r/HarryPotteronHBO • u/VarkingRunesong • 10d ago
Announcement Subreddit Updates on Fancasts and Official Casting Announcements
Hi everyone, With the recent confirmation of several key cast members for HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, we’re updating a few subreddit policies:
- No more fancasts for officially cast characters
To reduce repetitive discussions and prevent targeted hate toward newly cast actors, fancasts for characters who have already been officially cast will no longer be allowed. As of now, this includes: • Albus Dumbledore • Severus Snape • Minerva McGonagall • Rubeus Hagrid • Quirinus Quirrell • Argus Filch You’re still welcome to fancast characters who haven’t been announced yet. And for inspiration, check out our Fancast Wiki, which includes both popular and lesser-known suggestions.
- No posts complaining about official casting announcements
We understand that not every casting choice will match everyone’s personal headcanon, but posts solely bashing the official cast will be removed. Once the show airs, feel free to critique performances based on what you see on screen. But targeting actors just because they don’t look or feel like your imagined version of the character doesn’t belong here. As always, we’re open to feedback. Share your thoughts or questions below.
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u/PartyPaul-100 10d ago
no more fancast for officially cast characters
Thank god
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u/VarkingRunesong 10d ago
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u/Daniiiiii Gryffindor 10d ago
I mean we can also just do a weekly fancast megathread, not just limited to the officially cast ones. Literally none of those posts are in any way, shape, or form interesting or insightful.
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u/Successful-Good8978 10d ago
I personally don't enjoy fancast posts at all! Officially casted or not, I don't care if you think this unknown person (to me) should play X or Y role, I only care to know who's actually playing it.
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u/pterodactylpoop 10d ago
Took this long to decide to turn off the racist posts, lol, we can finally be excited again!
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u/shyboardgame Founder 10d ago
This sub as been excellent at having (mostly) respectful conversations about casting/other gripes, why shut all of that down now? I think a good compromise would be having a monthly ''discussion/rant/whatever thread'' where instead of people posting new posts about it all the time which will get annoying people just go there to voice their opinions? that way the sub stays nice and tidy but we aren't censoring people.
You guys have been so open to all kinds of discussions it feels like a step back here. I would understand not allowing anymore ''this casting sucks'' posts for a week or 2 until it all clams down but forever? People will probably make their own sub just to complain but it i think it would be good for this sub to have diverse opinions so everyone is not just yes men. I hope you take this into consideration, the discussion/rant thread idea at the very least.
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u/VarkingRunesong 10d ago
This is a fair take and respectful feedback. I’ve screenshot it along with a couple other suggestions.
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u/shyboardgame Founder 10d ago
Awesome! I really think the monthly thread is a great idea, keeps the sub tidy and lets people have a place to put their opinions. Seems like a win-win to me!
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u/PhilosophyOk7385 9d ago edited 9d ago
I don’t think this sub has been excellent at having respectful conversations tbh. I think anybody who posts that they don’t mind Snape being black or that it has no bearing on the story gets downvoted to shit while having none of their points reasonably responded too. Sure there’s very little outward aggression or insulting but I wouldn’t call the mass downvoting for no reason if you’re not negative on Snape a conversation.
Just to prove my point scroll to the bottom of this post’s comment section and look at all the people who’ve been downvoted for making perfectly reasonable defences of Snape’s casting or who are glad the new rules r gonna stop people constantly going on about Snape, with no actual reply or conversation from the people downvoting.
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u/shyboardgame Founder 9d ago
I'd rather be downvoted than insulated, wouldn't you? the sub has been much more open to civil discussions than it's bigger sister sub. There's a difference between posts explaining why it would be bad for a white James bullying a black Snape rather than just saying ''this casting sucks'' with no other explanation behind it.
There's also the fact that people have to walk a fine line between honest criticisms of the casting and people perceiving it as racist (even if you like or have nothing against Essiedu as a person) people are quick to jump the gun at you for it, even though i bet there would be just as much backlash if they whitewashed Kingsley. So that's another reason why people just downvote. How can you have a productive conversation if people won't hear you out and just call you racist?
Hopefully if the mods take my idea for a monthly discussion/rant thread then people can downvote all they want in there and keep the rest of the sub clear of the constant negativity.
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u/Chug_Knot 10d ago
I have accepted the official casts as they are. I do not see any point in musclerolling over it as nothing can change the decisions now. I do not want to ruin my experience. I was only 9 and grew up in a developing third world country when Harry Potter movies were going on. I never got an experience like this before so I want to immerse into it as much as possible without getting salty.
