‘Harry Potter’ Sequel Unveils New Cast, With Some Characters Portrayed by Actors of Color

in Harry Potter

L to R: Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) at King's Cross at the end of 'Harry Potter and the 'Deathly Hallows Part II'

Credit: Warner Bros.

The new cast for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has been revealed.

There has been a lot of talk surrounding the upcoming Harry Potter reboot since it was announced earlier this year, from backlash due to JK Rowling’s involvement to many wondering who will play the likes of Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

Elsewhere in the Wizarding World, the open-world video game Hogwarts Legacy (2023) has also kept Harry Potter fans occupied, although that entry isn’t without its fair share of controversy (once again due to its affiliations with the incredibly divisive author).

Harry Potter characters stand in front of the lake in a promotional picture for 'Goblet of Fire'
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: Tom Felton Returns to Play New Character in the Wizarding World

Warner Bros. has also confirmed that there’s more to come from the Harry Potter franchise, including a highly-anticipated video game that revolves around the Wizarding World’s most iconic sport — Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions (TBA).

It’s now also rumored that Hogwarts Legacy 2 is in development.

Amid all the Harry Potter news that would have kept the Daily Prophet busy for months on end, we seem to have forgotten all about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2016), the multi-award-winning, two-part West End stage production.

Harry Potter winning Quidditch in The Chamber of Secrets
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: Harry Potter Could Be Played by a Non-White Actor in the Upcoming HBO Reboot

Well, that’s not entirely true, as it has been running at the Palace Theater in London since it first arrived in 2016. It’s also currently playing in New York, Hamburg, and Tokyo, and has enjoyed other venues worldwide, in Melbourne, Toronto, and San Francisco.

Cursed Child is “the eighth Harry Potter story”, following Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Voldemort in his final battle against Harry in the Deathly Hallows
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Could Finally Embrace Dumbledore’s Sexuality

It takes place 19 years after Deathly Hallows and follows Harry Potter, now Head of the Department of Magic Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic, and his son, Albus Severus Potter, who is about to attend his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 

During his time at Hogwarts, Albus befriends Scorpius Malfoy, the son of Draco Malfoy, and when the pair get their hands on a Time-Turner, they travel back to prevent the death of Cedric Diggory, but inadvertently create an alternate timeline in which Tom Riddle/Lord Voldemort rules over the Wizarding World.

Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), and Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) watching Buckbeak die in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakban
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: ‘Sorcerer’s Stone’ Prequel: Which ‘Harry Potter’ Actors Have Returned?

Now, after celebrating its seventh anniversary last month, followed by the three-day event “Back to Hogwarts Day” that started on September 1, which saw members of the production’s cast and crew gather at London’s King’s Cross Station, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has unveiled a brand-new cast for the London production, Variety has reported.

The new cast members are David Ricardo-Pearce as Harry Potter, Polly Frame as Ginny Potter, Ellis Rae as Albus Potter, Jade Ogugua as Hermione Granger, Taneetrah Porter as Rose Granger-Weasley, Steven John Shepherd as Draco Malfoy, and Harry Acklowe as Scorpius Malfoy. Thomas Aldridge will continue to play Ronald Weasley.

Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort Deathly Hallows Part 2 poster
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: Hermione Granger’s Recasting In HBO Reboot Could Spark Outrage Among Fans

The new cast members are joined by dozens of additional actors in supporting roles. Over the years, numerous actors have portrayed these characters in the West End production, as well as in the New York, Melbourne, San Francisco, Hamburg, Toronto, and Tokyo versions.

It has long been rumored that there will be a ninth film in the Harry Potter series, which would be based on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Actors such as Rupert Grint (Ronald Weasley) and Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) have expressed an interest in reprising their roles, however, Warner Bros. has yet to confirm that such a project is in development.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: All 10 ‘Harry Potter’ Movies Ranked Worst to Best

Should this happen, though, it would mean a continuation of the timeline established in the Harry Potter film series, while the upcoming HBO reboot will create a brand-new timeline.

A Cursed Child film would likely not be without controversy, though. Back in 2016, the casting of South African-British actress Noma Dumezweni into the role of Hermione Granger in the stage production sparked controversy.

However, rightly so, the show continues to portray Hermione as a person of color, as she has since been played by Rakie Ayola and Michelle Gayle, and is soon to be played by Jade Ogugua. As such, a Cursed Child film would likely follow suit.

For updates on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, visit the official website.

Will you be returning to theaters to watch Harry Potter and the Cursed Child? Would you like to see the play adapted into a film? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!

View Comments (21)