“Saturday Night Live” mocked HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” television series over the weekend for race-swapping the villain, Severus Snape.
Paapa Essiedu, a black British actor, is set to play the role, a character described in J.K. Rowling&#8217;s books as having pale, yellow skin. 
During the &#8220;Weekend Update&#8221; segment on Saturday&#8217;s show, “SNL” cast member Kam Patterson portrayed a black version of Snape and joked about how the character might be perceived. 
“Good evening, Mr. Jost — nah, I’m playing. I don’t talk like that, bro. It’s called code-switching. Codio switchio!” Patterson said after being introduced by host Colin Jost.
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Jost asked how things were going at Hogwarts, inspiring Patterson to reply, “Not great. We got this new kid. His name is Harry Potter, and he’s racist as hell. Harry Potter — or, the Proud Boy Who Lived — spent the whole year telling everybody that the school’s only black teacher was secretly evil.”
Jost interjected, “I think he’s just worried because he knows someone’s trying to steal the Sorcerer’s Stone.” 
“So somebody stole something, and the number one suspect is Black Snape? They didn’t even look at the white guy in the turban. So offensive. He’s got a wizard on the back of his head,” Patterson shot back.
“I’m really sorry that he just jumped to conclusions like that,” Jost said. 
Snape replied, “All good. It happens all the time. I showed up at Hogwarts, and on the first day, they looked at me and said, ‘You’re the professor of the Dark Arts.’ I never even studied that! I majored in African Muggle Studies.”
“The whole wizarding world is racist,” Patterson went on in the bit. “There’s one other black guy, Kingsley Shacklebolt, a name I’m guessing they got out of the Wu-Tang name generator … why they got to put ‘shackle’ in his name? That’s crazy, man. Shackle? Shackle!”
The skit went on, with a reference to Rowling being “problematic.”
Essiedu claimed that haters have been out in force since his casting for “Harry Potter” was announced. The British star <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/paapa-essiedu-harry-potter-snape-interview-3hqkzzmlk">told</a> The Times last month that he’s been told, “Quit or I’ll murder you.”
“It really matters,” he says. “The reality is that if I look at Instagram I will see somebody saying, ‘I’m going to come to your house and kill you.’ …nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job. Many people put their lives on the line in their work. I’m playing a wizard in Harry Potter. And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally.”
“But the abuse fuels me,” he went on. “And makes me more passionate about making this character my own, because I think of how I felt as a kid. I would imagine myself at Hogwarts on broomsticks, and the idea that a kid like me can see themselves represented in that world? That’s motivation to not be intimidated by someone saying they’d rather I died instead of doing work I’m going to be really proud of.”

Paapa Essideu

SNL Wrecks New ‘Harry Potter’ Series For Racially Profiling Fan-Favorite

Entertainment

Harry Potter

Racism

Saturday Night Live

Television

Actor John Lithgow is confused about how “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling could believe in biological reality.
The 80-year-old celebrity said as much while speaking at Rotterdam Film Festival over the weekend while discussing some of the backlash he’s gotten for playing the role of Dumbledore in the TV reboot of Rowling’s best-selling series.
“I take the subject extremely seriously,” Lithgow said of the trans debate. “[Rowling] has created this amazing canon for young people and it has jumped into the consciousness of the society. It’s about good versus evil, kindness versus cruelty. I find her views ironic and inexplicable. I’ve never met her, she’s not really involved in this production at all. But the people who are, are remarkable.”
“It upsets me when people are opposed to me having anything to do with this,” he said of the haters who totally wrote off Rowling and all her work. “But in ‘Potter’ canon you see no trace of transphobic sensitivity. She’s written this mediation of kindness and acceptance. And Dumbledore is a beautiful role.”
Lithgow described accepting the role as a “hard decision.”
“It made me uncomfortable and unhappy that people insisted I walk away from the job. I chose not to do that,” the actor went on. “I’m the oldest person in this entire room, just turned 80. And yet I signed a contract – I will be playing Dumbledore for the next eight years! I absolutely have to keep at it. I felt: ‘Wow! That means I will live to be 88.’ I have that in writing.”
The topic was front and center as Lithgow was at the film festival promoting his latest project, “Jimpa,” which follows the main character Hannah (Olivia Colman) and her “nonbinary teenager” Frances as they reconnect with Hannah’s gay father, Jim (Lithgow).
The role of Frances is played by director Sophie Hyde’s real-life daughter, Aud Mason-Hyde, who also identifies as “trans and non-binary,” per <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/global/john-lithgow-dumbledore-harry-potter-jk-rowlings-jimpa-1236648292/">Variety</a>.
Rowling has been one of the few celebrities brave enough to take a stand against the radical trans agenda, even in the face of massive backlash, boycotts, and vitriol from her peers.
Leftist fans have been furious with the British author since she started speaking out on the topic of biological sex being real in 2020. Most members of the original “Harry Potter” movie cast have denounced her and sided with the trans activists.
Most recently, Rowling and actress Emma Watson got into a public feud, which culminated in Rowling <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shes-ignorant-of-how-ignorant-she-is-j-k-rowling-slams-emma-watson-over-transgender-views?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98She%E2%80%99s+Ignorant+Of+How+Ignorant+She+Is%E2%80%99%3A+J.K.+Rowling+Slams+Emma+Watson+Over+Transgender+Views" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> Watson “has so little experience of real life she’s ignorant of how ignorant she is.”

