Rupert Grint’s Harry Potter return is looking very hypocritical, given his past comments

Rupert Grint is heading back into the world of Harry Potter, and, given what he has previously said about J.K. Rowling, it’s a casting decision that has raised more than a few eyebrows.

The actor will return as Ron Weasley in Broadway’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for a 17-week run beginning in February 2027, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Yes, after eight films and several years away from Hogwarts, Grint is once again pulling on Ron’s metaphorical robes.

Marina Takimoto/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

“Ron Weasley has been a part of me since I was 11 years old and I can’t wait to meet him again in this stage of life,” Grint said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

“There is something so full-circle and so special about stepping back into Ron’s shoes now when we are both fathers; it is somehow both very familiar and completely new. And the joy of being back on Broadway, this time in a role that defined so much of my life is truly exciting.”

Which is all very sweet. But there is a slightly awkward bit of context here.

Grint is now the second original Harry Potter star to return to the franchise via Cursed Child, following Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the films and recently starred as an adult version of the character on Broadway.

Via Warner Bros

Felton’s return was also accompanied by questions about his relationship with Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling, whose long-running anti-trans comments have caused widespread backlash. When asked about Rowling around the time of his casting, Felton played down the impact of her views on his relationship with the franchise.

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Grint, however, has previously been considerably more outspoken.

Back in June 2020, after Rowling published a lengthy essay containing transphobic comments, Grint publicly threw his support behind the trans community. He joined Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in speaking out at the time, making his position pretty unambiguous.

Via Warner Bros

“I firmly stand with the trans community,” Grint said in a statement to the Times following the controversy. “Trans women are women. Trans men are men. We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment.”

And, to be clear, that was a genuinely strong statement. Which is why seeing him now happily step back into one of the most recognisable roles in a franchise still so closely tied to Rowling is… interesting. Rowling remains deeply associated with Harry Potter, and the money and attention generated by its various spin-offs continue to keep the wizarding world very much alive.

While Grint returning as Ron is obviously exciting news for Harry Potter fans who grew up with the films, it also raises the slightly uncomfortable question of where exactly the original cast draw their lines when it comes to supporting the franchise.

Grint has already told us where he stands on trans rights. Now he’s also told us he’s very happy to be back at Hogwarts. Those two things can technically coexist. But you can see why people might be raising an eyebrow.

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Featured image via Warner Bros, Marina Takimoto/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock