All the Harry Potter stars who have spoken out against JK Rowling as Nicholas Hoult steps down from series
After Nicholas Hoult faced intense backlash for signing on to HBO's Harry Potter series before dropping out days later, it's worth remembering that many stars from the original film series have publicly criticised author JK Rowling.
Hoult was set to play Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in the upcoming HBO TV series, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Fans continue to express anger towards him on social media for initially agreeing to take part in the series in light of Rowling's views on the transgender community. Kit Harington of Game of Thrones has since taken on the role of Lockhart.
Rowling, who lives in Scotland, has publicly criticized campaigns for transgender rights. She has set up a fund which finances legal assistance to people and organizations in the UK who are pursuing legal cases related to 'sex-based rights', with the fund's website describing it as 'a legal fighting fund for women protecting their sex-based rights'.
The author has been heavily criticized for her views, but she has denied that they are 'transphobic'.
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Several of the cast of Harry Potter have themselves publicly spoken out against Rowling's beliefs, to the extent that the author has accused them of assuming 'the role of de facto spokespeople for the world I created'. Here is what they said.
Daniel Radcliffe
Perhaps the biggest one, the actor who played the title character himself in the eight movies has publicly spoken out in support of transgender rights.
Radcliffe has been a major donor to the Trevor Project, a non-profit organization which works in suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ people, and said back in 2020 that he felt 'compelled to say something' as 'someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being'.
“Transgender women are women," wrote Radcliffe. "Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.”
Emma Watson
Watson played Hermione Granger in the films, and since their conclusion has spoken out publicly against Rowling's views, though she has also said that she does so with 'mixed feelings', including feeling sad that she can't take it up with Rowling in person.
"Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are," Emma in a social media post.
She added: "I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are."
Rowling has herself responded to the criticism in a social media post, writing: “Emma and Dan [Radcliffe] in particular have both made it clear over the last few years that they think our former professional association gives them a particular right – nay, obligation – to critique me and my views in public."
Rupert Grint
Grint, the last of the big trio in the movies, played Ron Weasley.
In 2020, he wrote: “I firmly stand with the trans community and echo the sentiments expressed by many of my peers.
“Trans women are women. Trans men are men. We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment.”
Katie Leung
Leung played Cho Chang in the movies, and has also indicated her opposition to Rowling's views.
In 2020, Leung took to social media with a thread of links where people could donate to organizations supporting black transgender women.
Bonnie Wright
Wright played Ginny Weasley in the movies, and spoke out on social media in 2020.
“If Harry Potter was a source of love and belonging for you, that love is infinite and there to take without judgment or question,” she wrote.
“Transwomen [sic] are Women. I see and love you.”
Harry Melling
Melling played Dudley Dursley in the movies, and addressed Rowling's views in an interview with The Independent in 2022.
“I can only speak for myself, and what I feel, to me, is very simple, which is that transgender women are women and transgender men are men,” he told the outlet.
“Every single person has the right to choose who they are and to identify themselves as what’s true to themselves."
Chris Rankin
Rankin played Percy Weasley in the films, and has worked with several charities supporting LGBTQ+ people, as well as having relatives who are LGBTQ+.
Given this, Rankin said that 'you can probably guess' his stance.
“What is important to highlight is that, when a trans person says they are male or female, that is what they are and that is how we should treat them,” he said in 2021.
“It is damaging to them to say otherwise. They are a very small minority who have an awful lot to deal with, and the best thing we can do is support them like we would — or should — any other human being on the planet.”
Topics: JK Rowling, Transgender, Harry Potter, LGBTQ
Kit Roberts