John Lithgow

John Lithgow Describes JK Rowling’s Belief In Biological Reality As ‘Inexplicable’

Celebrities

JK Rowling

Transgender

U.S.

“Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling blasted actress Emma Watson days after she gave an interview discussing the rift between them.
The 60-year-old British author has been at odds with the cast of the popular film franchise ever since 2020, when she was accused of anti-transgender rhetoric for taking issue with a report that discussed &#8220;people who menstruate&#8221; rather than specifying women. Several of the film stars, including Watson, made statements against her. 
During a recent interview, Watson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/emma-watson-says-she-treasures-j-k-rowling-even-after-transgender-clash">said</a> she “treasure[s]” Rowling and hopes to “keep loving people” with whom she disagrees.
Rowling is not over their former feud, and trashed 35-year-old Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the film franchise.
“Like other people who&#8217;ve never experienced adult life uncushioned by wealth and fame, Emma has so little experience of real life she&#8217;s ignorant of how ignorant she is,” the billionaire author wrote in a scathing X post. 
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I&#8217;m seeing quite a bit of comment about this, so I want to make a couple of points.
I&#8217;m not owed eternal agreement from any actor who once played a character I created. The idea is as ludicrous as me checking with the boss I had when I was twenty-one for what opinions I should… <a href="https://t.co/c0pz19P7jc">https://t.co/c0pz19P7jc</a>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1972600904185483427?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“I wasn&#8217;t a multimillionaire at fourteen. I lived in poverty while writing the book that made Emma famous. I therefore understand from my own life experience what the trashing of women&#8217;s rights in which Emma has so enthusiastically participated means to women and girls without her privileges,” the post went on.
“The greatest irony here is that, had Emma not decided in her most recent interview to declare that she loves and treasures me — a change of tack I suspect she&#8217;s adopted because she&#8217;s noticed full-throated condemnation of me is no longer quite as fashionable as it was — I might never have been this honest,” Rowling wrote. 
“Adults can&#8217;t expect to cozy up to an activist movement that regularly calls for a friend&#8217;s assassination, then assert their right to the former friend&#8217;s love, as though the friend was in fact their mother. Emma is rightly free to disagree with me and indeed to discuss her feelings about me in public &#8211; but I have the same right, and I&#8217;ve finally decided to exercise it.”
Rowling said in 2024 that she had no plans to forgive Watson or the other two “Harry Potter” stars who publicly supported transgender rights, which she said was to the detriment of society.
“Celebs who cozied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatized detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces,” she <a href="https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1778124467027267804">wrote</a> at the time in response to a fan inquiring about whether she would ever forgive them.
Watson previously made a public statement in the wake of Rowling speaking up against men invading women’s spaces in 2020. The actress said at the time, “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.”

Watson and Rowling

‘She’s Ignorant Of How Ignorant She Is’: J.K. Rowling Slams Emma Watson Over Transgender Views

