Can Hermione Be Black?

There is currently a Harry Potter stage play in the works taking place 19 years after where the series ended, though it is not being written by JK Rowling it is based on her story and recently they've announced the cast and the big controversial casting is that Hermione Granger will be played by Noma Dumezweni, so yes, a character who used to be played by a white actress is now being played by a black actress. Now i'm not all too familiar with Ms Dumezweni's work apart from an appearance on Doctor Who, so i don't really know how good of an actress she is, for all i know she was so perfect for the role it would be a crime not to cast her. And while this "black washing" (If that's even a thing) has received some negative feedback from a vocal minority, she has received the support from JK Rowling herself and Emma Watson, so the writer and original actress to play Hermione are both okay with it. The other important point is there is nothing in Hermione's canon to suggest that she is white, with that being said there is plenty to imply that she is white just based on her background, personality and a drawing JK Rowling did of her, but nothing definitively part of her character to suggest her skin colour absolutely has to be one or another. So there is no technical problems with the casting at all.

Personally...I don't have a problem with it either, hell, if anything it might make even more sense. One of Hermione's traits and subplots is that there is a prejudice against her because she's muggleborn, to suggest she's subhuman by wizard standards, isn't as worthy or skilled as other wizards because of her origin, even going as far to have a degrading insult designed specifically for people of her culture. Or would that be too obvious? But let's be honest, whether intentionally or unintentionally, the people in charge of casting must have known this would stir up some controversy and will use it as a springboard to put the play in the public eye, because despite being an insanely massive Harry Potter fan i completely forgot this play was in production, but now, i ain't gonna forget about it anytime soon.

-Danny