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With ‘Harry Potter’ Snape Casting, Tough Questions Are Raised About Hermione
The recent news about Paapa Essiedu signing on to play Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series has raised several eyebrows. While some may argue that changing the race of a character from the source material is not a big deal, it’s hard to ignore the problematic implications these changes could have. As we dive deeper into this topic, tough questions arise about Hermione and her potential casting as well.
Firstly, let’s address the elephant in the room – the change itself. Snape being recast with a black actor like Essiedu is raising concerns about how this will affect the story and its characters. The original storyline featured Snape as a white character, with his character development heavily influenced by his white identity. Changing that dynamic could be done poorly, leading to issues within the narrative.
Now, let’s discuss Hermione. If we are indeed going to see a black Hermione, it would raise several questions about the story and its characters. For instance, if Harry stays white (which is likely) and Ron Weasley and his family retain their ginger characteristics, that leaves Hermione as the main non-white character in the main trio. The books never specified her race, but JK Rowling has said she could be black. However, this doesn’t mean it should be changed without careful consideration.
The concern here lies not just with Hermione’s casting, but also how this would affect the story and its themes. Imagine a scenario where Harry no doubt stays white, while Ron Weasley and his family retain their ginger characteristics.