J.K. Rowling Slams Emma Watson Over Transgender Views

Emma Watson

World

&#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; actress Emma Watson said she still respects series creator J.K. Rowling, despite holding opposing views on rights for transgender-identifying individuals.
The 35-year-old became famous playing the role of Hermione Granger in the massively popular “Harry Potter” film franchise from 2001 until 2011. She and several of her co-stars, including Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, have publicly denounced Rowling due to her critical view of transgender activism.
Watson expanded on her viewpoints during a recently aired <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2caQ4j9oohE">episode</a> of the “On Purpose with Jay Shetty” podcast. When asked about her current thoughts on Rowling, the actress said, “I really don’t believe that by having had that experience and holding the love and support and views that I have, means that I can’t and don’t treasure (J.K. Rowling) and the person that I had personal experiences with.” 
Watson continued, saying, “I will never believe that one negates the other and that my experience of that person, I don’t get to keep and cherish. To come back to our earlier thing — I just don’t think these things are either/or. I think it’s my deepest wish that I hope people who don’t agree with my opinion will love me, and I hope I can keep loving people who I don’t necessarily share the same opinion with.”
“I think the thing I’m most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible,” she added.
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Shetty followed up by asking if she was willing to speak with the “Harry Potter” creator, to which Watson replied, “Yeah, and I always will. I believe in that. I believe in that completely.”
After Rowling was attacked in 2020 for a series of social media posts taking issue with a story that discussed &#8220;people who menstruate&#8221; rather than specifying women. She said that &#8220;sex is real and has lived consequences,&#8221; sparking backlash from fans and &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; stars who interpreted Rowling&#8217;s comments as anti-transgender rhetoric.
Watson released a statement saying, “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.” 
Earlier this month, “Harry Potter” film director Chris Columbus stated that a reunion of the original cast was unlikely to happen due to political reasons.
“It’s never going to happen. It’s gotten so complicated with all the political stuff. Everyone in the cast has their own opinion, which is different from her opinion, which makes it impossible,” he told The Sunday Times, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harry-potter-director-nixes-cast-reunion-over-rowlings-trans-stance?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Harry+Potter%E2%80%99+Director+Nixes+Cast+Reunion+Over+Rowling%E2%80%99s+Trans+Stance">reported</a>. 
“I haven’t spoken to Miss Rowling in a decade or so, so I have no idea what’s going on with her, but I keep very close contact with Daniel Radcliffe, and I just spoke to him a few days ago. I still have a great relationship with all the kids in the cast.”

Emma Watson Says She ‘Treasures’ J.K. Rowling Even After Transgender Clash

&#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; film director Chris Columbus cast doubt on the possibility of ever having a cast reunion — and suggested that author J.K. Rowling&#8217;s stance on the transgender issue was the primary reason such an event could never happen.
Columbus, who directed the first two films in the franchise and produced the third, said that differences of opinion on certain political issues would prevent the whole group from ever working together again — and clearly hinted that Rowling was the odd one out on that score.
The question came up during a recent interview with The Sunday Times, when Columbus said that he&#8217;d initially hoped to be able to bring the original cast back together for a film adaptation of the stage show &#8220;Harry Porter and the Cursed Child,&#8221; but that he&#8217;d ruled out such a project for &#8220;political&#8221; reasons.
&#8220;It’s never going to happen. It’s gotten so complicated with all the political stuff. Everyone in the cast has their own opinion, which is different from her opinion, which makes it impossible,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;I haven’t spoken to Miss Rowling in a decade or so, so I have no idea what’s going on with her, but I keep very close contact with Daniel Radcliffe and I just spoke to him a few days ago. I still have a great relationship with all the kids in the cast.&#8221;
Shortly after news of the interview and Columbus&#8217; comments began circulating on social media, Rowling posted a vague response via X.
&#8220;As another man who once worked with me declares himself saddened by my beliefs on gender and sex, I thought it might be useful to compile a list for handy reference,&#8221; Rowling began, asking, &#8220;Which of the following do you imagine makes actors and directors who aren’t involved with the HBO reboot of Harry Potter so miserable?&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
&#8220;Is it my belief that women and girls should have their own public changing rooms and bathrooms? That women should retain female-only rape crisis centres? That men don’t belong in women’s sport?&#8221; she continued. &#8220;That female prisoners shouldn’t be incarcerated with violent men and male sex offenders? That women should remain a protected class in law, because they have sex-specific needs and issues?&#8221;
Rowling&#8217;s list of questions went on at length as she added, &#8220;That language should reflect reality rather than ideological jargon, especially in a medical context? That women shouldn’t be harassed, persecuted or fired for refusing to pretend humans can change sex? That women should not be threatened with violence and rape when they assert their rights? That freedom of speech and belief are essential to a pluralistic democratic society? That troubled minors, especially those who are gay, autistic and trauma-experienced, should be given mental health support instead of irreversible surgeries and drug treatments on non-existent evidence of benefit? That gay people shouldn’t be pressured to include the opposite sex in their dating pools, nor should they be smeared as ‘genital fetishists’ when they don’t? That cross-dressing heterosexual male fetishists aren’t actually oppressed, but having the time of their lives piggybacking off gender identity ideology? That said ideology, and the privileged, blinkered fools pushing it because they suffer zero consequences themselves, have done more damage to the political left’s credibility than Trump and Farage could have achieved in a century? Let me have your thoughts.&#8221;
Rowling has often found herself at odds with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jk-rowling-flags-harmful-message-trans-activists-are-sending-to-women-you-are-a-costume">radical trans activists</a> for her views on keeping private single sex spaces and protecting the sex-based rights of women, and has been labeled a Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF) on a number of occasions. Several members of the &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; original cast, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, have spoken out against her views as well.

