Category Archives: harry potter

Johnny Flynn Addresses JK Rowling Controversy After Taking On Harry Potter Role

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Harry Potter newcomer Johnny Flynn is addressing the backlash surrounding JK Rowling after he accepted a role in the latest adaptation of her novels.

Johnny is set to play Lucius Malfoy in HBO’s new Harry Potter TV show, which will dedicate one season to each of Rowling’s books.

Since the project was announced, several cast members have received backlash for accepting roles in the series due to the author’s involvement as an executive producer, as she has become a polarising figure in recent years due to her commentary on issues relating to transgender people.

This has included – but is not limited to – deliberately and repeatedly misgendering transgender public figures, and donating tens of thousands of pounds to the campaign group which raised the initial legal challenge that led to the UK Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling that the legal definition of a woman should include only those who were assigned female at birth.

During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Johnny was asked about the new Harry Potter series and raised the issue of Rowling himself.

“Obviously, there’s quite a lot of stuff around Jo Rowling,” he began. “I suppose that’s been quite interesting to navigate, the conversations there – but all important conversations to have.

“The people working on this are really, really great and create a really special atmosphere, [like] Francesca [Gardiner] the showrunner, and Mark Mylod and various directors. There’s such care.”

He pointed out that his character is “hardly in book one”, meaning his appearances in season one are limited, although he insisted the show has “such a welcoming environment” on set.

Among the prolific names already cast in the Harry Potter series are John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape.

John Lithgow
John Lithgow

via Associated Press

Shortly after John’s casting was announced, the two-time Oscar nominee admitted he was “absolutely not” expecting the backlash he received for accepting the role of Dumbledore, pondering: “I wonder how JK Rowling has absorbed it. I suppose at a certain point I’ll meet her and I’m curious to talk to her.”

More recently, the Conclave star told The Hollywood Reporter of the controversy: “I take the subject and the issue extremely seriously.

“JK Rowling has created this amazing canon for young people, young kids’ literature that has jumped into the consciousness of society. Young and old people love Harry Potter and the Harry Potter stories. It’s so much about acceptance. It’s about good versus evil. It’s about kindness versus cruelty. It’s deeply felt.”

He added that, because of this, he found Rowling expressing “such views” on transgender people both “ironic and somewhat inexplicable”.

Meanwhile, after ruffling feathers with his own casting, Nick Frost insisted last year that his and Rowling’s views on the trans community are markedly different.

“She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine,” he insisted. “They just don’t align in any way, shape or form.”

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Harry Potter Star Says OnlyFans Account Is Barring Them From Work

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A former Harry Potter actor was left feeling “canceled” after she said that her recent work on OnlyFans got her barred from a fan convention.

Jessie Cave – who appeared as Lavender Brown in the series, a character who is best known for being Ron Weasley’s girlfriend for a short time – wrote about her experience on her Substack.

“I found out that I didn’t get booked for a Harry Potter convention recently, as I’m now doing OnlyFans,” she said in her post last week, which also celebrated six months on the OnlyFans platform.

“They explained it was because it’s a ‘family show and OnlyFans is affiliated with porn,’” Jessie continued.

She explained: “This was baffling to me as some actors who do conventions (most actors, actually) have done TV and films in which they’ve done sex scenes and nudity. I’m just playing with my hair!”

Earlier this year, Jessie shared that she was joining the adults-only subscription site, where she was sharing content specifically centred around “just very sensual stuff with my hair”.

Despite the controversy, Jessie said she isn’t “upset about the prospect of no more Harry Potter conventions”.

“There’s going to be a new cast now and it’s a different time. Plus, I have done conventions for over 15 years and have enough photos and wizard memorabilia,” the 38-year-old added.

Michael Gambon, Tom Felton, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, Bonnie Wright, Jessie Cave and Jim Broadbent attending a photocall for Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince in July 2009.
Michael Gambon, Tom Felton, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, Bonnie Wright, Jessie Cave and Jim Broadbent attending a photocall for Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince in July 2009.

Gareth Davies via Getty Images

Jessie has shared that she took on her OnlyFans account to help with bills, though she has continued her work as an actor after the Harry Potter series ended.

She wrote about her new career venture, and finding it both freeing and empowering, on both her Instagram and her most recent Substack entry.

“I’ve taken control of my own career, and I’m not relying on anyone but me to make things happen,” she said in a post on Monday. “It’s going to be harder this way, but more fulfilling. I won’t be waiting for emails or validation and it’s exhilarating, I can breathe again.”

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Daniel Radcliffe ‘Saddened’ By JK Rowling’s Stance On Transgender Issues

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Daniel Radcliffe has admitted that Harry Potter author JK Rowling’s continued stance on transgender issues “makes me really sad”.

Back in 2020, the actor said he felt “compelled” to speak out in solidarity with the trans community after a string of comments made by Rowling on social media.

In the years since, Rowling has repeatedly faced criticism for her views on issues relating to trans people, recently going as far as deliberately misgendering prominent transgender women.

When one of her followers (apparently using the account name @FarRightHooligan) claimed that Daniel and his co-star Emma Watson owed the Harry Potter creator a “very public apology” for having spoken out against her views on trans people, Rowling responded: “Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single-sex spaces.”

It’s worth noting that neither Daniel nor Emma had ever indicated that they were going to make an apology for their support of trans people.

JK Rowling
JK Rowling

Neil Mockford via Getty Images

During a new interview with The Atlantic, Daniel admitted that seeing Rowling’s views “makes me really sad, ultimately”.

“I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic,” he explained.

“Jo, obviously Harry Potter would not have happened without her, so nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person. But that doesn’t mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life.”

Asked about her “save their apologies” comment, Daniel responded simply: “I will continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people, and have no further comment than that.”

