HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Reboot May Cast Actors of Color as Harry, Ron, and Hermione

With HBO’s Harry Potter reboot slowly building out its cast, fans are wondering whether the franchise’s iconic trio could be portrayed by actors of color.

Though the studio has yet to confirm who will play Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger, it’s entirely possible that at least one, if not all of them, could break away from their original film counterparts in terms of race.

And that speculation isn’t being conjured out of thin air. Warner Bros. has reportedly said that the series would make “a concerted effort” to diversify its cast.

But that precedent may have already been set. In 2016, South African-British actress Noma Dumezweni was cast as Hermione Granger in the West End stage production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2016), which led to immediate backlash from fans.

J.K. Rowling defended the decision at the time, saying that Hermione’s race was never defined in the books. Since then, non-White actresses have consistently played the character on stage — a trend that could very well extend to the screen when HBO’s series arrives.

Now, the new Harry Potter series is already making headlines for casting Paapa Essiedu (Black Mirror), a Black actor, as Severus Snape, who was previously portrayed by the late Alan Rickman. The decision has sparked heated debate among fans online.

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In addition to Essiedu as Snape, Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead) joins as Rubeus Hagrid (previously Robbie Coltrane), while John Lithgow (Dexter) steps in as Albus Dumbledore (who has been played by Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, and Jude Law), alongside Janet McTeer (Tumbleweeds) as Minerva McGonagall, Luke Thallon (Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt) as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse (The Fast Show) as Argus Filch.

Whether Harry, Ron, and Hermione will be portrayed by diverse actors remains to be seen — but at this point, it’s looking likely that at least one of them will be.

Of course, not all fans are on board with these changes. Many still cling to the aesthetics of the original eight films and its characters. But with Warner Bros. aiming to tell the story for a whole new generation of fans, we should expect the new cast to reflect the world today.

At the very least, Hermione Granger — whose history already includes diverse portrayals — seems likely to wind up at the center of that conversation.

Do you think Hermione will be played by an actor of color in the new Harry Potter TV series? Let us know in the comments down below!