Black actress cast as Hermione Granger in next Harry Potter story

Greg P. | 9:01 PM on December 20, 2015

Big news out of London as we’re seeing reports that the cast of the next installment in the Harry Potter series has been announced, with the role of Hermione Granger going to black actress Noma Dumezweni.

The play, titled “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” takes place 19 years after the last book and focuses on the lives of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Harry’s son, Albus:

'Harry Potter and The Cursed Child' casts its Harry, Ron, and Hermione – https://t.co/AuzLnz5WSv pic.twitter.com/ix1FtH1ZVQ

— Hypable.com (@Hypable) December 20, 2015

Here are @paulfthornley @MissDumezweni & @DickLeFenwick stars of @HPPlayLDN #CursedChild @jk_rowling @SFP_London pic.twitter.com/7Tp2XkZ4BE

— Baz Bamigboye (@BazBam) December 20, 2015

More on the new cast from the Daily Mail:

This is the grown-up Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley who will appear in next year’s highly anticipated stage play – and they’re very different from their big screen counterparts.

Harry will be played by 36-year-old Jamie Parker, an original member of Alan Bennett’s History Boys cast at the National Theatre, while Paul Thornley has been cast as Ron Weasley.

Ron, his hair now receding, is married to Hermione – a part won by Noma Dumezweni, 45, who was born in Swaziland to South African parents fleeing apartheid. She moved with her mother and sister to Suffolk when she was seven.

Hermione was played by white actress Emma Watson in the film franchise, but according to BuzzFeed’s Alanna Bennett, the character’s race was never made clear in the books:

https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/678738040022507520