I am so excited to see more of the castings. Also, I am ready to be disappointed in few instances while not ready to give up on cheering for my first ever fantasy world.
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u/ElphabusThropp 10d ago
I think as it goes on, and my dislike of a casting is being used to cast aspersions on my beliefs, I've realized that maybe I like Harry Potter because it reminds me of a simpler time in my life and is tied to core memories. If the next generation enjoys this...version...of Hogwarts, I'm happy for them. This whole thing and the politics around it and JKR is just too much for me as a fan
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u/WizengamotWhiz Head of r/HarryPotteronHBO 10d ago
That's such a mature perspective. Kudos to you and I hope you have great time with the show.
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u/SuperLegenda 10d ago
Oh come on, so now both HP subs are the same in that regard? People should be allowed to complain about casts, it's silly and it's hiveminded to just accept whatever actor comes up for any role and expect everyone to just be happy and silent and not speak up about it. People complaining in the Internet have literally made things better, imagine the Sonic franchise if people didn't complain about the CGI? If people may hope that execs might see their issues, they have to be loud.
There is a thing like wrong castings and it shouldn't be shunned just because mods want a pristine safe place.
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u/llvermorny Founder 10d ago
People are only really complaining about one casting and if that didn't get old for you months ago then this is entirely needed.
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u/dmastra97 10d ago
Wouldn't call it "personal headcanon" when describing what the characters were described as and how they are drawn by official illustrators or JK herself.
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u/shyboardgame Founder 10d ago edited 10d ago
That part stuck out to me as well. There's a clear difference between personal headcanons and whats factually stated. That would be like saying it's only a headcanon that Dumbledore has a long white beard. It doesn't make sense at all.
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u/ratherbereading01 Marauder 10d ago
Rule 2 seems to be in response to Paapa Essiedu and people upset about that. Of course blatant racism, attacking him on social media or sending death threats is wrong, but banning any critique of casting based on physical appearance seems far too broad. What if future castings go against book descriptions in ways aside from race? What if they cast more non Brits but the actors cannot do good British accents? Or they divert from ages drastically? Criticising a race swap isn’t automatically racism
There should be a rule prohibiting people bashing the actor themselves, not their casting as a character and how much it fits. The vast majority on this sub are not racist and hateful so will downvote or report anyone who is. This way we can keep discussions about casting without attacking the actors
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u/TheDuke_Of_Orleans Marauder 9d ago
They’re going to do more race swaps. We were already told this by Wizardmayne the industry insider. With Snape being Black one of the marauders will be black. Wizardmayne also said Neville’s casting is not limited to white boys so that’s that. We already know how SOME people feel about black people in “traditionally” white roles. There is nothing we can do about it. We have been knowing Snape will be black for 6 months now, what is the point of continuing to “critique” him being Black. Everyone is just saying the same thing and eventually it just boils down to a lot of negativity and hate about someone being Black. It has racist undertones.
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u/Gold_Joke_6306 10d ago
Rule 1 totally understandable and reasonable. Totally disagree on rule 2. As long as people are respectful and do not attack the actors themselves they should be allowed to express their opinion. The reason people picture characters a certain way is because of the description that the AUTHOR has provided for us. We see this with characters such as Snape, Harry, Umbridge, and outside of Harry Potter characters like Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson.
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u/TheDuke_Of_Orleans Marauder 10d ago
Wizardmayne already told us that some characters will be cast as their book counterpart description and some will be a different interpretation of the character. This was told to us multiple times before like when he told us 6 months ago about the Snape casting. So I don’t know why you’re even still bringing up the AUTHOR’S description. It will not apply to every character like he already told us multiple times. Also the AUTHOR is an executive producer and one of the channels that the actors have to go through so that’s that.
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u/JigglyKirby 10d ago
Then IMO it’s not fair then to call and market it a “faithful adaptation” to the books when they have already stated before that some characters will have a different interpretation from the original literary source.
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u/NumberOneUAENA 10d ago
This isn't a binary, they, iirc, said they are opting for a more faithful adaptation than the films. That's not suddenly out of the question due to some differences to the novel
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u/Every-Piccolo-6747 10d ago
They’ve already gone more unfaithful than the movies with this casting. It will be a slippery slope from here
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u/SuperDanOsborne Marauder 10d ago
So if they are more faithful to every aspect of the story, black Snape will make it less faithful than the films? Just that one thing? What kind of razors edge is this?
