Ebony & Ivory live together in perfect Hermione?
— Kathy Burke (@KathyBurke) December 21, 2015
And some gave other people demanding Hermione be white the side-eye.
So why is #Hermione trending? *Clicks trend link* Ah. Racism.
— Alistair Way (@FilmInterpreter) December 21, 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
DEAR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO ARGUE ABOUT A BLACK HERMIONE GRANGER, just don’t.
— Katherine Locke (@Bibliogato) December 20, 2015
But what did J.K. Rowling herself say on the matter of “the brightest witch of her age”?
Absolute perfection:
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
Some detractors persisted. Matt Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom in the movies, had a winning response.
@Mattdavelewis @TomFelton thoughts on woman of colour being cast as Hermione? No continuity https://t.co/tAxzEWXoIe pic.twitter.com/AkxDaOKGMK
— Michelle Brodie (@mml_brodie) December 21, 2015
And Neville Longbottom was blonde. I really don’t care. Good luck to her. https://t.co/0JNjK3Pe0V
— Matthew Lewis (@Mattdavelewis) December 21, 2015
We wish Noma all the best! Totally looking forward to her bringing our Hermione to life!
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