JK Rowling addresses fan criticism of Nagini casting in Fantastic Beasts 2

In Fantastic Beasts 2, Kim will play Nagini, a Maledictus whose blood curse will eventually turn her into a snake permanently — before someday meeting Voldemort.

However, Potter fans have taken to social media to criticise the casting of an Asian woman in the role.

• Newt Scamander meets his brother in the final mysterious trailer for Fantastic Beasts: the Crimes of Grindelwald
• When is Fantastic Beasts 2 released in cinemas?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFD2f001G_w

In a thread on Twitter, teen author Ellen Oh wrote that the casting choice was a "problem", before adding:

"I feel like this is the problem when white people want to diversify and don't actually ask [a] POC [Person of Colour] how to do so. They don't make the connection between making Nagini an Asian woman who later on is the pet of a white man.

"So I'm going to say it right now. That s*** is racist."

https://twitter.com/ElloEllenOh/status/1044637477183639552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1044637477183639552&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ladbible.com%2Fentertainment%2Ffilm-and-tv-fantastic-beasts-2-accused-of-being-racially-insensitive-over-nagini-20180926

Another Twitter user said that the Potter universe has a history of adhering to racial stereotypes: "Cho Chang [is] the demure 'gentle flower' and #Nagini [is] the sexually attractive 'dragon lady.'"

https://twitter.com/Supervinh47/status/1044934325324713984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1044934325324713984&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.teenvogue.com%2Fstory%2Ffantastic-beasts-crimes-of-grindelwald-criticism-casting-asian-actor-claudia-kim-nagini

Fans also accused Rowling of trying to shoehorn more ethnically diverse characters into to the franchise.

"Listen Joanne, we get it, you didn't include enough representation when you wrote the books," Twitter user Jen Moulton wrote on Twitter.

"But suddenly making Nagini into a Korean woman is garbage. Representation as an afterthought for more woke points is not good representation."

https://twitter.com/J_A_Moulton/status/1044898830444105728

https://twitter.com/FondaJLee/status/1044965773234515968

Rowling responded to Moulton on Twitter, stating: "The Naga are snake-like mythical creatures of Indonesian mythology, hence the name ‘Nagini.’ They are sometimes depicted as winged, sometimes as half-human, half-snake.

"Indonesia comprises a few hundred ethnic groups, including Javanese, Chinese and Betawi. Have a lovely day."

https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1044907311058358273

Kim announced the casting herself, but has not addressed the subsequent controversy.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she said: "It will be so interesting to see another side of Nagini. You’ve only seen her as a Horcrux.

"In this, she’s a wonderful and vulnerable woman who wants to live. She wants to stay a human being and I think that’s a wonderful contrast to the character."

You can watch the final trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFEofWMW0KM