BRITAIN-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMB

‘Harry Potter’ Director Nixes Cast Reunion Over Rowling’s Trans Stance

Hollywood

J.K. Rowling

Politics

&#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; author J.K. Rowling unloaded on liberals for failing to uphold the principle of free speech, arguing they&#8217;d largely done it out of fear that they&#8217;d no longer be accepted by &#8220;their tribe.&#8221;
Rowling shared her thoughts in a post on X, explaining that free speech had to encompass the freedom to offend people with speech, and decried the liberals who could not get past &#8220;this most basic hurdle.&#8221;
&#8220;Freedom of speech means freedom to cause offence. The number of supposed liberals who’ve fallen at this most basic hurdle, because for the first time in their lives they risked losing the approval of their tribe, has been staggering,&#8221; she wrote.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Freedom of speech means freedom to cause offence. The number of supposed liberals who’ve fallen at this most basic hurdle, because for the first time in their lives they risked losing the approval of their tribe, has been staggering.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1952958963424870608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Rowling, a self-described liberal and advocate for women, has routinely angered radical trans activists by insisting that men cannot become women and that women deserve to have their sex-based rights and single-sex spaces protected from the men who argue otherwise.
The &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; creator has also railed against the notion of compelled speech — specifically when it&#8217;s applied to the transgender issue and people publicly pressured or even directed by law to say that a man is a woman if he claims to be so.
Rowling addressed that topic in a post from one day prior, saying that she did not believe anyone actually thought men could be women — only that some were willing to say something they knew not to be true for political reasons.
&#8220;Western society is currently divided between people who know this is a man and are prepared to say so and those who know this is a man but lie out of obedience to an ideology. There is no third option. Literally nobody on earth thinks &#8216;Roxanne Tickle&#8217; is actually a woman,&#8221; she said, sharing a photo of the man she&#8217;d mentioned.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Western society is currently divided between people who know this is a man and are prepared to say so and those who know this is a man but lie out of obedience to an ideology. There is no third option. Literally nobody on earth thinks &#8220;Roxanne Tickle&#8221; is actually a woman. <a href="https://t.co/xLbzcOfKmJ">pic.twitter.com/xLbzcOfKmJ</a>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1952939136349798421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald” UK Premiere – Red Carpet Arrivals

JK Rowling Torches Liberals For Sacrificing Free Speech For ‘Approval Of Their Tribe’

