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[Stilton Disco]

Looks wise that's some damned good casting. Ginny looks freakishly like her movie counterpart too, though that may have more to do with the movies managing to cast a child that looked freakishly like a middle aged woman.

I'm also really liking Hermione, and she looks more like the description in the books than Emma Watson ever did. Ron looks very good too, if not quite ginger enough.

Do we know if they're planning to film this and put it out on Blu Ray or the like? I somehow suspect this is sold out for years already.

 

[HStallion]

I guess it's just a personal pet peeve for me cause, like others have pointed out, if she really meant it she should have actually put it on the book instead of pussyfooting around the issue, like Dumbledore being gay, like she could have put that in the book with minimal effort and it wouldn't have affected anything (there was even a whole chapter going through his biography in the later books, that's a missed opportunity to have mentioned, it sure as fuck would be something expected to be touched on a biography!), she just chickened out and conveniently revealed it when sales wouldn't be affected, i mean come on, one gotta commit to their vision and representation 100%!!

I guess I just don't care what authors think or say unless its horribly offensive or something. I mean I do care what some of them say but that's because the're very witty or funny or clever or something along those lines. As I said this kind of stuff doesn't bother me much. For example I hope you're not a fan of Blade Runner and Ridley Scott because he's been trying to retcon things on that movie after the fact for decades and has made all kinds of statements after the fact that weren't necessarily stated in the movie, he even re edited and re released it to better push his beliefs on the story.

 

[Soulscribe]

Cast looks great. Sad that skin color is worth discussing at all.

 

[MogCakes]

This looks to be a stunning play. We'll be able to watch this in video form yes?

 

[goldenpp72]

I love how not liking her becoming black is somehow racist, I have nothing against a character being any race, but I was pretty shocked when I looked through the pictures and saw that and a kid too. I'm not outraged but it's certainly fine to be perplexed, make new characters if you want to add more diversity to your stories.

 

[Skellig Gra]

This looks to be a stunning play. We'll be able to watch this in video form yes?

Plays aren't typically released on video. But Harry Potter is a juggernaut so it might be.

 

[commish]

I love how not liking her becoming black is somehow racist, I have nothing against a character being any race, but I was pretty shocked when I looked through the pictures and saw that and a kid too. I'm not outraged but it's certainly fine to be perplexed, make new characters if you want to add more diversity to your stories.

This is pretty much where I come out. Like I said, it's strange. Why go through the trouble of casting lookalikes for everyone but one person? Especially for such a well known character? What if they made Harry Potter a girl and Ginny a boy? Wouldn't that be weird as well?

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I'm sure you meant nothing by it. Are you aware that "gingers" are almost universally bullied as kids? As to your second point, how do you think it's defined? Is Rupert Grint a ginger? He doesn't really have freckles.

You're entirely correct, for some reason I thought the books had described them as having both red hair and freckles. I'd have to check but now you're making me curious if it's just in my head or if they simply had red hair.

 

[KHlover]

You're entirely correct, for some reason I thought the books had described them as having both red hair and freckles. I'd have to check but now you're making me curious if it's just in my head or if they simply had red hair.

Pretty sure they were described as having lots of freckles in the books.

Wasn't "red hair, freckles, poor as fuck" basically how Malfoy loved to describe Weasleys?


Sadly my copies of the books are a few hundred km away so I can't check right now

 

[HStallion]

This is pretty much where I come out. Like I said, it's strange. Why go through the trouble of casting lookalikes for everyone but one person? Especially for such a well known character? What if they made Harry Potter a girl and Ginny a boy? Wouldn't that be weird as well?

I love how not liking her becoming black is somehow racist, I have nothing against a character being any race, but I was pretty shocked when I looked through the pictures and saw that and a kid too. I'm not outraged but it's certainly fine to be perplexed, make new characters if you want to add more diversity to your stories.

Not to state it again but I'm guessing you two dont frequent the theater that much? There are gender swaps all the time as well as casting actors of totally different races than their characters are supposed. I just worked on a production of A Streetcar Named Desire where most of the cast was black when the most famous incarnations of these characters were played by people like Marlon Brando and the story is written with them as white. Guess what? No one really cared or was even surprised, this is nothing new or out of the ordinary for theatre.

 

[mStudios]

is this harry potter as an adult?

edit: aaahh this is not a movie.

 

[DrForester]

This is pretty much where I come out. Like I said, it's strange. Why go through the trouble of casting lookalikes for everyone but one person? Especially for such a well known character? What if they made Harry Potter a girl and Ginny a boy? Wouldn't that be weird as well?

Look alikes? Other than the fact that they're white, the guys playing Harry, Ron and Draco don't look anything like the actors from the films.

 

[CornBurrito]

No seriously. This makes the books a bit more fucked up.

Harry and Ron basically dismissed their black best friend's feelings on literal slavery.

 

[commish]

Not to state it again but I'm guessing you two dont frequent the theater that much? There are gender swaps all the time as well as casting actors of totally different races than their characters are supposed. I just worked on a production of A Streetcar Named Desire where most of the cast was black when the most famous incarnations of these characters were played by people like Marlon Brando and the story is written with them as white. Guess what? No one really cared or was even surprised, this is nothing new or out of the ordinary for theatre.

