Harry Potter star Bel Powley has said she “strongly disagrees” with J.K. Rowling‘s views on gender, voicing her support for the trans community.
The actor, who rose to fame in 2015 film The Diary Of A Teenage Girl, will play Petunia Dursley in HBO‘s forthcoming TV adaptation of the book saga, with Rowling serving as executive producer on the series.
Rowling’s controversial gender views and hostility to the trans community has already created headlines during the filming of the show, with several actors choosing to publicly distance themselves from the author’s stance on the issue, and now Powley has made her own views clear.
Speaking to The Telegraph, she said: “I strongly disagree with J.K. Rowling’s views on gender. I think that the trans community deserve safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance.”
She went on to say that her difference in views has not affected her love for the series in general, adding: “But I love Harry Potter. I grew up with the books. I am from that first generation of readers and, again, I love magic and spookiness.”
Other actors to have spoken out include John Lithgow, who will be playing Albus Dumbledore. He said he considered leaving the project after receiving criticism for his involvement, but chose to stay as he said the books are “clearly on the side of the angels, against intolerance and bigotry”.
Lithgow did, however, describe Rowling’s views as “ironic and inexplicable”, although he said he felt some of her comments had been “twisted and misrepresented”.
Nick Frost, who plays Rubeus Hagrid, also said his opinions “don’t align in any way, shape or form” with Rowling’s, while Severus Snape actor Paapa Essiedu was among more than 400 UK entertainment figures to sign an open letter calling for the protection of trans rights after the 2025 Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman. Rowling later said she would not have fired him for his actions even if she had the power to do so.
Essiedu has also said that he has received racist abuse and death threats after being cast as Snape.
The trans issue has also caused a rift between Rowling and the original Harry Potter cast, with Daniel Radcliffe saying the distance between them made him “really sad”.
HBO’s version of Harry Potter will consist of seven seasons, one for each of the original books. The first, adapting Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone, premieres on HBO Max on Christmas Day. Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton lead the cast as Harry, Ron and Hermione respectively.
