19 "Harry Potter" Actors Who Have Spoken Out Either In Support Of Or Against J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling's views on gender identity haven't just angered fans — they've upset the Harry Potter cast, too. But while some have called out the author's controversial views, others have publicly supported and defended her.
Here's where 19 Harry Potter actors stand on J.K. Rowling.
1.Daniel Radcliffe — who famously portrayed the boy who lived — spoke out against J.K. following a series of anti-trans tweets in 2020, saying in a letter to The Trevor Project that "trans women are women."
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'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 [J.K.] or I," he wrote.
2.Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy, had "complicated" feelings about J.K. He told the Telegraph, "There's a bunch of stuff about Jo. You know, I play complicated people, I'm interested in complicated people. I don't want to get drawn into the trans issues, talking about them, because it's such an extraordinary minefield. She has her opinions, I have mine. They differ in many different areas."
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3.Emma Watson publicly disagreed after J.K. made anti-trans tweets in 2020. "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," tweeted Emma, who portrayed Hermione Granger. She added, "I want my trans followers to know that I and so many people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are."
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4.Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley, said he has a "tricky" relationship with J.K. While he doesn't share her views, he's appreciative of the role she had in shaping his career. "I am hugely grateful for everything that she's done," he told the Times. "I think that she's extremely talented. I mean, clearly her works are genius. But I think also you can have huge respect for someone and still disagree with things like that."
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5.Chris Rankin, who played Percy Weasley, slammed the "damaging" rhetoric in a 2021 interview with the Eastern Daily Press. "I do a lot of work with charities that are LGBTQ+focused," he shared, adding that many of his family members are also LGBTQ+. "It is a huge part of my life and I think, by saying that, you can probably guess where my allegiances lie in that respect." Chris also said, "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. It is damaging to them to say otherwise."
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6.Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne said he disagrees with J.K.'s beliefs — but he also thinks fans have taken their criticisms too far. He told the Daily Mail that some comments were so "disgusting," he even reached out to J.K. over private DMs.
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7.Ralph Fiennes, who played Lord Voldemort, also couldn't "understand the vitriol" directed at J.K. "J.K. Rowling has written these great books about empowerment, about young children finding themselves as human beings," he told the New York Times. "It's about how you become a better, stronger, more morally centered human being." That said, he thought: "The verbal abuse directed at her is disgusting, it's appalling."
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8.Draco Malfoy actor Tom Felton has said he hasn't really paid attention to the backlash. "The only thing that I always remind myself is that I've been lucky enough to travel the world," he said at this year's Tony Awards. "Here I am in New York — and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter. And [J.K. is] responsible for that, so I'm incredibly grateful."
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9.Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid, didn't see the big deal in J.K.'s comments. "I don't think what she said was offensive really," he told the Radio Times, per the Independent. "I don't know why, but there's a whole Twitter generation of people who hang around waiting to be offended. They wouldn't have won the war, would they?"
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"That's me talking like a grumpy old man," he teased, "but you just think, 'Oh, get over yourself. Wise up, stand up straight, and carry on.'"
10.Ginny Weasley actor Bonnie Wright made her thoughts clear when she tweeted support for the trans community amid J.K.'s anti-trans tweets. She wrote, "If Harry Potter was a source of love and belonging for you, that love is infinite and there to take without judgment or question," adding that, "Transwomen are Women."
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11.Evanna Lynch, who starred in Harry Potter as Luna Lovegood, has "compassion for both sides of the argument." Speaking with the Telegraph, Evanna explained, "I know what it was like to be a teenager who hated my body so much I wanted to crawl out of my skin, so I have great compassion for trans people and I don't want to add to their pain." At the same time, she wished people would have "more grace" for J.K. and "listen to her," including when sharing "the voices of de-transitioners."
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12.In an interview with the Sunday Times, Helena Bonham Carter criticized the public's "horrendous" treatment of J.K. in response to her tweets. "I think she has been hounded," Helena, who played Bellatrix Lestrange, shared. "It's been taken to the extreme, the judgmentalism of people." She argued that J.K. is "allowed her opinion" and stated the cast "should let her have" her thoughts. "But I think they're very aware of protecting their own fanbase and their generation," she added.
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13.Jim Broadbent, who portrayed Professor Horace Slughorn, also shared support for J.K. Reacting to the criticism, he told the Telegraph: "It's really sad. I think J.K. Rowling is amazing. I haven't had to confront [the backlash] myself, but I would support her in that, I think, if it came to it."
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14.Not only has John Cleese (Nearly Headless Nick) defended J.K. — he's also made several anti-trans tweets of his own, prompting widespread backlash, including from Jonathan Van Ness and former Nine Inch Nails creative director Rob Sheridan.
Dave J Hogan / Dave15.After J.K.'s anti-trans tweets, Katie Leung showed support by posting a thread of resources for trans women.
Gerardo Mora / Getty Images, Warner Bros / Via youtube.com
16.Filius Flitwick actor Warwick Davis is "out of touch" with the controversy surrounding J.K. In May, he told Entertainment Weekly: "I don't tend to read the news. It's kind of one of those things I just don't do. So, I'm kind of out of touch with what's going on. It's not really something I'm particularly interested in — producing entertainment is what I do."
Karwai Tang / WireImage, Warner Bros / Via youtube.com
17.David Thewlis was also reportedly out of the loop when asked about the controversy in a 2020 interview with the Sunday Times. "I'm not on social media," he allegedly said. Also, "I don't know Jo Rowling – I met her briefly at the premiere – so I don't feel engaged."
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18.Harry Melling, who appeared in the movies as Harry's spoiled cousin Dudley Dursley, believes "everybody has the right to choose" who they are and how they want to identify. He told the Independent, "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."
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19.Finally, David Tennant, who played Barty Crouch Jr., said, "J.K. Rowling is a wonderful author who's created brilliant stories, and I wish her no ill will. But I hope that we can all, as a society, just let people be. Just get out of people's way."
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