Again, you can't really compare this play to normal plays. We can't ignore the fact that these characters are so well known worldwide. The audience expectation is just not remotely the same. I think you're in the minority if you think most people are not going to be surprised that they see that Hermione is now a black woman, much like I think people would be surprised if they turned Harry into a girl. Changing some of the characters in A Streetcar Named Desire is not the same. I'm not saying anyone is going to care, but it will definitely be surprising.

Look alikes? Other than the fact that they're white, the guys playing Harry, Ron and Draco don't look anything like the actors from the films.

Right... they did not cast people to look like 15 year old kids. They cast people who look like what we would imagine to be the grown up versions of the 15 year old kids. If all of these actors were unlabeled, and we had to say which actor was playing which grown up version of the kids, I don't think anyone would have any problem picking out who is who.

 

[HStallion]

Again, you can't really compare this play to normal plays. We can't ignore the fact that these characters are so well known worldwide. The audience expectation is just not remotely the same. I think you're in the minority if you think most people are not going to be surprised that they see that Hermione is now a black woman, much like I think people would be surprised if they turned Harry into a girl. Changing some of the characters in A Streetcar Named Desire is not the same. I'm not saying anyone is going to care, but it will definitely be surprising.

Can you seriously give me a reason why this play can't be compared to other plays aside from "Harry Potter" because that's a pretty stupid reason to me. Broadway has been adapting everything from Legally Blonde to Rocky over the last couple years and some have made serious changes to characters, events, storylines, etc. The audience expects a good play based on a new Harry Potter story by the same author. If an audience member goes into a Harry Potter play with one of their main expectations that the actors all look just like their movie counterparts and not a good story, they came to the wrong fucking show.

No offense but you almost sound like your concern trolling with some of your posts. Those poor unsuspecting audience members are going to get blind sided by a black woman playing what they thought was a white girl! The horror! Now how about the story, the acting, etc. Basically if this a sticking point to them after 30 seconds of the play, they've got a lot bigger problems than their expectations of Hermione's race.

Edit: If you want another examples of incredibly well known story that people are fervent about that have cast against expectation, I saw a play were we have a black woman play Jesus Christ. I don't know about you but the expectations of Jesus aren't a black woman.

 

[DrForester]

Right... they did not cast people to look like 15 year old kids. They cast people who look like what we would imagine to be the grown up versions of the 15 year old kids. If all of these actors were unlabeled, and we had to say which actor was playing which grown up version of the kids, I don't think anyone would have any problem picking out who is who.

Out of costume, no, they don't look anything like the trio, none of them. Only physical characteristic that matches up is the guy playing Ron looks tall and lanky.

Guy playing Harry looks more like he's about to give a 4th of July Day speech about fighting aliens than The Boy Who Lived.

 

[GeordieMark]

No seriously. This makes the books a bit more fucked up.

Harry and Ron basically dismissed their black best friend's feelings on literal slavery.

I guess in their defence, they were just kids, and Hogwarts doesn't seem to be the kind of place that teaches typical history lessons.

I've got tickets for the play and the casting 'controversy' is a complete non-issue to me. I just hope it is good.

 

[DrForester]

No seriously. This makes the books a bit more fucked up.

Harry and Ron basically dismissed their black best friend's feelings on literal slavery.

Well, Ron did. Harry had a guy constantly trying to kill him and had to go through three deadly trials at school. He arguably had the right to play the "I have other stuff to do" card.

 

[HStallion]

Well, Ron did. Harry had a guy constantly trying to kill him and had to go through three deadly trials at school. He arguably had the right to play the "I have other stuff to do" card.

You get all A's at Hogwarts for the year if you are nearly murdered by a would be despot.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

I want to see adult Harry Potter reenact that scene from The Deer Hunter, but the magical version.

 

[WaterAstro]

Whoa wait what? Hermione is black now?

I mean, I'm all for more black roles, but I want my Emma Watson Hermione. ;_;

 

[DrForester]

Whoa wait what? Hermione is black now?

I mean, I'm all for more black roles, but I want my Emma Watson Hermione. ;_;

I'd rather have someone who didn't seem to phone in their role for half the films.

 

[Deleted member 13876]

....why is the scar on the right temple?

A wizard did it.

 

[Codex Gigas]

Draco adhering to the GI Joe villain standard when he named his boy I see.

 

[Dirca]

Maybe it has been mentioned, but perhaps there will be an explanation in the play as to why Hermione looks "different" now. Maybe a mishap with Polyjuice Potion? Either way, ut doesn't bother me as long as the actress is good and can convince me of the character.

 

[mugwhump]

Dammit Rowling, I wanted to pretend the epilogue never happened, not further cement it in canon!

 

[DrForester]

Dammit Rowling, I wanted to pretend the epilogue never happened, not further cement it in canon!

Harry's talk with Albus was a little awkward...

 

[BowieZ]

There's also the line in Prisoner of Azkaban "Hermione's white face was sticking out from behind a tree." (ch. 21, pg 401 in the US Scholastic Press hardcover)

"White" can be used as a synonym for "pale," eg, if especially anxious or afraid... or, if in the dark and it catches the moonlight, the lightness of a face can reflect a bright whiteness regardless of skin color.