Free Speech

Media

Stop the fight!
The Legacy Media and the Left (but we repeat ourselves) declared war on “Harry Potter” author <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jk-rowling">J.K. Rowling</a> in 2019 after she questioned elements of the trans agenda.
Rowling, a certified progressive on cultural and political matters, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/5-years-ago-j-k-rowling-took-a-stand-against-trans-activists-she-hasnt-backed-down">refused to rubber stamp every aspect of the movement</a>.
<blockquote>Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?</blockquote>
For that, she was canceled in every way possible, over and again.
<a href="https://thehill.com/video/jk-rowling-speaks-out-on-death-threats-from-pro-trans-activists-rape-murder-and-violence/10265832/">Some attempts proved literal.</a> She was the queen of the TERFS to the Left — Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists.
Now, nearly six years later, she’s emerged as a leading voice for sanity in the trans arena. She repeatedly speaks her mind on X, fights back against her legion of critics and is a key player behind one of the most anticipated streaming shows of our time.
HBO Max&#8217;s new <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/06/harry-potter-tv-series-max-release-date-cast-1235323284/">“Harry Potter” series,</a> due in either late 2026 or 2027, will retell the seven-book series captured in the epic eight-part film saga.
The battle rages on all the same, and she refuses to apologize. Still.
She’s blasted <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jk-rowling-calls-out-trans-activist-creep-over-womens-bathroom-selfies">a “creepy” trans activist</a> for bathroom selfies, slammed attempts to conflate the Pope’s name with an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jk-rowling-says-shes-found-the-most-bat-s-gender-identity-argument-yet">absurd trans argument</a> and stated the obvious when it comes to casting the new “Potter” series.
She responded to a journalist’s provocative narrative suggesting she wouldn’t hire an actor who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jk-rowling-said-she-wouldnt-fire-actor-from-harry-potter-series-for-being-pro-trans">disagreed with her trans issues</a>.
<blockquote>I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did … I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.</blockquote>
That likely would have been a staunchly liberal stance 20 years ago. Those comments sound positively conservative in 2025, even though Rowling has never identified herself as conservative.
Either way, it’s refreshing to see an author embrace free speech.
<div id="attachment_503922" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-503922" class="size-large wp-image-503922" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1193618855-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 12: J.K. Rowling arrives at the 2019 RFK Ripple of Hope Awards at New York Hilton Midtown on December 12, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1193618855-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1193618855-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1193618855-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/02/GettyImages-1193618855.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images</div>
Actors linked to the “Harry Potter” universe, either the existing films or the future TV show, are continually asked about Rowling’s views on trans issues. The media remains obsessed with Rowling’s willingness to speak her mind and share views considered mainstream by many.
Future “Harry Potter” star Nick Frost – he is tentatively set to play Hagrid in the TV series – blazed a <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/global/harry-potter-nick-frost-jk-rowling-trans-views-dont-align-1236423365/">mature path on the matter</a>.
<blockquote>She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form.</blockquote>
Translation: A gig’s a gig, most likely. Frost still suggested in the same interview we need to “educate ourselves” on trans issues. The sight of too many trans female athletes dominating biological females may be all the learning we need, Hagrid 2.0.
Tom Felton, who played the wicked Draco Malfoy in the original films, sidestepped a leading question on the red carpet while throwing his support behind Rowling. He’s co-starring in a Broadway adaption of Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”
He didn’t share his stance on trans issues with the scribe. He simply praised an author who made his <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2025/06/09/tom-felton-jk-rowling-broadway-harry-potter/84111570007/">career shine impossibly brighter</a>.
<blockquote>The only thing I always remind myself is that I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world. Here I am in New York … and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter, and she’s responsible for that. So I’m incredibly grateful.</blockquote>
Compare that to the verbal brickbats thrown by the original Harry Potter and Hermione, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, at Rowling over her trans views.
<div id="attachment_934305" style="width: 897px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-934305" class="size-large wp-image-934305" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-118421523-887x576.jpg" alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Actor Daniel Radcliffe, writer J.K. Rowling, actress Emma Watson and actor Rupert Grint attend the &quot;Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2&quot; world premiere at Trafalgar Square on July 7, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Jon Furniss/WireImage)" width="887" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-118421523-887x576.jpg 887w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-118421523-300x195.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-118421523-768x499.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-118421523.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 887px) 100vw, 887px" />Jon Furniss/WireImage</div>
Here’s the former Harry Potter <a href="https://ew.com/daniel-radcliffe-j-k-rowlings-anti-trans-rhetoric-really-sad-8641559">taking her to task for her views</a>.
<blockquote>It makes me really sad, ultimately … I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.</blockquote>
HBO Max has had Rowling’s back for some time. The streamer also sees a shifting cultural landscape. The Warner Bros. Discovery platform might have chafed at joining forces with Rowling four or five years ago.
That was before Riley Gaines struck endless blows on behalf of biological women and Matt Walsh’s groundbreaking documentary “What Is a Woman?” had yet to be released.
Remember the tiny role Rowling played in the 2022 “Harry Potter” reunion special on HBO Max? Rowling said she <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/jk-rowling-harry-potter-anniversary-special-absence-explained-1235352807/">declined an invitation to appear</a>, but her archival footage proved brief and perfunctory.
Surely there’s countless footage of the author exploring the magical universe that transported countless children while teaching them to love reading?
Now, the streamer is desperate to stay in her good graces and wring every eyeball possible from the upcoming series. <a href="https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/hbo-makes-decision-on-relationship-with-j-k-rowling">HBO CEO Casey Bloys</a> made that obvious earlier this year.
<blockquote>It’s pretty clear that those are her personal, political views. She’s entitled to them. ‘Harry Potter’ is not secretly being infused with anything. And if you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.</blockquote>
Rowling never wavered through it all. One could argue she has enough money to ignore Cancel Culture and the media, but others with very deep pockets bowed to the progressive mob in short order.
Take Stephen King. The <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-7936237/Stephen-King-apologizes-controversial-tweets-diversity-Oscars.html">horror maestro backpedaled</a> when progressives attacked him for suggesting merit matters more in the arts than diversity box checking. He even penned a mewling apology/essay in The Washington Post to keep the Cancel Culture mob at bay.
Scarlett Johansson, arguably the most popular actress in the country, similarly did the Hostage Apology routine after <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/scarlett-johansson-says-she-mishandled-transgender-casting-controversy-n1092131">she briefly accepted a gig playing a trans person</a>. That film, “Rub and Tug,” never got made sans the actress’ clout and star power.
Rowling has stayed true to her beliefs and has only grown bolder since the 2019 dustup. She trusted “Harry Potter” fans, or enough of them at least, would have her back.
She was right.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