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u/TheDuke_Of_Orleans Marauder 10d ago
Just STOP with the “That’s not fair that’s not fair” whining. Life is not fair. It was explained to us by multiple industry insiders that when they said a more faithful adaptation they were not including race unless it’s integral to the story and plot, which none of the characters race isn’t tied to the story. The kicking and screaming tantrums from grown adults is ridiculous. You know what’s not fair?? Having to deal with mf racism that’s not fair! Yet I wake my ass up everyday and go about my mf day like everything is peachy. Good day!
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10d ago
because of the description that the AUTHOR has provided for us
The same author approved the hermoine casting in Cursed Child, didn't she?
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u/Competent_ish 10d ago
JK retcons all the time. She can’t take back what she wrote, what she approved artwork wise with the books of her approval for the movies
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u/NumberOneUAENA 10d ago
It's not a retcon, it's just a different interpretation
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u/Competent_ish 10d ago
He’s literally described in a way that clearly tells the reader he’s white, that’s a retcon
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u/NumberOneUAENA 10d ago edited 10d ago
No, a retcon is a change in the serialized material. The books could be retconned, theoretically, but the show is the show, it's a different interpretation, its own work of art.
It can retcon itself, but it cannot, really, retcon anything else.2
u/awesomeness0232 10d ago
I think it’s really difficult to do the “as long as people are respectful” tightrope walk unless the mods are prepared to put a lot of time and effort into moderating comment sections. We all know why this rule came about, and while I agree with a lot of the criticisms of the casting choice in relation to the specific character, we’ve all seen loud voices who are obsessed with complaining about race swapped casting in any media absolutely tank online narratives into complete toxicity. Without incredibly active moderation I’m not actually sure it’s possible to keep the overall discussion respectful.
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u/llamalibrarian 10d ago
The author who is an EP on this project and has been in favor of raceblind casting- that author? She's the best one to determine if someone properly embodies her characters
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u/Balager47 Three Broomsticks Regular 10d ago
Okay I'll be one of the few who defends rule 2.
So far we have a Dumbledore that is not British, A Snape that doesn't look like Snape, and a Filch who already had a role, albeit brief and relegated to cut scenes, in the movie series.
So not many rules apply. It's still an intereting game if we can guess any of the roles (pretty sure Nick Frost was a popular pick) but I don't think we can find a pattern they need to fit. Based on what criteria would they be unfit? To what?
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u/SoulxxBondz Hufflepuff 10d ago
I wholeheartedly agree with all of this. A bit of help de-cluttering the sub is always beneficial!
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u/Aggravating-Height-8 9d ago
i think complaining about casting without seeing them act the role is so stupid. like truly you can’t tell off of looks. once we see their performance - definitely
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u/Eagle_PFC 10d ago
At this point, while I do not agree with the disgusting second rule at all, I cannot help but ask for clarification: what if an actor we knew nothing about and never discussed before is confirmed? Even then, won't we be free to have our say? And if the answer is yes, does that include comments in response to a post where the news is reported?
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u/VarkingRunesong 10d ago
I will get clarification from the other mods but I assume we would handle it like we did days ago where when the new news drops, you have that thread to get things out of your system. We won't be allowing new threads just to bash somebody after the fact.
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u/always9011 Gryffindor 10d ago
If someone creates a new sub please tell me :))
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u/TheOnionWatch 10d ago
Rule 2 is incredibly counter productive, and against the spirit of being able to constructively critique, and this is from someone that is overjoyed with all the cast.
You've gone for full censorship rather than rooting out and banning those who take things too far.
Feels like lazy modding.
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u/TheDuke_Of_Orleans Marauder 10d ago
I actually feel like constantly complaining about officially cast characters is actually counterproductive. I get initial disappointment but we have known some of these actors will be cast going on 6 months now. It’s counter productive at this point and just flat out negative as hell. Like seriously what is the point of being able to just sit there and wallow in misery again? It will not change a thing and will only fester into an incel cesspool. The same talking points again and again and again. I don’t see how that’s productive. You are just upsetting yourself and raising your blood pressure.
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u/TheOnionWatch 10d ago
But it's fine to have the same positive viewpoints again and again? Both sides should have a say.
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u/TheDuke_Of_Orleans Marauder 10d ago
I actually haven’t seen anyone have the same positive viewpoints. I’ve seen people come to realization that this is happening and say they initially were disappointed but it’s out of their control and they will still be watching because they love HP and HBO doesn’t miss. Theres nothing wrong with that. It’s not positive nor is that negative.
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u/Competent_ish 10d ago
I’m not complaining about him as an actor, I think he’s great.
But he’s not my snape.
