Draft:Reactions from Wizarding World actors in response to J.K. Rowling's comments on gender and sex

British children’s fantasy author JK Rowling’s comments on transgender people have divided feminists, provoked debate and put the beliefs of many under question. This article exclusively covers the reactions and responses provided by the actors in the Wizarding World films – which are based on Rowling’s novels – in relation to the views she has expressed.

Support
The actors listed beneath have spoken out in support of Rowling.

Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Bonham Carter, who plays Bellatrix Lestrange, has defended Rowling, stating that the author had been “hounded” by detractors and that the “judgmentalism of people” had been “taken to the extreme”. Furthermore, she also added that she felt that lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, who all condemn her comments, “should let her [Rowling] have her opinions”, but that the three actors were all “very aware of protecting their own fanbase and their generation”.

Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes, who plays Lord Voldemort, had expressed support for Rowling, stating that he could not “understand the vitriol directed at her," in an interview with The Telegraph in 2021. He added that though he could “understand the heat of an argument”, he found “this age of accusation and the need to condemn irrational” and also found “the level of hatred that people express about views that differ from theirs, and the violence of language toward others, disturbing”.

Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane, the late actor who played Rubeus Hagrid, stated that he didn’t think what Rowling said was “offensive” and that there was “a whole Twitter generation of people who hang around waiting to be offended” and that they should “get over [it]”.

Miriam Margolyes
Miriam Margolyes, who played Ponoma Sprout, never directly expressed an opinion on her beliefs on transgender rights, instead saying that there wasn’t “one answer to all these trans questions”. However, she later stated that she believed the “vituperation that JK Rowling has received is misplaced”. Refuting claims of the writer’s unkindness, Margolyes described Rowling as “a generous woman” and a “brilliant writer”. The actor also offered to mediate between Rowling and Emma Watson.

Condemnation
The actors listed beneath have condemned or disagreed with Rowling’s comments.

Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the titular character Harry Potter, stated that while Rowling was “unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken”, he felt “compelled” as “a human being” to say “something at this moment”. Writing that issue was not about “in-fighting between JK Rowling and” himself, Radcliffe expressed his belief that “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.” The Harry Potter actor then took the opportunity to apologise for those fans of the novel on behalf of Rowling, saying he hoped the comments would not “taint” readers’ experiences, adding also that if a reader believed “that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual” then this was “sacred”. Radcliffe also quoted statistics concerning transgender people from the Trevor Project in an article on the Trevor Project’s website.

Emma Watson
Emma Watson, who plays Hermione Granger, expressed her belief in a Tweet that trans people “are who they say they are”, highlighting her support for a Gender Self-ID policy, and that they “deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned” or “told they aren’t who they say they are". Later, during the 2022 BAFTAs, Watson stated that she was there “for all the witches” in an apparent dig at the Rowling.

Rupert Grint
Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley, stated that he “firmly” stood “with the trans community", adding that he believed “trans women are women” and “trans men are men”. Despite this, Grint also likened Rowling to an auntie, saying that he didn’t “necessarily agree with everything my auntie says” that that she was “still my auntie”. The actor also admitted that the problem was “a tricky one”.

Eddie Redmayne
Eddie Redmayne, who plays Newt Scamander, stated when approached for comment that he disagreed with Rowling’s comments, adding that he believed that trans women “are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid”. However, later, in an interview with the Daily Mail, he expressed his disappoint with those directing “vitriol” and “absolutely disgusting” criticism at the Harry Potter author, despite his opposing views.

Bonnie Wright
Bonnie Wright, who plays Ginny Weasley, tweeted in relation to Rowling’s comments that “trans women are women” while expressing her recognition of transgender people.

Positions of neutrality
The actors listed beneath have expressed neutral views on Rowling’s comments. However, it should be noted that these positions of neutrality are relative; therefore, the views expressed here may be leaning towards a certain opinion.

Tom Felton
Tom Felton, who plays Draco Malfoy, when approached for comment, declined to state his opinion but mentioned that nobody had “single-handedly done more for bringing joy to so many different generations and walks of life” than the writer of the Harry Potter book series.

Jason Isaacs
Jason Isaacs, who plays Lucius Malfoy, expressed his unwillingness to express a clear viewpoint, stating that he didn’t “want to get drawn into the trans issues” because of his belief that doing such would be like walking into “an extraordinary minefield”. Despite saying that Rowling’s opinions and his “differ in many different areas”, he also declared that he himself would not be “jumping to stab her in the front — or back”. Moreover, Isaacs also stated that one of the things he felt people should know about Rowling was that “she poured an enormous amount of her fortune into making the world a much better place, for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children through her charity Lumos”.