J.K. Rowling At EE British Academy Film Awards

Expelliarmus! J.K. Rowling Disarms Her Critics Again And Again

Cancel Culture

HBO Max

Legacy Media

Opinion

Twitter

Actor Tom Felton didn’t take the bait when a reporter asked him about the controversy over JK Rowling taking a stand against radical trans activists. 
The 37-year-old celeb, who played the villain Draco Malfoy in the successful “Harry Potter” film franchise and will reprise the role for the upcoming Broadway production, was asked about the matter Sunday night at the Tony Awards. When a Variety reporter asked Felton if Rowling’s views affected him or his work, he rejected the suggestion and reiterated his support for Rowling.
&#8220;No, I can&#8217;t say it does. I&#8217;m not really that attuned to it,” the British star said. 
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&#8220;The only thing I always remind myself is that I&#8217;ve been lucky enough to travel the world. Here I am in New York,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter, and she&#8217;s responsible for that. So I&#8217;m incredibly grateful.&#8221;
Over the past five years, Rowling has faced scorn in the media and among former fans for taking the position that sex and gender are determined by biology. Most “Harry Potter” actors <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/j-k-rowling-vs-the-trans-agenda-heres-what-harry-potter-cast-members-have-said-about-the-ongoing-battle">denounced her position</a> and distanced themselves from the billionaire author, but several have come to her defense.
It all started in 2020 with a series of viral tweets from Rowling stating her position. “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth,” she wrote in part at the time.
British star Daniel Radcliffe, who played the main character Harry Potter in the film series, wrote an essay for The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ-focused nonprofit, in the wake of Rowling’s viral tweets. 
“I firmly stand with the trans community,” Rupert Grint, the actor who played Ron Weasley, said in a statement at the time. 
“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 Watson, who played Hermione, shared on Twitter in June 2020.
“Fantastic Beasts” star Eddie Redmayne said he was pro-trans rights, but also noted that critics were being way too hard on Rowling, calling the online backlash “absolutely disgusting.”
Actor Ralph Fiennes, who plays Lord Voldemort in the “Harry Potter” franchise, has been one of Rowling’s staunchest defenders.
“I can’t understand the vitriol directed at her,” Fiennes said in a March 2021 interview. “I can understand the heat of an argument, but I find this age of accusation and the need to condemn irrational. I find the level of hatred that people express about views that differ from theirs, and the violence of language toward others, disturbing.”
Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the “Harry Potter” movies, also came to Rowling’s defense prior to his death in October 2022.
“I don’t think what she said was offensive, really,” he told Radio Times in 2020. “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?”

Tom Felton

‘Harry Potter’ Actor Shoots Down Reporter Goading Him To Badmouth JK Rowling

'Harry Potter' Actor Shoots Down Reporter Goading Him To Badmouth JK Rowling

The three main characters for the HBO television adaptation of “Harry Potter” have been announced, and comments were shut off on social media, presumably to protect the young actors.
Per <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/harry-potter-hbo-series-casts-harry-ron-hermione-1236410755/">Variety</a>, Dominic McLaughlin was cast in the lead role of Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will play Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will play Ron Weasley. The outlet noted that more than 30,000 actors auditioned for the three parts.
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“After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione and Ron. The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen. We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It’s been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there,” showrunner Francesca Gardiner and executive producer and director Mark Mylod said in a joint statement.
The actors are relatively unknown in the industry, but if their trajectory is anything like the original stars from the “Harry Potter” film series, these roles could turn them into household names. Daniel Radcliffe, who played the original Harry, along with Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, who played Ron and Hermione respectively, went on to have successful post-&#8220;Potter&#8221; careers.
McLaughlin is credited with appearing in “Grow,” an upcoming comedy. Stanton starred as Matilda in “Matilda: The Musical” for one year on the London theater circuit. Stout, meanwhile, has not had a major role yet.
Other confirmed stars for the highly anticipated TV series include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. Luke Thallon will also take on the recurring role of Quirinus Quirrell, while Paul Whitehouse is set to play the recurring role of Argus Filch, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hbo-confirms-harry-potter-tv-series-casting-for-dumbledore-snape-and-hagrid">reported</a>.
According to the show’s logline, the series will be “a faithful adaptation of the beloved ‘Harry Potter’ book series by author and executive producer J.K. Rowling.”
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=memorial&amp;utm_content=editorialmemorialday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
“The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail and much-loved characters ‘Harry Potter’ fans have loved for over twenty-five years,” it says. “Each season will bring ‘Harry Potter’ and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and cherished films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.”
HBO execs previously voiced support for “Harry Potter” author Rowling and defended their decision to keep her on as executive producer despite the backlash she’s received from leftists. The billionaire author has been labeled a “TERF” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) for rejecting radical gender theory.
“J.K. is an executive producer, and her insights will be helpful,” Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, previously said. “We are in the Harry Potter business.”
“J.K. is a very online conversation … It’s very nuanced and complicated and not something we’re going to get into,” he added. “Our priority is what’s onscreen. The Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive about love and acceptance, and that’s our priority, what’s on the screen.”
Filming for the TV series is slated for later this summer.