Anyway, I think JK's point is that the race of her characters -- or any characters (with obvious historical exceptions) -- doesn't matter, exemplified by the fact she doesn't go to any lengths to describe it in her books.

Race doesn't fucking matter.

 

[Delicious Waffles]

Seeing these pictures made me start reading the books from the beginning again. Still great.

See if I can finish them before the play in book form comes out.

 

[Kyleripman]

Seeing these pictures made me start reading the books from the beginning again. Still great.

See if I can finish them before the play in book form comes out.

I just did a reread last month...always a treat.
Super hyped for

Spoiler

reading the book version of

the play, though I'd kind of like to try to see it next year if tickets are ever available.

 

[FyreWulff]

Maybe it has been mentioned, but perhaps there will be an explanation in the play as to why Hermione looks "different" now. Maybe a mishap with Polyjuice Potion? Either way, ut doesn't bother me as long as the actress is good and can convince me of the character.

the play isn't based off the movies, and will not have the same cast for it's entire run unless it's a very short run. Even then some nights the understudies will be playing the parts instead.

Everyone needs to go watch more plays.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Maybe it has been mentioned, but perhaps there will be an explanation in the play as to why Hermione looks "different" now. Maybe a mishap with Polyjuice Potion? Either way, ut doesn't bother me as long as the actress is good and can convince me of the character.

Doesn't explain the black daughter, no need to overthink it.

 

[Synless]

Did people freak out the same way when Roland... A white character was cast as a black man? I don't think so... Why is this such a big deal? Most of you wont even see this play to begin with.

 

[Unbounded]

Yes and Rowling already responded to that:

Well, good enough for me! I'll accept that.

The argument would be stronger if they never had any pictures of the characters, but hell, just about everyone looked different from the illustrations in the books sans Harry.

 

[jrush64]

It's a play. It's a play. Does it matter what color Hermione is? I'll always see Emma Watson as Hermione and always pictured her as white. But it's play. It doesn't matter in the slightest what her skin color is.

As long as this lady does a great job in the role, who cares?

Doing my yearly Harry Potter reading. On Prisoner of Azkaban now, my favorite book. Still so good.

 

[The One and Done™]

Hermoine being black makes me uncomfortable. I read the books as a kid and in my head I imagined her as white, then the movies came out and she was white in those too! But now whenever I think of Hermoine, I dont think of the buck toothed bad hair white girl from the books or the gorgeous perfect teeth Emma Watson, I'm forced to think of this black woman. I dont want a black woman in my head!

It bothers me that Hermione is black.

Not because I'm racist but because it destroys any sense of continuity with the movies and book covers where she's clearly depicted as white.

.....Holy.....please re-read your posts....I....what in.....

God help us.

 

[boiled goose]

This is a great response. Seriously a ton of respect to you.



Why does skin color have to be canonized unless it's a story about race?

Yeah. It's not like people nitpick about nose shape, hair length, eye spacing, etc.

Change skin color and people freak out.

 

[LuuKyK]

Some pics and the first review from the first presentation of the play (beware of spoilers on twitter, facebook, etc):

The Mirror Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: A magical evening as the children steal the show

 

[Layell]

dang those house logos.

 

[googleplex]

.....Holy.....please re-read your posts....I....what in.....

God help us.

If you really want to drive yourself nuts. Go back and read the thread about the possibility of a black actor playing Peter Parker/Spider-Man. There was an amazing about of people doing mental back flips trying to justify their prejudices.

 

[LuuKyK]

dang those house logos.

Yeah I love how they re-imagined them.

 

[Garrett Hawke]

Wow, looks gorgeous

 

[vaderise]

Please let it be a Bluray release ASAP.

 

[LuuKyK]

Please let it be a Bluray release ASAP.

lol they wont release it in video anytime soon. When the play is over maybe but that is years from now I bet.

The book is being released on the 31st of July though, so thats something.

 

[SCChappy]

I don't particularly like the way the actors look because the movies have been so ingrained into my mind.

But it is a play so there's gonna be numerous recastings when it's done probably everywhere.

Those stage pics looks cool as hell though.

 

[Rymuth]

Live owls have been removed from the production after one owl "escaped into the auditorium" after it "failed to return to the handler" during the first show

- Hollywood Reporter

 

[Skellig Gra]

Please let it be a Bluray release ASAP.

Maybe in 10 years or something.

 

[Timbuktu]

It's a play. It's a play. Does it matter what color Hermione is? I'll always see Emma Watson as Hermione and always pictured her as white. But it's play. It doesn't matter in the slightest what her skin color is. .

Exactly, if we want film continuity, I guess there can always be a film adaptation of the play with the original cast in 10-15 years or so when they are right age, after the Fantastic Beasts run is over.

 

[Weapxn]

Maybe in 10 years or something.

It's actually becoming more and more common, especially of London productions, to release recorded versions of stage plays. I could also see companies like Fathom Events trying to get in on movie theater screenings.

 

[Fandangox]

Is Scorpius really his fucking name