Ah, the backlash involving Celebrity Traitors’ Sebastian Croft and JK Rowling has resurfaced

With Sebastian Croft being on The Celebrity Traitors, I’m only just learning that he was embroiled in some backlash involving JK Rowling, accusations of transphobia, and the actor’s firm response. 

Sebastian Croft, who publicly identifies as queer, is bringing some much-needed gay energy – and that hair – to The Celebrity Traitors 2026. People love him on Twitter, but while perusing memes about Richard E. Grant’s “I’m a Traitor” admission, I came across out-of-context references to Sebastian being involved in a Harry Potter project. Damn. 

On #CelebrityTraitors UK, sebastian croft is on the show, he voiced the male character on Hogwarts Legacy 🥰#HarryPotter

— MeLe ❤️🦉⚡️ (@Star_Sojourn) October 1, 2026

As celebs ranging from Kit Harington to Nick Frost ignore very public pleas and sign on to Harry Potter projects, I was really hoping that an out-and-proud queer person wasn’t helping to funnel money into anti-trans campaigns. 

Don’t fear, you can breathe a sigh of relief – sort of. 

All I can think of when Sebastian Croft is speaking is my character from Hogwarts Legacy #TheTraitors 😭

— zhen’ji (@zhenjidynasty) October 1, 2026

Sebastian Croft was involved in Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Legacy

Back in 2023, Hogwarts Legacy became a catalyst for fierce online debates as some argued you can separate the art from the artist. In contrast, others pointed out that JK Rowling still made millions from the project. 

At the time, which was when he was on Heartstopper on Netflix, Sebastian lent his voice to the main playable character. It was categorised as “voice one” in the system. 

Immediately, people took issue, with one person writing: “Rejoining the hs fandom for 0.5 seconds to make it very clear that Sebastian Croft being in the new Harry Potter game is weird and transphobic and if you’re supporting or defending him you are prioritising a cis white actor over real trans people who will be harmed.”

“Does it also include working on a TERF’s project, @SebastianCroft,” someone else wrote beneath an article about his queer allyship. 

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He then responded to the backlash 

Soon after the backlash ignited queer Twitter, Sebastian Croft responded to the accusation that he was complicit in transphobia because of Hogwarts Legacy. 

“I was cast in this project over 3 years ago, back when all Harry Potter was to me, was the magical world I grew up with. This was long before I was aware of JK Rowling’s views,” he said, making his casting date sometime in 2020. “I believe wholeheartedly that trans women are women and trans men are men.”

He added: “I know far more now than I did 3 years ago, and hope to learn far more in the next 3. I’m really sorry to anyone hurt by this announcement.”

I was cast in this project over 3 years ago, back when all Harry Potter was to me, was the magical world I grew up with. This was long before I was aware of JK Rowling’s views.
I believe whole heartedly that trans women are women and trans men are men. https://t.co/QTAMClZDda

— Sebastian Croft (@SebastianCroft) January 14, 2023

The comments beneath his post were fairly split, with Sebastian earning more backlash from both proud TERFs and supporters of the trans community. 

It’s important to note that The Celebrity Traitors cast member has long been a vocal advocate for queer causes. 

He co-created the Queer Was Always Here initiative with fellow actor Connor Jessup, which describes itself as: “A community dedicated to queer lives, queer art and queer history. We work in partnership with Choose Love to secure futures for LGBTQIA+ refugees and displaced people around the world.”

In his own words: “There is no LGB without the T.”

For all the latest news about Celebrity Traitors, like The Holy Church of The Traitors on Facebook. 

Featured image credit: BBC and JK Rowling/Twitter