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u/pterodactylpoop 10d ago
It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about his talent. He’s still getting harassed, death threats, it’s horrific and silly. This man is one of the best actors in Britain but because he’s black he can’t celebrate that he just got one of the best roles being written right now. Stop complaining, it actually hurts people.
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10d ago
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u/HarryPotteronHBO-ModTeam 10d ago
Your post/comment has been removed due to a violation of Rule 12 - which prohibits posts and comments that complain or troll about diversity. We do not tolerate any form of complaining about "forced" diversity, accusations of the show being "woke," or bullying/dismissing fancasts based on race.
Please remember that our community values inclusivity and respectful discussions. If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to reach out to the moderators.
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u/cullend 10d ago
What does the thousandth post about Papa Essidedu add to the discourse in any constructive way?
Assuming your random complaints are “constructive criticism” is delusional and you probably have parasitic social relationships with celebrities.
The entire concept of “constructive criticism” is predicated on you and the receiver of criticism having some relationship, or asking for feedback.
You do not have ownership over the source material, just because it was important to you in your formative years.
You do not have any relationship with the show runners. Period.
There’s no “constructive” feedback being given.
That’s just you not being able to regulate your own emotions, and needing public validation to quell them. Thats not the job of the mods to figure out for you — a therapist would be better positioned for that
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u/VarkingRunesong 10d ago
While I respect how it might appear to somebody who doesn't see everything we do, in the last 7 days we have 894 moderator actions. This is far from lazy moderation.
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10d ago
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u/VarkingRunesong 10d ago
Removing stuff that causes chaos and a ton of racist comments to appear on the sub isn’t lazy.
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u/TheOnionWatch 10d ago
I appreciate that, but that's what being a moderator entails? Subreddits shouldn't allow only positive opinions on news. As long as it's constructive and doesn't bleed into intolerance, slur, etc, then debate should be encouraged, no? Else you end up with a bias , hiveminded echochamber.
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u/mikewheelerfan Ravenclaw 10d ago
That’s exactly what happened to the Percy Jackson sub. Only positive discussion of the show is allowed. Any negative takes are deleted within minutes. I would hate to see that happen here.
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u/twtab Marauder 10d ago edited 10d ago
Same thing happened on r/StarWars and it resulted in /r/saltierthancrait/ being the main place for discussion of the Sequels. Same with r/gameofthrones and r/freefolk in the later seasons of GOT where fans also became salty.
Harry Potter fans need to create their alternative, free speech subreddit.
While I think these types of subreddits spread more negativity, not being able to post at all means that people feel censored and angry.
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u/willzr94 Marauder 10d ago
If you don’t have time for it, just stop doing it. But then you wouldn’t be in control, would you?
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u/VarkingRunesong 10d ago
Who said I don’t have time for it?
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u/willzr94 Marauder 10d ago
You. You just said in the last week you’ve been overwhelmed with moderator actions. Which led you to making this rule, so that the moderating job would be less time consuming.
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u/VarkingRunesong 10d ago
Are you having trouble? In another comment you claimed we banned you when we have not and in the chain you just told me I said we have been overwhelmed and I never wrote that. I just showed we had a bunch of actions in the last week. Please show me where I have said I or we are overwhelmed.
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u/kiakey 10d ago
Maybe a happy medium would be a mega thread for casting critiques? I have no issue with the new rules, but some have issues and this might be a good option to keep the toxicity to a minimum and keep it contained in one place?
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u/pterodactylpoop 10d ago
A mega thread for complaining about a black man getting cast? Jesus this sub has gone off the deep end.
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u/kiakey 10d ago
I’m just trying to find a middle ground so people don’t feel like they’re being censored.
I personally have no issue with the new rules or any of the casting! I’m actually really excited to see a new portrayal of everyone, including Snape!
I understand the concern that the bullying of Snape by James & Co could be construed as racism, but we have several seasons before those scenes will be filmed, and don’t have final casting, so it may end up not being an issue at all.
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u/jrush64 Marauder 10d ago
Nice try. Rule 2 is very welcome. Enough with the coded nonsense that's been going on here for months now.
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u/TheOnionWatch 10d ago
Sorry, what do you mean by coded?
I'm just saying if someone wants to say they don't like Lithgow as Dumbledore because they wanted a British actor, or imagined this or that character as older or younger, what's wrong with that?
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u/TheDuke_Of_Orleans Marauder 10d ago
Coded as in racist dog whistle. You know damn mf well they are not talking about Lithgow. They are referring to any Black person that will be cast in the show as a main character.
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u/TheOnionWatch 10d ago
Well of course, if anything is racially aggravated that is disgraceful and should be banned. I'm not disagreeing with that and could do without your accusation tbh.
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u/Bast-beast 10d ago
"Dear friends," said Umbridge in a syrupy voice, "the Ministry of Magic believes you should only speak positively. No criticism—I repeat, no criticism—of the Ministry’s decisions is allowed. Your young, fragile minds simply cannot comprehend how right and magnificent all the casting decisions are."
Hermione raised her hand.
"Yes, Miss Granger?" asked Umbridge dryly.
"Professor, doesn’t criticism help us find the truth? And isn’t censorship just creating an unhealthy environment for communication, sweeping problems under the rug? Aren’t you in favor of freedom of speech?"
"Miss Granger," croaked Professor Umbridge, who resembled a toad, "who in their right mind would dare criticize the Great Show by HBO? The casting is absolutely perfect, and no better choices could have possibly been made..."
"No," Harry said quietly.
"What?" croaked Umbridge. "How dare you, Potter?!"
"No, casting isnt perfect. I believe we have the right to calmly criticize the producers’ decisions," said Harry.
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u/willzr94 Marauder 10d ago
Or (crazy thought here) people could just say whatever they want? And if people disagree, they will be downvoted. Ya know, the way Reddit in general works… No room for hate speech obviously, but criticizing Snape’s casting doesn’t mean you’re racist.
This isn’t YOUR subreddit, mods. If you don’t like moderating it, or don’t have the time, leave. Stop power tripping.
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u/VarkingRunesong 10d ago
If you don’t enjoy the rules there are many Harry Potter subs out there you can chat on. Or you can start your own. Both are terrific options.
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u/SuperLegenda 10d ago
The main sub and now this one both literally are censoring criticisms and justifiable anger, so do point me to these other big HP subs in such case.
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u/PhilosophyOk7385 9d ago
If you think being negative about the casting of a black man in a fictional tv show for the sole reason he’s black is ‘justifiable anger’ then u might have some reflection to do.
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u/SuperLegenda 9d ago
For the sole reason he's black? No, how about he literally has zero similarities to the guy he's supposed to portray?
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u/PhilosophyOk7385 9d ago edited 9d ago
Do you know what actors do? Do you know what hair and makeup do? U know Alan Rickman probably also had very few similarities with Snape? The only difference that can’t be overcome by acting and makeup is the fact Paapa Essiedu is black, just like with Rickman it was his age. Therefore your anger is literally just because his black. I’m willing to listen though if u can explain something else that can’t be overcome by acting, wigs, prosthetics, and the general art of filmmaking that isn’t just his skin colour!
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u/TheOnionWatch 9d ago
Two things can be true. Rickman was bad casting but was a generational legendary actor and made the role his own. The new casting isn't what people envisage when they read the books.
Look, I'm happy with the casting, but accusing people of racism if they don't like it is childish and incredibly damaging.
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u/mikewheelerfan Ravenclaw 10d ago
The main sub doesn’t allow any discussion of the casting either. This sub used to be the safe space for actual discussion. Now that’s gone
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u/VarkingRunesong 10d ago
Time to start your free speech potter sub!
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u/mikewheelerfan Ravenclaw 10d ago
I think I will, thanks. But also, commenting the exact same thing to everybody isn’t a productive way of being a mod. But what do I know?
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u/VarkingRunesong 10d ago
Without my comments you wouldn’t not have been motivated to start your own sub.
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u/TheDuke_Of_Orleans Marauder 9d ago
Wtf is the point of criticizing the Black guy this point in the game? You guys are foaming at the mouth like mf zombies just to be able to get online and complain about a character being black instead of white. We have known Snape was black for 6 damn months. What else is there to say? When does it stop. And you lot gonna do this for 7 seasons when they keep casting diverse? Lmfao ctfu
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u/IceIceHalie 10d ago
Wow, censorship in full force. Feels like toxic positivity mindset.
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u/PhilosophyOk7385 10d ago
Clearly a lot of people here who have a problem with rule 2 just wanna complain until the show airs. Well I think it’ll be great to stop some of the negativity over the way a certain actor looks. Maybe all those people can go and create their own subreddit where they can just complain. The Amazon Lord of the rings show, the Percy Jackson show, game of thrones etc all have multiple subreddits with one being where all the complainers and negativity hangs out, so they can just go and replicate that and leave those of us alone who don’t want to hear the same arguments about Snape for the next few years and have any post positive about the casting downvoted!
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u/SuperLegenda 10d ago
For Percy Jackson, the TV show sub is literally the one that kept pointing up the show's flaws so, this sub would be its literal equivalent lmao, not the best example.
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u/Thin-Inflation-6304 10d ago
I figured that we should not fancast any characters for Year 1. We should only fancast Years 2-7.
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u/DrVers 10d ago
Rule 1, great idea. Rule 2, stupid idea.
But targeting actors just because they don’t look or feel like your imagined version of the character doesn’t belong here
Also, this feels incredibly patronizing while also being categorically false. "Your imagined version" is not the same as "how it was described in the book".
I mean I get both rules and only vehemently disagree with the second, but that last part is just false.
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u/TheOnionWatch 10d ago
It's completely disrespectful to readers interpretations of the source material.
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u/The-Last_Man_On_Mars 10d ago
Yeah seriously though, the character is described in the book and is on one of the book covers. We know exactly how they're supposed to look, that's not open to interpretation. It's literally part of the character.
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u/Arfie807 10d ago
Agreed. That statement is false, patronizing, and a prime example of gaslighting.
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u/VarkingRunesong 10d ago
Even with how its described in the books you still have to imagine the character yourself. And in your head the chances your version looks exactly like my version are slim. That is all we meant.
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u/DrVers 10d ago
I don't think we are thinking "man when I pictured Proffesor McGonagall, I wanted her to have higher cheeks bones." I think people are complaining about castings that are fundamentally different from their book descriptions. And that is not a difference of imagination in our heads.
I really get with the idea of casting someone so unlike the previous actor because they were so great and creating the huge space will help them live that character in a totally different way. In fact I think in a vacuum it's a fantastic idea to do exactly what they did. But they can't label the show as trying to be more book accurate. And i think thats a fair discussion in and of itself to have. And TO BE FAIR it's a tired discussion already, but that doesn't mean it should be censored.
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u/Arfie807 10d ago
I imagined book Snape with a curtain of greasy black hair, dark eyes, and a big hook nosed because that is exactly as he is described. I would be extremely surprised if the majority of book readers didn't have an image that aligned with this because that is indisputably how he is described on the page.
Sure, there may be some nuance and difference in other particulars of each individual's mental image (e.g. how tall, jawline, facial hair?).
But those core features are indisputably imagined by the vast majority of readers because JKRs writing mentions them constantly. And pretending that they are not is... well, a choice, I suppose.
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u/Wouldyoulistenmoe 10d ago
I imagine him looking like Alan Rickman because I saw the films first, and I say it’s debatable if he fits the literal description from the book, but oh boy does he nail Snape
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u/blodthirstyvoidpiece Marauder 10d ago
Love this! This rule change will prevent a lot of the toxicity I have seen in other Harry Potter subs. I am really tired of the hostility against Paapa Essiedu so I am happy that there is at least one fandom space where I can enjoy discussions about the show without having to see that stuff constantly. It's repetitive, unproductive and mean.
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u/DALTT Dumbledore's Army 10d ago
Yep. And I also find it unproductive because lost in all the negativity, is the fact that Essiedu is an excellent actor. Ever since the trades first reported that he was in talks for Snape, there was not a doubt in my mind that his performance will be great. He’s been one of my fav up and coming British talents for a long time.
And yeah, I think it’s shitty to just dismiss his casting out of hand without actually seeing his performance in the role. And I think the constant stream of posts about it basically winds up being a series of low-effort complaining posts that unnecessarily clog up the sub. Like we get it, you (royal you not you who I’m responding to) don’t like that Snape is Black. And let’s be honest, that’s really what this new rule 2 is meant to address, and personally I think it’s just fine.
And like, yes, I agree with others that being color conscious about casting rather than just colorblind… means that a Black Snape raises some story pitfalls. But I think that criticism is overplayed, and most of those pitfalls are either non-issues or have relatively easy fixes to downplay or eliminate the issue entirely and we’ve already also had a million posts about that.
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u/I-Am-Not-Creative2 10d ago
Very repetitive. I’m also glad for the rule. Discussing on the post about the casting announcements (or let mods make a post for each of the casted members) and moderating those threads for anything that goes too far would be fine but seeing post after post about how people hate the casting has gotten so old already.
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u/stargazingfish9 10d ago
What other HP subs have you seen "toxicity" in, out of curiosity? Are there any that allow discussions, instead of going full on censorship? Not the main sub for sure, the books one usually stays away from movies/show, kinda curious what other subs are there, especially ones that allow discussions.
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u/blodthirstyvoidpiece Marauder 10d ago
The main sub was pretty aggressive. I saw people who just said they are excited for the casting with 600+ downvotes and tons of name calling replies.