In his initial statement, released via the LGBTQ+ suicide prevention charity The Trevor Project, Daniel wrote: “I realise that certain press outlets will probably want to paint this as in-fighting between JK Rowling and myself, but that is really not what this is about, nor is it what’s important right now.

“While Jo is unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken, as someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being, I feel compelled to say something at this moment.

“Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.”

Reflecting on his statement in 2022, Daniel insisted: “It was really important as I’ve worked with the Trevor Project for more than 10 years, and so I don’t think I would’ve been able to look myself in the mirror had I not said anything.”

Help and support:

  • The Gender Trust supports anyone affected by gender identity | 01527 894 838
  • Mermaids offers information, support, friendship and shared experiences for young people with gender identity issues | 0208 1234819
  • LGBT Youth Scotland is the largest youth and community-based organisation for LGBT people in Scotland. Text 07786 202 370
  • Gires provides information for trans people, their families and professionals who care for them | 01372 801554
  • Depend provides support, advice and information for anyone who knows, or is related to, a transsexual person in the UK
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Daniel Radcliffe Admits Fearing A Harry Potter Co-Star ‘Hated’ Him: ‘I Was Terrified By Him’

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Daniel Radcliffe has opened up about his working relationship with Alan Rickman, sharing that he was once “terrified” of his former Harry Potter co-star.

The two began working together in the first Harry Potter film, in which Daniel made his debut as a child actor playing the title character, while Alan portrayed Potions professor Severus Snape.

In a new interview with the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Daniel admitted to being initially “so intimidated” by the late Die Hard actor when they first began working together.

“How can you not be by that voice?” he said. “Even hearing that voice, you forget quite how low it was until it echoes through you.

“I was so intimidated by him for the first three movies. I was terrified by him and was like, ‘This guy hates me’.”

Alan Rickman in 2015, a year before his death
Alan Rickman in 2015, a year before his death

David M. Benett via Getty Images

As time went on, the pair eventually became close, particularly after Alan noticed Daniel’s work ethic.

“Somewhere along the lines he saw that I really wanted to do this and work at it,” Daniel said.

“He cut short a vacation in Canada to come and see me in Equus. He saw every piece of stage work I did when he was alive. He would take me out afterwards and we would talk about it.”

Daniel added: “He was one of the first people to say like, ‘You should look at voice coaching and investigate all this stuff’.”

After being played a clip from 2016 in which Alan sang his praises, Daniel said: “I am so lucky. To hear him say that is really lovely. Thank you for showing me that.”

Daniel Radcliffe and Alan Rickman in 2011
Daniel Radcliffe and Alan Rickman in 2011

via Associated Press

In the clip in question Alan was heard saying: “As much as I was doing it for seven weeks, they were doing it for 52 weeks. This was their life from 12 to 22.

“And you would watch it from the sidelines at times and throw the odd lifeline in because there was so little time for that.”

The Love Actually actor added that he felt “huge pride” watching Daniel in the Broadway musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.

“How dare he be dancing as well as the New York dancers,” he joked. “He worked at it.”

In 2022, Alan Rickman’s diaries were published, in which his changing feelings towards Harry Potter’s younger cast members were documented.

He wrote in one 2008 entry: “One minute he was 12 now he’s 19. When did that happen? And he’s sensitive, articulate and smart.”

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‘He’s Extraordinary’: Daniel Radcliffe Honours His Paralysed Harry Potter Stunt Double

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Daniel Radcliffe is celebrating the man who made him fly.

The Harry Potter star, who became famous at 12 years old for portraying the fictional character, produced a new documentary about his stunt double from the films. David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived, chronicles the titular 42-year-old’s journey after being paralysed on set.

“I used to fly,” he says in the film, according to People. “Not so much anymore.”

Holmes is eight years older than Radcliffe but served as his stunt double for all eight “Potter” films. He suffered an on-set spinal injury in 2009, however, breaking his neck after being propelled backward into a wall while test filming for the final two instalments.

The Deathly Hallows incident left Holmes paralysed from the waist down.

“I wanted to make something about Dave for years because he’s extraordinary and I wanted to share that with the world,” Radcliffe told People for a story published Tuesday. “I was trying to do it myself. We shot some stuff and I didn’t really know what I was doing.”

“I thought I might know how to direct a documentary,” he added. “I absolutely didn’t.”

Radcliffe ultimately hired Potter video operator Dan Hartley to direct the film.

The documentary opens with Holmes as Harry Potter performing in mid-air on a broomstick, showing just how essential he was to bringing J.K. Rowling’s literary vision to the screen.

Radcliffe was initially intent on making a documentary about stunt men and their invaluable work in general, but it shifted to a focused look at Holmes before and after his accident. For Radcliffe, it also served as a trip down memory lane.

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“Dave, still, is one of the most important people in my life,” he told the BBC this week.

”He was somebody that was so incredibly fun to hang with when I was young,” Radcliffe added. “But then as I grew up he became a real guide to me, and kind of mentor and someone who really looked out for me, and that really has just continued as we’ve grown.”

Radcliffe forged ahead as a daring journeyman actor to shed his Potter fame with more risqué work.

Holmes became an ambassador for the RNOH Charity. He’s also a producer, including for the podcast Cunning Stunts, which featured other stunt professionals discussing the art.

Holmes told People he’s “not ready to watch” the documentary yet, but knows it was made “with love and sensitivity.”

“I have a team of Avengers that are wheelchair users or people from all different aspects of the disability spectrum that have seen this thing and said, ’No, it’s really empowering and it’s really positive and you’re going to do a good thing for the world,’” he said.

“Those opinions are the ones that matter to me,” Holmes concluded.

David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived is now available on HBO Max in the US and NOW in the UK.

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