Harry Potter Series Casting Backlash? Just Stuck in the Movies’ “Comfort Zone.”

July 14, start of filming of the new TV adaptation of Harry Potter, with the release of the elected roles, the controversial voice appeared: “This is not the way they should look!” But I want to ask: your own perception of their appearance, should it be based on the original version or the version fed by the movie taken 10 years ago?

This obsession with “stereotypes” is revealed by Paapa Essiedu, the black actor who will play Professor Snape. “How can a black man have that dark, pale face?” “How can you have Snape’s soul without that pale face?” “This is starting a storm of racism!” In all the skepticism, I do not see a shred of loyalty to the character, only prejudice against the skin. Snape’s casting might just represent an opportunity: a black wizard who was questioned and ostracized at a young age because of his mixed-race status and appearance, and who later gave his life for the love of his life and the mistakes he made, possessing a dark and kind soul. This is only a mere storyline, why does it have to be tied to racism? In other words, who better than a black actor to portray that longing for acceptance, that inner turmoil, and that betrayal of morphological consciousness?

We always say that we respect the original, but we do not realize that the movie version’s “preconceived” image does not allow us to have the power of our own imagination anymore. In J.K. Rowling’s writing, Harry has black hair and green eyes, Hermione has thick curly hair and big teeth, Snape has a hawkish nose and greasy black hair. So who says Harry has to be Daniel, Hermione has to have Emma’s beautiful eyes, and Snape has to be a white basso profundo like Alan?

After all, these characters are just fictional characters, and the actors in the movie version undoubtedly portrayed the classics with great acting skills, but the movies have succeeded surprisingly well. In fact, well enough that we have abandoned our original imaginations.

The original Harry Potter books and movies still retain some popularity at the moment, but none of us is certain why Harry Potter is being remade. To make money? To regain the popularity? Even if it is screwed up, so what? It does not stop us from returning to the classics whenever we want.

So stop saying you can not accept the new casting, you are just afraid that the seemingly “perfect” movie version’s casting will be shattered, that your self-perception will be negated, and that you will never find your youth again.