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Black Hermione
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Black Hermione
Black Hermione
Title says it all. I want to know everyone's opinion on the black actress for Hermione in J.K.Rowling's new play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look it up. It's all over the Internet.
submitted by Leaf of Love
(February 17, 2016 - 4:27 pm)
(February 17, 2016 - 4:27 pm)
Tbh, I have never read a single Harry Potter book so I don't really have a good say about this... but I googled the African American Hermione thing, and I think they're making to much of a biggie.
For one, I don't think it really matters. Hermione's race wasn't speciified (in the books) from what I've seen online, but I'm not sure. I think the idea sounds great, putting some originality and using a different race as a main character. I kinda did that with my book...
But I think there's one downfall: in the other movies, Hermione was "white." So making different in that sense doesn't exactly make sense.
(February 17, 2016 - 5:28 pm)
We-eird!! I guess nothing in the book ever said against it, and I know all about that from one particularly irking English assignment. . . . "Everything needs to be exactly as it was in the text! If you draw a detail that wasn't in the text then you will get a 0!!" Licking there were loopholes in that assignment. "But, madam, nothing in the text ever said otherwise!" 100% for me! I'm so excited for the Cursed Child to come out, especially because it's written by Ms. Rowling!
(February 17, 2016 - 9:24 pm)
I think it is strange that they gave an African American person the role, but it is even stranger what a big deal people are making about it! Hermione's race was never specified in the books, it just said she was a girl with bushy brown hair and large front teeth. I love Harry Potter so much and I can't wait for the cursed child!
(February 17, 2016 - 10:21 pm)
Let it be known to all that I'm Asian. The only Asian in HP is Cho Chang, and while I love love love HP and J.K. Rowling, I kind of wish the only Asian girl for me to roleplay wasn't the girliest possible weeping sap. Though she's Ravenclaw so she's not too bad.
Anyway, I agree that the movies made Hermione not black, so a lot of people might see that as annoying that she's African in The Cursed Child. However, I think it's a great idea and actresses should be picked on merit not race! I haven't heard much about the actress herself though.
I think it's a great idea and it's cool how many fans have drawn and written about black Hermione and that J. K. Rowling is fulfilling many fans' images.
(February 17, 2016 - 10:05 pm)
I honestly don't have a problem with it either way. No, Hermione's race was not specified in the books. I always saw her as the movie Hermione cause I thought Emma Watson was a good portrayal of her, at least when she was young.
But I'm just annoyed with the politically correct side of it. Black, white, Asian, Canadian, it really doesn't matter. All lives matter, and I'm tired of people using theater and media to get across a political point by using race of actors and characters as a means. If a character is black, then they are black and that's perfectly alright. And if a character is Asian, then they are Asian and that too is perfectly alright. If a character is white, then they are white, and that's perfectly alright. It isn't racist, though it's often made to feel it. I'm not racist in any way, shape, or form. I've only a problem with people try to make it a problem. An African character is one thing, a political motive is another. That's all I have to say on the matter.
(February 17, 2016 - 11:49 pm)
Canadian isn't a race...lol but I agree with you.
(February 18, 2016 - 2:37 pm)
I know, I was being sarcastic, but thanks.
(February 18, 2016 - 8:27 pm)
That's true. It should be based on the author's wants and the skill of the actress and not some political agenda. Hopefully J. K. Rowling chose well!
(February 19, 2016 - 1:14 am)
I'm not sure if this other comment went through, but I love that she's black. Before I saw the movies, I did picture her as black. It isn't a big deal. The only problem is the other movies, and that she isn't black there. But I love it that m original vision is being fulfilled.
(February 18, 2016 - 7:16 am)
Air, you're Asian? Oh my gosh, me too!
A lot of the articles online talk about how everyone imagined Hermione as white, and if it's not specified, people always imagine characters as white. I've read people saying that needs to change.
But I don't think it does.
I like the fact that before this post, everyone thought I was white. It makes me feel special, me being Asian. It really does.
I like the fact that very, very, few books have Asians in them, but the best do (Harry Potter had Cho Chang, Percy Jackson had Frank Zhang).
But I find Cho Chang's name insulting for two reasons.
1. Her first name
J.K. Rowling didn't do any research on Chinese names, she just made something up. Cho, in Chinese, means stinky!
2. Her last name
In the movies, NO ONE pronounced her surname right. No one ever pronounces my surname right, either. It's not Chay-ng, it's Chah-ng.
I don't think people pay enough respect to Asians, pronouncing their names wrong, asking questions like, "Where are you from?", etc. Thanks for listening.
(February 18, 2016 - 12:07 pm)
Actually, I'm Asian too! Half, anyway. I'm half-Vietnamese and though my name sounds purely American, it annoys me to no end that nobody can get my Vietnamese name right. And also, whenever I say, "I'm Vietnamese" to someone, I can tell that all they think about is the war! Granted, it was terrible, but everyone ASSUMES that that's all there is! Grr.
(February 18, 2016 - 9:23 pm)
Rowling DID look it up! Chóuchàng means melancholy, which was probably what she was after for Cho's charrie.
(February 21, 2016 - 8:58 am)
Go to Google Translate, type in, "Stinky", and translate it to Chinese. Then press the button where you can hear what the word sounds like.
(February 21, 2016 - 12:11 pm)
Also, it can't mean melancholy because in Chinese and a lot of other Asian cultures, the last name comes first. I'm pretty sure Chang Cho would have a different meaning than Cho Chang.
In the Chinese version of Harry Potter, they changed her last name to Zhang, meaning to open up or to spread, and her first name to Qiu, meaning autumn. They didn't need to change her last name, Chang actually is a Chinese last name, but the first name needed to change.
Admin, I think some of our comments aren't coming through because we used characters in them. Why do you have to check with a Chinese person? Can't you use Google Translate?
We can't always take the time to do that. If we start posting some foreign words, we might get more and more comments in foreign languages.
Admin
(February 21, 2016 - 12:18 pm)
I don't think it's bad to ask where someone's from if you're really interested. Just my opinion.
(February 21, 2016 - 7:43 pm)