Harry Potter cast

‘Harry Potter’ TV Series Casts Three Main Characters

'Harry Potter' TV Series Casts Three Main Characters

“Harry Potter” author JK Rowling said that even if she had the authority to have an actor removed from the upcoming HBO television series based on her best-selling books, she would not do it over ideological differences.
“I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did,” the billionaire author <a href="https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1919358232629297559">wrote</a> on X in response to an article about Paapa Essiedu supporting rights for people who identify as transgender. “I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.”
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I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did. I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine. <a href="https://t.co/nKcAl3gcvO">pic.twitter.com/nKcAl3gcvO</a>
&mdash; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1919358232629297559?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Several celebrities from “Harry Potter” projects, both past and present, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harry-potter-stars-sign-letter-supporting-trans-rights-as-jk-rowling-celebrates-u-k-court-ruling">signed</a> an open letter declaring their belief that the historic Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruling that the definition of a woman is determined by biological sex was wrong.
Eddie Redmayne, star of the spin-off prequel franchise “Fantastic Beasts,” signed the letter, as did Essiedu, who will portray Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO series. Katie Leung, an actress from the original films, also added her name.
“We the undersigned film and television professionals stand in solidarity with the trans, nonbinary and intersex communities who have been impacted by the Supreme Court ruling on April 16,” the open letter says.
“We believe the ruling undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary and intersex people living in the UK,” it said. “Film and television are powerful tools for empathy and education, and we believe passionately in the ability of the screen to change hearts and minds. This is our opportunity to be on the right side of history.”
On Saturday, Rowling had reacted to the open letter with another X <a href="https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1918747065460420745">post</a>. “In light of recent open letters from academia and the arts criticising the UK’s Supreme Court ruling on sex-based rights, it’s possibly worth remembering that nobody sane believes, or has ever believed, that humans can change sex, or that binary sex isn’t a material fact,” the author wrote.
&#8220;History is littered with the debris of irrational and harmful belief systems that once seemed unassailable,&#8221; she continued in the lengthy post. &#8220;As Orwell said, &#8216;Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them.&#8217; Gender ideology may have embedded itself deeply into our institutions, where it&#8217;s been imposed, top-down, on the supposedly unenlightened, but it is not invulnerable.&#8221;
&#8220;I wonder if they ever ask themselves how they got here, and I wonder whether any of them will ever feel shame,&#8221; she concluded.
Rowling has been an outspoken critic of radical left-wing gender theory for years. She has refused to back down even as critics came after her, and she’s lost fans because of it.
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In light of recent open letters from academia and the arts criticising the UK&#39;s Supreme Court ruling on sex-based rights, it&#39;s possibly worth remembering that nobody sane believes, or has ever believed, that humans can change sex, or that binary sex isn&#39;t a material fact. These…
&mdash; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1918747065460420745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

JK Rowling Said She ‘Wouldn’t Fire’ Actor From ‘Harry Potter’ Series For Being Pro-Trans

