J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne Address “Cursed Child” Casting Choices

by · December 22, 2015

J.K. Rowling and Jack Thorne, the writer of the upcoming stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, have both taken to social media to address the controversy surrounding the recent casting announcements.

On Sunday, it was announced that British actors Jamie Parker, Paul Thornley, and Noma Dumezweni would be taking on the iconic roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, respectively, in the stage production. Some fans seemed to take issue specifically with the casting of a person of color in the role of Hermione. Another concern raised by fans was that Paul Thornley, who will be playing Ron, is not a redhead as depicted in the books.

Addressing this concern on Twitter, Thorne wrote,

Meanwhile, J.K. Rowling also addressed the news, praising the casting of a black woman, Noma Dumezweni, as Hermione. She clarified that she “loves black Hermione” and stated that although “brown eyes, frizzy hair and very clever” are essential trademarks of the character, “white skin was never specified.”

The actors themselves have also taken to social media to thank fans for their support. Parker wrote.

Thornley also showed his appreciation for the messages he received:

Dumezweni appeared slightly overwhelmed by the reaction, writing,

https://twitter.com/MissDumezweni/status/678718013693165568

https://twitter.com/MissDumezweni/status/678749086649044992

It didn’t take long before several former Potter alumni decided to weigh in on the matter. Here are a selection of their comments below.

Chris Rankin (Percy Weasley):

https://twitter.com/chrisrankin/status/678851509619187712

Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood):

https://twitter.com/Evy_Lynch/status/678772710424510465

Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy):

Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom):

Rohan Gotobed (young Sirius Black):

Sean Biggerstaff (Oliver Wood):

What do you make of Rowling’s comments about the casting? Are you pleased with the casting choices? Let us know your thoughts!