Three actors have been cast for the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child show: Jamie Parker will play Harry Potter, Paul Thornley will play Ron Weasley, and Noma Dumezweni will play Hermione Granger. Dumezweni hails from South Africa; many have taken notice that a woman of color will hold the role of the clever muggle-born witch.
Here’s more from The Daily Mail:”In the eight films Harry, Hermione and Ron were played by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, ending with The Deathly Hallows Part 2 in 2011. However, Rowling never made a point of Hermione’s ethnicity, and there’s no textual evidence to indicate that she is, necessarily, white.”
The Guardian reports that the opening date for this two-part theatrical production has been set for July 2016. The story takes place nineteen years after the events of the Battle of Hogwarts. Earlier this year, J.K. Rowling revealed over at the Pottermore website that this project will serve as the eighth story of her beloved book series. Follow this link to watch a video that showcases artwork from the play. (via BuzzFeed)