The new HBO Harry Potter cast are being asked about JK Rowling, and here’s what they said

HBO’s Harry Potter reboot is officially on its way, with a first trailer now out in the world. But as excitement builds around the new series, so too does scrutiny over JK Rowling, and where the cast stand on her views.

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Rowling, who wrote the original books, has become an increasingly divisive figure in recent years due to her repeatedly awful comments about trans people. While the original film cast have spoken out before, attention has now shifted to the actors stepping into the reboot.

So, what have they actually said?

Some of the new cast have been clear about their stance. Nick Frost, who will play Hagrid, didn’t mince his words when asked about Rowling’s opinions. He told The Observer that the author “is allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form”.

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He also suggested the conversation shouldn’t be brushed aside. “We shouldn’t just hope it will go away, because it makes it easier. Maybe we should educate ourselves,” he added.

Paapa Essiedu, cast as Snape, hasn’t addressed Rowling directly, but his actions have spoken. He was among a group of public figures who signed an open letter supporting trans and non-binary people following the UK Supreme Court ruling defining women by biological sex.

Rowling responded to that moment in her own way, posting a viral image of herself with a cigar alongside the caption: “I love it when a plan comes together”. Addressing Essiedu’s involvement, she later said she didn’t “have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did”.

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. pic.twitter.com/nKcAl3gcvO

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 5, 2025

Others involved in the show have taken a more cautious approach. Katherine Parkinson, who will play Molly Weasley, declined to engage with the topic altogether. “I don’t want to add to that debate at all,” she told Radio Times, adding only that she was “delighted to be joining the magical world of Harry Potter”.

Warwick Davis, returning as Professor Flitwick, similarly opted out. “It’s not really something I’m particularly interested in, producing entertainment is what I do,” he said to Entertainment Weekly, explaining he tends to stay out of the news cycle entirely.

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Johnny Flynn, cast as Lucius Malfoy, also stopped short of taking a firm position, describing the situation as “interesting” to navigate. “Obviously, there’s quite a lot of stuff around Jo Rowling,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I suppose that’s been quite interesting to navigate, the conversations there, but all important conversations to have.”

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He did, however, emphasise the atmosphere on set, praising showrunner Francesca Gardiner for creating a “welcoming environment”.

Meanwhile, John Lithgow, who will take on the role of Dumbledore, admitted he was taken aback by the reaction to his casting. He revealed he even considered stepping away after facing criticism, saying it was “absolutely not expecting”.

Despite that, he ultimately stayed on, pointing to the core message of the story. The material itself, he said to the New York Times, is “clearly on the side of the angels, against intolerance and bigotry”. He has also said he takes trans rights “extremely seriously” and is “curious to talk to” Rowling when they meet.

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Of course, this isn’t the first time the Harry Potter world has had to grapple with Rowling’s comments. Daniel Radcliffe has been vocal for years, including stating: “transgender women are women.”

Reflecting on why he chose to speak out, he told The Atlantic: “I’d worked with the Trevor Project for 12 years and it would have seemed like, I don’t know, immense cowardice to me to not say something.”

“I wanted to try and help people that had been negatively affected by the comments. And to say that if those are Jo’s views, then they are not the views of everybody associated with the ‘Potter’ franchise.”

Emma Watson also publicly distanced herself from Rowling, writing on X: “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,” she wrote. “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.”

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Featured image credit: HBO, X