HBO's remake will have the rough job of recasting the movies' characters, but a popular fan art trend could provide some inspiration. Fans are always likely to think of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint when thinking of the Golden Trio, but fan artists and writers began reimagining the appearances of these characters years ago. This typically comes down to depicting Harry, Ron, and Hermione as more like their book descriptions, but a few additional traits have also been popularized over the years. In the case of Harry and James, this means a unique change that HBO can adapt.
Fiction and art have been major outlets of the
fandom for decades. These communities have their own versions of canon, common ships (character pairings), and, often, unique ways of presenting the characters. Of course, not all of this can be adapted by —it can certainly be assumed that Draco and Harry won't end up together in the end—but there is an impactful way a fan art trend could be applied when it comes to casting the new Boy Who Lived.
Over the years, it has become common to see Harry and James Potter depicted as Indian in fan fiction and art
. It's not entirely clear who started this trend—some have credited artist for introducing this version of the characters in her comics—but it quickly took the internet by storm and has continued for years. Of course, Harry isn't explicitly said to be Indian in books, but the idea here is that his defining quality of thick black hair fits in perfectly with a Southeast Asian race. Since the series as a whole isn't as diverse as its audience, there was an opportunity here.
Since Harry is said to be the spitting image of his dad in every other way, being Indian would make having Lily's green eyes all the more striking.
Additionally, there are ways that Harry and James Potter being Indian makes a lot of sense for their characters. Throughout the series, people make a pretty big deal about Harry's green eyes, which he inherited from his red-headed mother. Since Harry is said to be the spitting image of his dad in every other way, being Indian would make having Lily's green eyes all the more striking. What's more, this would provide another layer to Harry's poor treatment at the Dursleys.
Since places a magnifying glass on topics of prejudice, it makes sense that it would start with a BIPOC child being treated like an outsider by his white-suburban adoptive parents.
It would mean that as he experienced other types of prejudice in the wizarding world, such as the poor treatment of Muggle-borns or other magical races, there would be a stronger foundation for his empathy.
Since HBO's remake has to start from square one with casting, and this trend has already been solidified in parts of the fandom, it would make sense for actors of Indian descent to be chosen for Harry and James Potter. It's difficult to speculate who could play the Boy Who Lived himself since whoever this lucky actor is would only be about eight or nine years old in 2024.
However, several male British actors of Indian or Asian descent could be cast as .
BAFTA Award-nominated actor Dev Patel, best known for playing Anwar Kharral in , could be a viable option, and since he was born in 1990, he's young enough to be a more book-faithful version of James Potter. Similarly, and actor Rahul Kohli could be a great fit. Once HBO has an actor picked out for James, the casting director can begin looking for a young Harry who resembles him as closely as possible.
It will be difficult for longtime fans to shift away from actors like Daniel Radcliffe, regardless of who takes the role.
HBO is sure to face backlash no matter who it casts, but choosing an actor of a different race than Daniel Radcliffe is a surefire way to invite torches and pitchforks. This was seen when Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast Black actor Noma Dumezweni to play the adult version of Hermione Granger. Since Hermione was never explicitly said to be books, this was seen by some as too much of a change from canon. It's been the better part of a decade since premiered at the Palace Theatre, and this debate is still going strong.
Still, HBO shouldn't shy away from such backlash. Ultimately, the entire idea of remaking the movies into a TV series has been controversial, so criticism will be unavoidable. It will be difficult for longtime fans to shift away from actors like Daniel Radcliffe, regardless of who takes the role. So, if HBO casts an actor who looks as different as possible while still matching the book description (only Harry's eyes and hair colors are described, not skin), the remake can separate itself from the films. This will allow the series to stand on its own, forging its path independently from the beloved films.
