“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” lead James Snyder has been fired from the production, producers said Sunday.
Snyder, who has played Harry Potter since March 2019, had his contract terminated following a complaint from fellow cast member, Diane Davis. Davis, who played Ginny Potter, has made a personal choice to take a leave of absence from the production, according to a statement from the production.
The production received the complaint, which is not detailed in the statement, about Snyder on Nov. 19, 2021. After receiving the complaint, Snyder was suspended while a third party conducted an independent investigation into the matter.
“At the conclusion of the investigation, the producers decided Mr. Snyder should not return to the production and terminated his contract,” a statement from the production reads.
Steve Haggard has taken over the role of Harry Potter. Ginny Potter is currently being played by understudies Judith Lightfoot Clarke and Rachel Leslie.
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” restarted performances at the Lyric Theatre on Nov. 12, 2021, following the theatrical shutdown.
The production is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions. The producers said they would not comment further on the specifics of the matter in order to respect Davis’s privacy.
“We are committed to fostering a safe and inclusive workplace, which is why we have robust workplace policies and procedures in place for all those involved in ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,'” the production said. “This includes strict prohibitions against harassment in any form, as well as channels through which any employee can report conduct that they believe is inappropriate. We will continue to do all we can to ensure the extremely talented team that brings this production to life feels safe, empowered and fully supported.”
