How the Harry Potter Cast Reacted to JK Rowling's Transphobic Comments

Not everyone in the Harry Potter universe shares Rowling's point of view...

Unless you've been living under a rock, then you know Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has been in and out of the news over the past year for transphobic comments she's made online. That's a huge, huge, HUGE bummer, especially since it's no secret that the Harry Potter universe is one of the most successful and beloved media franchises in history and has many LGBTQ+ fans and followers. 

But not everyone associated with the Harry Potter universe shares the same views as Rowling. In fact, many of the film franchise's stars have actively spoken out and taken and opposite stance to Rowling's. 

Here's how many of the stars from the Harry Potter films have been reacting to Rowling and the controversy she's sparked:

Daniel Radcliffe

In a June 2020 open letter published by The Trevor Project (the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ youth), Daniel Radcliffe, who famously played the boy who lived, said:

"Transgender women are women. 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. According to The Trevor Project, 78% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported being the subject of discrimination due to their gender identity. It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm."

"To all the people who now feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished, I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you," Radcliffe continued, apologizing for the damage that hurtful statements, like those from Rowling, cause transgender people. "I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you. If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything; if they taught you that strength is found in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life—then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred. And in my opinion nobody can touch that. It means to you what it means to you and I hope that these comments will not taint that too much."

Emma Watson

"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," Little Women star and proud trans ally Emma Watson, who famously played Hermione in the HP film series tweeted in June of 2020. "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."

Rupert Grint

After releasing an initial statement in June 2020, Ron Weasley actor Rupert Grint doubled down on his defense of the trans community in a March 2021 interview with Esquire, saying that although he still has some respect for the longtime author, he disagrees with her actions and says it's important to stick up for marginalized people. 

"I am hugely grateful (for) everything that she's done. I think that she's extremely talented, and I mean, clearly, her works are genius. But yeah, I think also you can have huge respect for someone and still disagree with things like that."

He continued: 

"I think to stay silent would have spoke. Sometimes, silence is even louder. I felt like I had to because I think it was important to." 

Eddie Redmayne

Academy Award-winning Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne (who snagged an Oscar nom for his role in 2015's The Danish Girl) told Variety in June 2020:

"Respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative, and over the years I have been trying to constantly educate myself. This is an ongoing process. As someone who has worked with both JK Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand. I disagree with Jo’s comments. Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid. I would never want to speak on behalf of the community but I do know that my dear transgender friends and colleagues are tired of this constant questioning of their identities, which all too often results in violence and abuse. They simply want to live their lives peacefully, and it’s time to let them do so."

Robbie Coltrane

Unlike his other Harry Potter castmates, 70-year-old Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, who is most known for playing Hogwarts' beloved gentle-giant and groundskeeper Hagrid in the Harry Potter film franchise, came to Rowling's defense. 

"I don’t think what she said was offensive really. I don’t know why but there’s a whole Twitter generation of people who hang around waiting to be offended," Coltrane said in a September 2020 interview with the Radio Times when asked about the allegations of transphobia that are being pointed at Rowling. "They wouldn’t have won the war, would they? That’s me talking like a grumpy old man, but you just think, 'Oh, get over yourself. Wise up, stand up straight and carry on.'"

Ralph Fiennes

In a March 2021 interview with The Telegraph, the 58-year-old English actor (who notably played the series' infamous villain Voldemort) also sided with Rowling and Coltrane, saying he "doesn't understand" the backlash the British author has been facing over the past year.

"I can’t understand the vitriol directed at her," Fiennes said, lamenting about "cancel culture." "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 towards others, disturbing."