J.K. Rowling has addressed the speculations about her firing Paapa Essiedu for signing the open letter that criticized the UK Supreme Court’s judgment in April.
Some members of the Wizarding World cast have expressed support for trans people affected by the ruling, which limited the definition of “women” to only “biological women.” Actors like Essiedu were among the supporters. As a result, rumors about him being fired from the Harry Potter franchise surfaced.
J.K. Rowling on Essiedu and Casting Rumors
J.K. Rowling has been under fire for years for her statements and lengthy essays about the transgender community, which many find harmful.
However, her response to the rumors of firing Paapa Essiedu after disagreeing with him shows how much she still values free speech.
On Monday, she finally addressed the speculations on X, saying, "I don't have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn't exercise it if I did."
Essiedu, who has also received negative reactions from fans for being cast as Severus Snape, affirmed his support for trans rights by signing the open letter that criticized the UK Supreme Court’s decision to no longer legally define “trans women” as “women.”
"I don't believe in taking away people's jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine," Rowling added.
The actor is set to portray the potions master once played by Alan Rickman in the upcoming HBO TV series Harry Potter, which is set to air sometime in 2026.
Other cast members who signed the letter include Eddie Redmayne, who played Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts spin-off films, and Katie Leung, who portrayed Cho Chang in the original Harry Potter movies.
Although she stated that Essiedu is free to support whichever group he likes, Rowling still does not seem to forgive the main cast of the original film series, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, who have kept their distance from her after her statements gained widespread backlash.
J.K. Rowling Responds to Harry Potter Actors Who Signed the Pro-Trans Open Letter
J.K. Rowling has responded to the signatories of an open letter that criticized a recent UK Supreme Court ruling.
The open letter voiced support for transgender individuals who were reportedly affected by the decision, since the ruling means laws regarding single-sex services may no longer apply to them in the same way.
However, the court emphasized that trans and non-binary people remain protected from discrimination under the Act.
Intended to urge members of the entertainment industry to speak out against the ruling, the letter calls on professionals throughout the field to show solidarity with the trans community. In response, Rowling shared a detailed post on X, where she wrote:
“In light of recent open letters from academia and the arts criticizing the UK’s Supreme Court ruling on sex-based rights, it’s possibly worth remembering that nobody sane believes, or has ever believed, that humans can change sex, or that binary sex isn’t a material fact.”
She went on to say, “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.”
Although Rowling did not mention any names directly, she seemed to address certain actors from the Harry Potter franchise with the following remark:
“I wonder if they ever ask themselves how they got here, and I wonder whether any of them will ever feel shame.”
In her essay, Rowling also described the “non-believers” she referenced as including “back-stabbing colleagues,” “online shamers, doxxers, and rape threateners,” as well as individuals in “liberal professions” whom she described as “influential zealots.”
For more updates on your favorite movies, TV shows, and celebrities, follow our official Facebook page!