Daniel Radcliffe is doubling down on his original stance against “Harry Potter” creator J.K. Rowling, who has been one of the few celebrities to express her disagreement with the transgender community.
Radcliffe, an English actor best known for portraying the main character in the “Harry Potter” film franchise, had previously been close with the British billionaire author. However, like many fans and some co-stars, he’s tried to distance himself after Rowling stood up to people demanding the world accept that men could become women.
“The reason I was felt very, very much as though I needed to say something when I did was because, particularly since finishing ‘Potter,’ I’ve met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter on that,” the 33-year-old actor told IndieWire during a recent interview.
“And so seeing them hurt on that day I was like, I wanted them to know that not everybody in the franchise felt that way,” Radcliffe said.
“It was really important as I’ve worked with the [LGBTQ non-profit suicide prevention organization] Trevor Project for more than 10 years, and so I don’t think I would’ve been able to look myself in the mirror had I not said anything,” continued. “But it’s not mine to guess what’s going on in someone else’s head.”
The “something” he’s referring to is an open letter published in 2020 which announced his support for trans-identifying individuals.
“It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm,” he wrote at the time.
While other “Harry Potter” co-stars, including Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, tried to distance themselves from Rowling, at least one actor came to her defense. The author’s comments on trans issues have led to extreme hatred and threats via social media, which Lord Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes said was “appalling.”
“The verbal abuse directed at her is disgusting, it’s appalling. I mean, I can understand a viewpoint that might be angry at what she says about women. But it’s not some obscene, über-right-wing fascist,” Fiennes said in October, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
“It’s just a woman saying, ‘I’m a woman and I feel I’m a woman and I want to be able to say that I’m a woman.’ And I understand where she’s coming from. Even though I’m not a woman,” he continued.