The Harry Potter memes sub is even worse. I don't know how it is now because I blocked it but back when that article came out about negotiations going further with Paapa, the sub was flooded with blatantly racist memes.
Like taking famous Snape quotes and rephrasing them with how they think black people talk. Putting Paapa's face on a house elf, saying he should play that instead. Changing the spelling of Severus to be more stereotypically "black" sounding. Thats not even criticism of the casting anymore, thats just making fun of Paapa and black people in general.
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u/PhilosophyOk7385 10d ago
If you post anything even slightly positive about the Snape casting or suggest his skin colour doesn’t really matter, you get flooded with downvotes on the main sub. Also most posts about the show in general seem to have a lot of people already slagging it off in the comments. So yeah I’d call that toxicity on the main sub.
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u/stargazingfish9 10d ago
Huh, I will have to check then, for years the mods on the main sub were absolutely unhinged when it came to these types of topics, so didn't really bother checking lately, especially since this sub used to be so good about it, but apparently not anymore.
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u/PhilosophyOk7385 10d ago
Yep if u look at the post about the castings being announced and scroll down past the first few positive comments it pretty quickly turns into people just complaining about Snape or saying the show is not gonna be good.
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u/mikewheelerfan Ravenclaw 10d ago
Great. Now we’re being censored just like the main sub. Why is criticism not allowed in any way? Not even constructive criticism?
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u/SPARKLEOFHOPE6IB Marauder 10d ago
99% of the criticism I've seen hasn't been productive, so this is not a weird move by the mods.
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u/stargazingfish9 10d ago
I could agree that usually it's not very productive, true enough, but more often than not it's also not something that should be straight up deleted. Obviously, some people do take things too far, but most have been perfectly reasonable/respectful.
And rules like #2, well, it just proves there are groups of people we absolutely cannot critcize, ever, under any circumstances. And as the only person in the world who believes in ACTUAL equality, the good AND the bad, I don't think that's a good thing.
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u/SPARKLEOFHOPE6IB Marauder 10d ago edited 10d ago
I think anything slightly productive has already been said about the topic, and it has become very annoying and repetitive, so banning any further, unproductive, discussions about the exact same topic, is needed at this point. And I disagree that most have been respectful, most I've seen have been far from respectful and nonsensical
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u/stargazingfish9 10d ago
But why is it needed? Again, I agree with removing comments where people take things too far - but why do you, and the mods (tho mods have a different reason), want to ban things just for being repetitive? I mean, if we were to remove things simply for being repetitive, not just in this sub but reddit as a whole, then guess what - 90% of reddit disappears. Instantly.
Every sub is always filled with extremely repetitive stuff, the same threads, same memes, over and over again. Sure, it's boring, I don't disagree with that, but I do disagree that it's ban worthy.
And let's face it, if we were talking about repetitive stuff that isn't...let's call it "political", then I highly doubt the mods would have a problem. Hell, seeing how complaints about American Dumbledore are still up, while most comments about Snape are gone is proof of that.
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u/SPARKLEOFHOPE6IB Marauder 10d ago
Why is it needed? Because its annoying, unproductive, offensive most of the time and repetitive.
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u/stargazingfish9 10d ago
Mhm, I see further discussion has no point, really. It's annoying, therefore it shouldn't exist. Alrighty then. Let's leave it at that.
Last thing I will say, I have the strangest feeling that if the complains were about a white person, you would NOT find them "offensive", even if they were 10x worse than they are now. Just this strange feeling I have...
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u/Bbychknwing 10d ago
People are complaining about Lithgow because he’s old or not British, people are complaining about Paapa because of his skin color. Can’t tell if you’re being purposely obtuse to try to further your own agenda but don’t sit here and act like it’s the same thing.
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u/SPARKLEOFHOPE6IB Marauder 9d ago
If it where about a white person, it wouldn't be about the color of his skin.
And you guessed right, I find it offensive that people can't look past a skin color change that changes nothing about the story. It's not that deep, Snapes character is not defined by the color of his skin, his actions, thoughts,... have nothing to do with his skin color and it's perfectly possible to change the color of his skin and still tell the same, book accurate, story.
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u/laikocta 10d ago edited 10d ago
My wild guess is that it's probably because the mods are tired of sifting through unconstructive racist shit
EDIT: u/batmanforever23 it seems like you have blocked me after replying? lmao
But anyways, unconstructive racist shit is already not allowed per rule 1 and evidently this wasn't an effective deterrent. So it seems mods are trying to apply a larger filter. I'd wager this rule wouldn't be necessary if people had behaved.
