A new HBO drama series based on 'Harry Potter,' which captivated the world, is mired in an unprecedented scandal even before its unveiling. Touted as the most anticipated release of this Christmas season and having completed filming of the first season, it has nonetheless been dogged by ominous rumors—from casting withdrawals to racially motivated death threats and on-set harassment allegations—that have raised concerns among global fans.
On the 21st (local time), the Daily Mail reported that child actor Gracie Cochrane, who played Ginny Weasley in the 'Harry Potter' HBO series, abruptly announced her departure after finishing season 1 filming. Her family said, "We made a difficult decision due to unexpected circumstances," explaining the reason for her withdrawal, and HBO also expressed regret and said it supported her decision. Because Ginny Weasley is a key character whose role grows significantly in future storylines, the production faces the challenge of fully recasting ahead of the next season.
The casting-related carnage does not end there. Black actor Paapa Essiedu, who was cast as Severus Snape, a role once played by the late Alan Rickman, revealed that after the casting announcement he received shocking death threats from malicious commenters saying, "We will kill you if you do not quit immediately," causing outrage. Plagued by racist hate speech, he said in an interview, "It would be a lie to say it has no emotional effect, but this unjust criticism actually becomes the driving force that makes the character mine," expressing a resolute mindset. As the situation grew serious, HBO chief executive officer Casey Bloys said the company had implemented "security measures of a serious level" to protect actors and briefed them on how to handle social media.
Author J.K. Rowling's 'controversy over transgender hatred' is also still hampering the series. With some fans launching boycotts over Rowling's outspoken remarks, veteran actors such as John Lydon? (note: original Korean says 존 리스고) John Lydon? and Nick Frost, who play Albus Dumbledore and Rubeus Hagrid respectively, have faced awkwardness as they are asked related questions at interviews. John Lydon? said he felt uncomfortable after receiving a public letter from a friend urging him to "walk away from Harry Potter," and Nick Frost drew a line by saying, "My views do not align with Rowling's at all."
On top of that, allegations of lax discipline and criminal behavior on set have surfaced. In March, serious allegations of "harassment (bullying)" between adult and child actors and physical fights involving child supporting actors were raised on set, prompting Warner Bros. to issue a strong warning that "no matter how famous the actor, they will be immediately expelled."
During shooting of the Halloween feast scene, an absurd incident occurred in which many key props—including wands, broomsticks and magic books—were stolen in bulk. In the end, the production had to implement laughable security measures such as implanting microchips in all props and posting tracking posters.
Given the situation, even Chris Columbus, the director who led the box-office success of the original films, added bitterness by bluntly criticizing the new series' visuals after seeing them, saying, "The original's costumes and everything look exactly the same. I don't know why they're remaking it — what purpose does it serve?"
Amid many controversies and setbacks, attention is focused on whether HBO's new 'Harry Potter' series, which has taken its first step, can overcome these ignominious scandals and win back the hearts of fans around the world.
[Photo] HBO
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