If HBO Max’s upcoming Harry Potter series wasn’t garnering enough controversy since yesterday’s announcement, it now appears that the situation has only gotten stickier. While disgruntled fantasy fans have been displeased with the decision to reignite the once-rested franchise, a separate portion of the internet has zoomed in on the parade of controversy and questionable choices that has plagued the franchise for years — even before the fresh-faced show was publicly announced.
In this particular instance, folks are understandably irate after uncovering a controversial recasting that occurred during the peak of the Harry Potter movies. The recasting revolves around the Lavender Brown character who, in the first two Potter films, was portrayed by two Black actresses. The aforementioned actresses, Kathleen Cauley and Jennifer Smith, portrayed Brown in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, respectively. However, when the time came for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, it was revealed that the character had been recast with a white actress, Jessie Cave.
In the years following the recasting, many fans have speculated that the move was done in an effort to completely whitewash the franchise. Furthermore, a strong portion of fans have insisted that the recasting was implemented due to the fact that Brown was expected to receive a larger role in the sixth film — especially when you consider the fact that she had a fling with main character Ron Weasley.
On the other hand, other fans have maintained the stance that Rowling never specifically states Brown’s skin color in the novels, insisting that the film’s creators were the driving force behind the decision and eventual recasting. Either way, to recast a character solely based on skin color is a harmful choice that has since reflected badly on the franchise’s legacy. At the time of this writing, it’s not yet been confirmed if Brown will be featured in the upcoming series.