Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has hit back at criticism of the casting of Hermione Granger in new stage play Harry Potter And The Cursed Child.

The writer voiced her support for Swaziland-born actress Noma Dumezweni, 45, who is taking on the role made famous by Emma Watson in the blockbuster films.

The Scottish writer silenced critics after several social media users expressed confusion at the divergence, with some even making openly racist comments, stating that Hermione's skin colour had in fact never been specified in the books.

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Casting controversy: Author J.K. Rowling has hit back at fans who critcised the casting of actress Noma Dumezweni (C) as Hermione Granger in upcoming stage play, Harry Potter And The Cursed Child. Paul Thornley (R) will play Harry while Jamie Parker (L) will play Ron Weasley

JK posted, 'Canon: brown eyes, frizzy hair and very clever. White skin was never specified. Rowling loves black Hermione', adding a kissing emoji at the end of her message

She further showed her support by retweeting a fan art montage that fans had made of Noma as Hermione.

Matthew Lewis, who plays Harry's hapless pal Neville Longbottom in the film franchise, also took to Twitter to express his disgust at some of the reactions from social media users.

'And Neville Longbottom was blonde. I really don't care. Good luck to her', he said, referring to his own physical differences from the character in the book.

Creator: Rowling, who devised the show with the help of playwright Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, is also set to direct the cast of 30

Issue: The stage show casting raises the question of Hermione's ethnicity, with several scholars arguing that there is no textual evidence in the book to indicate that she is white - and JK agreeing. Pictured, Emma Watson (L) who played Hermione in the films

Rowling never made a point of Hermione’s ethnicity, and there’s no textual evidence to indicate that she is, necessarily, white.

Hermione is described as having unruly brown ‘bushy hair’, which she hates. In fact there are screeds of essays and scholarly works arguing that Hermione could be black.

One piece observed that she was born to Muggle, non-wizard, parents and was considered an outsider at Hogwarts – and coded as a racial minority in the wizarding world.

At Hogwarts, Hermione was often taunted as a ‘Mudblood’, an insult thrown at Muggle-born wizards.

Firing back: Rowling silenced critics once and for all by revealing that she never specified brainy witch Hermione was white

Show of support: Playwright Jake Thorne also cracked a joke about fans complaining that Jamie Parker, who is set to play Ron Weasley, doesn't have red hair

Voicing his opinion: Matthew Lewis, who plays Neville Longbottom in the blockbusters, also expressed his annoyance at some of the fan reactions

Director Tiffany said he had simply cast the best possible actors, noting that they ‘will be an incredible and estimable triumvirate’.

Other users also took umbrage to the fact Jamie isn't a redhead, a defining characteristic of the Weasley family, leading Cursed Child writer Jack Thorne to respond.

He wrote: 'Noma, Jamie & Paul will be the most brilliant three. We're very lucky to have them. And to assure all doubters - Paul is ginger in his soul.'

This is the grown-up Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley who will appear in next year’s highly anticipated stage play – and they’re very different from their big screen counterparts.

Proving popular: Harry Potter And The Cursed Child sold just 175,000 seats were sold in just 24 hours, a West End record

Harry will be played by 36-year-old Jamie, an original member of Alan Bennett’s History Boys cast at the National Theatre, while Paul Thornley has been cast as Ron.

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child which, which doesn't begin performances at London’s Palace Theatre until late May, has already sold more than a quarter of a million tickets.

Some 175,000 seats were sold in just 24 hours, a West End record. The show was devised by Harry Potter author JK Rowling, playwright Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, who will also direct the cast of 30.

Thorne turned the piece into a magical drama that will play in two parts. Audiences can see both on the same day – at a matinee and evening performance – or on two consecutive evenings each week.

The play is expected to be the biggest theatrical event in London next year.

Back in time: The grown-up actors couldn't be more different to the child stars - Daniel Radcliffe (centre), Emma Warson and Rupert Grint - who originally took on the roles for the films

Tiffany worked with Dumezweni and Thornley while he and producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender were developing the piece. They acted out scenes for the director to see how they would look.

In the eight films Harry, Hermione and Ron were played by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, ending with The Deathly Hallows Part 2 in 2011.

Dumezweni, who lives with her young daughter in London, took over the title role in the play Linda, now running at the Royal Court, with only four days notice after Sex And The City star Kim Cattrall dropped out. Her performance received rave reviews.

She won an Olivier award in 2006 for her role in the play A Raisin In The Sun, is an associate of the Royal Shakespeare Company and has appeared in Doctor Who.

Magical: The highly-anticipated play, which doesn't open until late May, looks set to be the biggest theatrical event of 2016

Best in show: Director Tiffany said he had simply cast the best possible actors, noting that they ‘will be an incredible and estimable triumvirate’. Pictured, Daniel Radcliffe, left, and, right, as Harry Potter

Thornley, who is married to and has two children with Casualty star Chloe Howman, has made countless appearances on such staple fare as Holby City, Doctors, Poirot and Life Begins. And he played opposite Olivia Colman in the film London Road.

It is likely that once the project gets under way his hair will be dyed ginger like Ron’s.

Parker, who is expected to don Harry’s famous glasses, has had a stellar career, having struck gold as Scripps in The History Boys. He has played Henry V on stage and Hamlet on the radio. He is presently playing Sky Masterson in Guys & Dolls at the Savoy Theatre.

Producer Friedman said the casting was a collective decision involving Rowling, Tiffany, Thorne, Callender and herself. ‘We were all involved with all the key casting decisions,’ she told the Daily Mail.

The play follows on from the epilogue featured in both the novel and film of The Deathly Hallows. Harry is now head of the Auror division at the Ministry of Magic, where Ron also works. Hermione works as a lawyer in the department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Official previews for The Cursed Child begin on June 7, though there will be some in late May that will be available to the public. The official opening is July 30.

Friedman said the show will not be a high-tech production, although special effects experts have been hired – along with an illusionist. ‘There will be magic,’ she said.

Performance: The play follows on from the epilogue featured in both the novel and film of The Deathly Hallows. Harry is now head of the Auror division at the Ministry of Magic, where Ron also works. Hermione works as a lawyer in the department of Magical Law Enforcement. Pictured, Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010)



