Here are Paul Thornley, Noma Dumezweni and Cherrelle Skeete – aka, the Granger-Weasleys, photographed in costume for the very first time.

Yes, Harry Potter lives on, although this time, on stage at London’s Palace Theatre, where it kicks off its run on June 7.

Titled “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” the play picks up 19 years after the last Harry Potter movie, with Ron married to Hermione Granger, who now have a daughter named Rose, who is about to start at Hogwarts, which is obviously a big day for everyone.




Noma Dumezweni and Paul Thornley play Hermione and Ron; and Cherrelle Skeete is their daughter Rose.

When the role of Hermione was cast, fans asked author of the Harry Potter series JK Rowling on social media how she felt about Hermione being played by a black actress (the role was played by Emma Watson (who’s white) in the film series). Rowling responded, saying that the character’s race had never been referenced in the books. Rowling tweeted: “Canon: brown eyes, frizzy hair and very clever. White skin was never specified. Rowling loves black Hermione.”

Needless to say, reactions to this casting were mixed.




“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is one play but will be presented in two parts. Both parts will run in the theatre simultaneously, split between matinee and evening performances. The final photos of cast members in costume will be released on Thursday.

“The Cursed Child” is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official story of the franchise to be presented on stage.

If it’s a hit in London, there’s always a good chance that it’ll head to the States, as others have before it. But what I’m maybe more interested in is how this version of Harry Potter, with a cast that looks like this, would be received if it were to become a film like all the other past Potter pictures.