JK Rowling insists she won't fire Paapa Essiedu from Harry Potter over his support for trans community , Entertainment News
JK Rowling has insisted she won't fire Paapa Essiedu from Harry Potter over his support for the trans community.
The 34-year-old actor — who is set to play Severus Snape in HBO's upcoming adaptation of Rowling's wizard book series — was recently one of over 400 actors who signed their name on a petition which called for the UK's entertainment industry to protection transgender people following the Supreme Court's ruling that a woman is defined by biological sex.
Responding to an article wondering if she'd remove him from the show over his views, she wrote on X: "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."
Rowling has been vocally anti-trans and supported the Supreme Court's ruling.
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson — who played Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger in the original film franchise — have all spoken out in support of trans people.
Daniel previously said on social media: "Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people."
Rupert has shared similar sentiments, while Emma wrote: "Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned."
Meanwhile, HBO chief Casey Bloys recently claimed Rowling's own views won't influence the new Harry Potter show.
He told The Town with Matthew Belloni podcast: "The decision to be in business with JK Rowling is not new for us.
"We've been in business for 25 years. We already have a show on HBO from her called CB Strike that we do with the BBC.
"It's pretty clear that those are her personal, political views. She's entitled to them. Harry Potter is not secretly being infused with anything. If you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter."
Bloys insisted the focus is on "what's on the screen", rather than any opinions away from the story.
He added: "Our priority is what's on the screen. Obviously, the Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That's our priority — what's on screen."
[[nid:714611]]
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Straits Times
Bolsonaro denies orchestrating Brazil coup in Supreme Court testimony
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, attends Brazil's Supreme Court trial over alleged coup attempt, as Brazil's Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes leads the proceedings, in Brasilia, Brazil June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Diego Herculano Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro attends Brazil's Supreme Court trial over an alleged coup attempt, in Brasilia, Brazil June 9, 2025. REUTERS/Diego Herculano BRASILIA - Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro denied that he led an attempt to overthrow the government after losing the 2022 election during his trial before the country's Supreme Court on Tuesday, but acknowledged taking part in meetings aimed at reversing the outcome. Bolsonaro said he and senior aides discussed alternatives to accepting the electoral results, including the possibility of deploying military forces and suspending some civil liberties, but he said those proposals were soon dropped. "The feeling was that there was nothing else we could do. We had to swallow the election results," the ex-president said. "I never acted against the Constitution," Bolsonaro added, holding a copy of the country's 1988 charter that re-established democracy after two decades of military rule. In March, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case against Bolsonaro and seven other people, including several military officers, who were charged with plotting a coup to stop Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office in January 2023. The charges stem from a two-year police investigation into the election-denying movement that culminated in riots by Bolsonaro supporters in the capital in early 2023, a week after Lula took office. Bolsonaro, who was the sixth defendant to testify in the case, spent several minutes of his two hours of testimony defending his administration's achievements and his criticism of the country's electoral system. Dozens of witnesses were previously heard by the court, an indication that the case is moving swiftly and could be concluded by the end of the year, avoiding overlap with campaigning for the 2026 presidential election. Bolsonaro has insisted he will run in that campaign, despite an electoral court decision barring him from seeking public office until 2030. On Monday, Bolsonaro attended the trial to watch testimony from Mauro Cid, his former aide turned whistleblower, and then shook his hand. Cid told the court that the former president reviewed a draft decree that was central to the coup plot and made changes, while keeping a section that ordered the arrest of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is now overseeing the case against Bolsonaro and his allies. On Tuesday, the former president said he only briefly saw the draft decree and never edited it. He also apologized for making unfounded corruption allegations about Supreme Court justices. "Forgive me," he told Moraes. A final ruling on Bolsonaro's case is expected by October. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Straits Times
Argentina's top court upholds guilty verdict against Kirchner that bans her from office
Supporters of Argentina's former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner chant outside the Partido Justicialista (Justicialista Party) national building, ahead of a decision by Argentina's Supreme Court on her guilty verdict for defrauding the state, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Tomas Cuesta People stand outside the Justice Palace after Argentina's Supreme Court upheld former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's guilty verdict for defrauding the state, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Pedro Lazaro Fernandez People walk near the Justice Palace after Argentina's Supreme Court upheld former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's guilty verdict for defrauding the state, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Pedro Lazaro Fernandez Argentina's former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner leaves her apartment for a meeting with lawmakers, ahead of a decision by Argentina's Supreme Court on her guilty verdict for defrauding the state, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Tomas Cuesta Argentina's top court upholds guilty verdict against Kirchner that bans her from office BUENOS AIRES - Argentina's Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a guilty verdict that sentenced powerful two-term former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to six years in prison for defrauding the state and banned her from public office. Kirchner, 72, a polarizing figure and leftist who served as president from 2007 to 2015, was convicted by a trial court in 2022 for a fraud scheme that steered public road work projects in the Patagonia to a close ally while she was president. Kirchner, Argentina's most starry politician in recent decades who has rockstar status among her supporters, has denied wrongdoing and claims she is a victim of political persecution. The Supreme Court's three judges left in effect an appellate court decision that had previously upheld the guilty verdict. A lower court will decide whether to grant Kirchner house arrest due to her age. The verdict is a blow for Kirchner, the Peronist's political grandee, though could galvanize the fragmented opposition movement ahead of midterm elections later this year where it will look to challenge libertarian President Javier Milei. Kirchner had announced this month plans to run in legislative elections scheduled for September. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
UK foreign ministry staff warn of ‘complicity' in Gaza
More than 300 employees at Britain's foreign ministry have expressed concerns about Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza. FILE PHOTO: REUTERS LONDON - More than 300 civil servants at Britain's foreign ministry have written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressing concerns about Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza, the BBC reported June 10 . The officials warned of potential UK 'complicity' in what they called 'Israel's violations of international humanitarian law' during the conflict in the Palestinian territory. The letter dated May 16 questioned the continuation of some UK arms sales to the country, according to the broadcaster. 'In July 2024, staff expressed concern about Israel's violations of international humanitarian law and potential UK government complicity,' the staff wrote, according to excerpts cited by the BBC. 'In the intervening period, the reality of Israel's disregard for international law has become more stark,' they added, citing the killing of humanitarian workers, restrictions on international aid and violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The letter added the UK government had contributed to 'the erosion of global norms', including through weapons exports, the broadcaster reported. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government suspended some 30 of 350 arms export licenses to Israel in September 2024, citing a 'risk' they could be used in violations of international law. London has also sanctioned settlers in the West Bank and suspended negotiations on a free trade agreement with Israel. But it continues to supply components for F-35 fighter jets to a global pool that Israel is able to access. 'Since day one, this government has rigorously applied international law in relation to the war in Gaza,' a Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said in a statement sent to AFP. The BBC reported that the two most senior officials in the FCDO replied to the letter by saying the signatories could 'resign' if they disagreed with government policy. 'This is an honourable course,' they told staff, the BBC reported, adding that the response shocked the civil servants. The FCDO spokesperson said 'it is the job of civil servants to deliver on the policies of the government of the day'. 'There are systems in place which allow them to raise concerns if they have them,' they added. The row comes as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing international criticism over the war, including claims of genocide, which Israel strenuously denies. The war started after a Hamas attack on Oct 7, 2023 resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says at least 54,927 people, the majority civilians, have been killed in Israel's retaliation. The UN considers these figures reliable. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