JK Rowling Said She 'Wouldn't Fire' Actor From 'Harry Potter' Show For Being Pro-Trans

nonbinary

Social Issues

“Harry Potter” actors are making their position on the trans debate clear in the wake of the historic Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruling that the definition of a woman is determined by biological sex.
Several celebrities from “Harry Potter” projects both past and present signed an open letter declaring their belief that the ruling was wrong.
Eddie Redmayne, star of the spin-off prequel franchise “Fantastic Beasts,” signed the letter, as did Paapa Essiedu, who will portray Severus Snape in the upcoming “Harry Potter” television adaptation from HBO. Katie Leung, an actress from the original films, also added her name to the document, per <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/uk/media/article/harry-potter-actors-letter-trans-supreme-court-ruling-gc3hjxjqj">The Times of London</a>.
“We the undersigned film and television professionals stand in solidarity with the trans, nonbinary and intersex communities who have been impacted by the Supreme Court ruling on April 16,” the open letter says.
“We believe the ruling undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary and intersex people living in the UK,” it said. “Film and television are powerful tools for empathy and education, and we believe passionately in the ability of the screen to change hearts and minds. This is our opportunity to be on the right side of history.”
Redmayne, Essiedu, Leung and more than 2,000 other individuals added their names to the letter. Other celebrity signatories include “The Last of Us” star Bella Ramsey, “The Brutalist” actor and Taylor Swift’s ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn, and “Bridgerton” actress Nicola Coughlan.
Meanwhile, Rowling, who has been openly critical of the radical trans agenda for years, has been celebrating the Supreme Court ruling as a great victory.
“Think I might be having a cigar later,” Rowling shared on X April 16 after the ruling was handed down.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I love it when a plan comes together.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SupremeCourt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SupremeCourt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WomensRights?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WomensRights</a> <a href="https://t.co/agOkWmhPgb">pic.twitter.com/agOkWmhPgb</a>
&mdash; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1912644919103004807?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“It took three extraordinary, tenacious Scottish women with an army behind them to get this case heard by the Supreme Court and, in winning, they’ve protected the rights of women and girls across the UK,” the billionaire “Harry Potter” author wrote in a follow-up later. “I’m so proud to know you.”
Leftist fans and trans activists were furious that Rowling would be involved in the upcoming TV adaptation, but HBO <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hbo-stands-by-j-k-rowling-despite-pressure-to-denounce-her-transgender-comments?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=HBO+Stands+By+J.K.+Rowling+Despite+Pressure+To+Denounce+Her+Transgender+Comments">released a statement</a> last fall confirming she would be involved despite the backlash.
“We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter — the heartwarming books that speak to power of friendship, resolve and acceptance,” the statement said. “J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”

Eddie Redmayne

‘Harry Potter’ Stars Sign Letter Supporting Trans Rights As JK Rowling Celebrates U.K. Court Ruling

'Harry Potter' Stars Sign Letter Supporting Trans Rights As JK Rowling Celebrates U.K. Court Ruling

United Kingdom

Several actors cast in the highly anticipated “Harry Potter” television series coming to HBO have just been announced.
Confirmed stars so far <a href="https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/hbo-0/hbo-original-harry-potter-series-casts-john-lithgow-janet-mcteer-paapa-essiedu-nick">include</a> John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. Luke Thallon will also take on the recurring role of Quirinus Quirrell, while Paul Whitehouse is set to play the recurring role of Argus Filch.
“We are happy to announce the casting of John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, Nick Frost, Luke Thallon and Paul Whitehouse to play Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid, Quirrell and Filch,” showrunner and executive producer Francesca Gardiner and executive producer Mark Mylod said in a statement. “We’re delighted to have such extraordinary talent onboard, and we can’t wait to see them bring these beloved characters to new life.”
The main roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermione have yet to be announced. Variety <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/harry-potter-hbo-series-dumbledore-snape-mcgonagall-hagrid-1236368778/">noted</a> that HBO hosted open auditions for the part and received more than 30,000 submissions. 
According to the show&#8217;s logline, the series will be “a faithful adaptation of the beloved ‘Harry Potter’ book series by author and executive producer J.K. Rowling.”
“The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail and much-loved characters ‘Harry Potter’ fans have loved for over twenty-five years,” it says. “Each season will bring ‘Harry Potter’ and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and cherished films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.”
HBO execs previously voiced support for “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling and defended their decision to keep her on as executive producer despite the backlash she’s gotten from leftists. The billionaire author has been labeled a “TERF” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) for rejecting radical gender theory.
“J.K. is an executive producer, and her insights will be helpful,” Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content said in 2023, as The Daily Wire previously reported. “We are in the Harry Potter business.”
“J.K. is a very online conversation … It’s very nuanced and complicated and not something we’re going to get into,” said Bloys. “Our priority is what’s onscreen. The Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive about love and acceptance, and that’s our priority, what’s on the screen.”
Filming on the TV series is slated to begin this summer.

HBO Confirms ‘Harry Potter’ TV Series Casting For Dumbledore, Snape, And Hagrid

HBO Confirms 'Harry Potter' TV Series Casting For Dumbledore, Snape, And Hagrid

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