JK Rowling doesn’t want Paapa Essiedu fired from ‘Harry Potter’ for pro-trans views: “I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs”
JK Rowling has denied she wants Paapa Essiedu fired from the upcoming Harry Potter series on HBO after he signed an open letter in support of transgender rights.
Last week, after being cast as Severus Snape, Essiedu was among hundreds of film and TV professionals who signed an open letter calling for industry action on trans rights. Motion Pictures producer Sid Strickland and script editor Jack Casey created the letter in reaction to Rowling’s comments on the controversial UK Supreme Court ruling, which defines gender based on biological sex.
After the ruling was made, Rowling shared an image on X of her smoking a cigar along with the caption, “I love it when a plan comes together”.
Then, on May 4th, in response to the letter signed by industry professionals, including Essiedu, Rowling wrote on X: “Some argue that signatories of these sorts of letters are motivated by fear: fear for their careers, of course, but also fear of their co-religionists, who include angry, narcissistic men who threaten and sometimes enact violence on non-believers; back-stabbing colleagues ever ready to report wrongthink.”
Following on from her comments, Rowling said in a later post regarding Essiedu’s casting: “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.”
HBO chief Casey Bloys recently defended the broadcaster’s partnership with Rowling during an appearance on The Town podcast, stating, “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. The decision to be in business with JK Rowling is not new for us. We’ve been in business for 25 years.”
Those involved in the Harry Potter remake have been criticised for their involvement. Notably, Nick Frost, who will play Hagrid, turned off his Instagram comments after announcing his casting due to the backlash.
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