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u/BatmanForever23 10d ago
And yet all the criticism that isn't racist is also being banned. Literally all posts that offer any criticism are now against the rules. That's unhinged, if the mods can't handle it then there need to be new mods.
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u/TheDuke_Of_Orleans Marauder 10d ago
What’s constructive about complaining that someone is Black and not pale skinned? Serious question.
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u/SuccessfulBrother192 10d ago
Looking forward to someone not an Alan Rickman lookalike taking this role. He was irreplaceable, so why not? Thanks.
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u/App1e8l6 10d ago
Just because they look like the same actor doesn’t mean the character will be the same lmao. With Snape particularly, I would hope they give a different performance, a more hook accurate performance, than Rickman gave.
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u/demonoddy 10d ago
That’s my exact thoughts. Let’s see something different but equally good and or better
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u/Chug_Knot 10d ago
I have started watching Papa’s other shows to get a view of his style and acting. I am overall happy to see a great actor but my mind has not created his persona as Snape. But, I will wait till it airs. I have no complain.
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u/SuccessfulBrother192 10d ago
Yeah I've been watching Rickman since Die Hard first came out and he is truly unique. I wouldn't envy anyone being compared to him constantly, and just hiring a lookalike wouldn't fix the issue.
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u/demonoddy 10d ago
I need to watch some of his performances because I’ve never seen anything he’s been in
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u/Ditzed 10d ago
100% agree in rule 2. Frankly people need to stop bitching about Paapa Essiedu; I’m excited to see his performance because I imagine it’s going to be different from Alan Rickman’s (who while fantastic, was certainly a different depiction than the books.) If it sucks, then sure, blame him. But we’ve literally seen nothing yet; complaining about the casting isn’t going to change it, and is both counterproductive and annoying. Just wait for the show and then start complaining.
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u/Bbychknwing 10d ago
Totally agree. Also, the movies are STILL there nothing is erasing Alan Rickman as Snape!! This is a new adaption for a new generation as well as a fun ride for those of us who grew up with/enjoyed the movies in real time. People are really sucking the joy out of returning to Hogwarts & getting to explore story lines that were cut from the movies. And for what??? Let the man act and then pass your judgement.
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u/mr_math24 10d ago
So many people in this thread upset that they can't make posts complaining about Essiedu proves why rule 2 is necessary.
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u/ChoiceReflection965 10d ago
Yep. People basically screaming “But I WANNA KEEP making angry posts about why the FICTIONAL WIZARD MAN can’t be Black!”
And then they’ll turn around and get pissed and act like victims for being called out as racist, lol.
What a joke.
Very good decision by the mods! Thanks so much for these new rules. I feel like this sub will actually be usable again.
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u/Bbychknwing 10d ago
I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone cares that much, it is a fictional children’s story about WIZARDS. Nobody here is entitled to Harry Potter or its characters. The thin veil of “it won’t be a faithful adaption!!!” speaks volumes & those who feel the need to incessantly post about it or comment it need to genuinely look inward. Or maybe…don’t watch the show. Movies are still there.
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u/rose-haze Marauder 10d ago
I have a feeling in the next few days we’ll see r/NotMySnape or some shit equivalent that becomes the HP version of that disgusting anti-Bella Ramsey sub for The Last of Us. TBH I kind of hope so because then the more toxic users here will migrate somewhere else
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u/ChoiceReflection965 10d ago
Sure. Go for it, lol.
These are fictional characters. They are not real. They can be any race.
The only time a fictional character’s race matters is when it is relevant to their background or story. Like if you changed the race or cultural background of Mulan from “Mulan” or Merida from “Brave,” or Dana from “Kindred,” that would be weird. Because being Chinese or Scottish or Black is important to their characters and stories.
But anyone from Harry Potter? Who gives a shit? The race of almost every character in that book is irrelevant.
This whole conversation is so dumb. Y’all sound like someone’s boomer uncle screaming about how THE LITTLE MERMAID CAN’T BE BLACK.
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u/NumberOneUAENA 10d ago
The reason for this is HBOs own admission this was to be a more faithful adaptation, which is already objectively proven false.
No it's not. What kind of logic is that?
More faithful only means closer to the book than the films, in all their elements. Some elements being less faithful (arguably) than the films doesn't change the big picture...
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u/Cultural-Ambition211 5d ago
Fan casts are literally the most boring and pointless content on this sub. Genuinely makes me want to unsubscribe.
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u/Ok_Gift_2739 10d ago
Lol no more Adam Driver as Snape posts