Hermione herself approves! Emma Watson spoke out on Saturday, January 2, in support of the actress cast to play the adult version of her Harry Potter character.
“Can’t wait to see Noma Dumezweni as Hermione on stage this year,” the British actress, 25, tweeted. “#HarryPotterAndTheCursedChild”
It was announced last month that the black actress, 46, had been cast as the new Hermione Granger in the upcoming London theatrical production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Can’t wait to see Noma Dumezweni as Hermione on stage this year. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ #harrypotterandthecursedchild #2016
— Emma Watson (@EmmaWatson) January 2, 2016
Shortly afterward, Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling took to Twitter to express her support for the decision to cast Dumezweni, who was born in Swaziland but grew up in the U.K., in the role.
“Canon: Brown eyes, frizzy hair and very clever,” the author, 50, wrote. “White skin was never specified. Rowling loves black Hermione.”
Watson, who is white, portrayed Granger in eight Harry Potter films, though as Rowling made clear in her tweet, the beloved character’s skin color was never specifically mentioned in the seven Harry Potter novels.
The play, written by Jack Thorne, revolves around Hermione, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley as adults, working at the Ministry of Magic. Guys and Dolls star Jamie Parker will portray the adult version of Potter, while London Road actor Paul Thornley will play Potter’s BFF, Weasley.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will open on July 30 at London’s Palace Theatre.