Harry Potter star Michelle Gomez's statement in full as Voldemort casting announced
Actress Michelle Gomez has spoken out about joining the Harry Potter universe following backlash against her casting in a new production, as filming continues on the HBO series and more cast announcements.
The 58-year-old Scottish actress, who is known for her roles in Doctor Who and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, spoke out on social media.
Gomez faced fan outcry for starring in Pottermore Publishing and Audible's upcoming audio series of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling, who has been espousing anti-trans rhetoric. in recent years
The Glasgow-born star posted a statement on her Instagram Stories on Wednesday (August 6), which read, as per Entertainment Weekly: 'To my LGBTQ+ fans, and especially the trans community: I want to speak directly to the concerns that have been raised about my involvement in this project.
"I want to speak directly to the concerns that have been raised about my involvement in this project.
"I hear you, and I understand why this is painful for many. I want to be clear that I stand with trans people, and I support trans rights — fully and without hesitation.
"When I accepted this role, I did so as someone who has always loved the stories and what they meant to so many — especially those who found comfort and identity in that world. I now understand more clearly how deeply complicated and hurtful this association can feel, and I take that seriously.
"Being an ally means listening even when it's uncomfortable and taking accountability where it's needed. I'm committed to doing both."
Gomez will be voicing Professor McGonagall in the upcoming audiobooks, and her statement comes as the full cast was announced earlier this week.
Among those cast in the Audible production are House and The Night Manager star Hugh Laurie as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Succession and Pride and Prejudice star Matthew Macfadyen as Lord Voldemort, Sound of Metal's Riz Ahmed as Professor Snape, and The Good Wife actress Cush Jumbo who serves as the narrator for the books.
Many are wondering whether some of the other stars cast in the production will be speaking out as Gomez has done.
The child stars taking on the roles of the younger characters include Frankie Treadaway as Harry Potter, Max Lester as Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger in the first three books.
Meanwhile, stars Jaxon Knopf, Rhys Mulligan, and Nina Barker-Francis will be playing Harry, Ron and Hermione respectively for the subsequent books in the series.
The new controversy over the Audible books is similar to that of the criticism towards HBO's forthcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation due to Harry Potter author Rowling's anti-trans views.
The new series will star Dominic McLaughlin as Harry and Alastair Stout as Ron. Actress Stanton is going to be reprising her role as Hermione for the show.
The HBO series boasts an equally glittering cast to the Audible series, including The Crown's John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Hot Fuzz's Nick Frost as Hagrid, I May Destroy You actor Paapa Essiedu as Professor Snape, and Ozark's Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall.
Harry Potter alumnus Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, among others from the film franchise, have all spoken out against Rowling's views and shown their support for the trans community.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Evening Standard
17 minutes ago
- Evening Standard
Mel Gibson becomes emotional as he recalls ‘joy' of making Braveheart
'We were at the Q&A yesterday and a lot of the lads pointed out that the actors said the thing that it did was, it really changed things, Ireland seemed to really latch on to it, there was a lot of similarities between the Irish and the Scottish, but it seemed to call out to everybody.
Daily Record
17 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Andy Murray's life since tennis retirement – new job, banned TV advert, marriage to Kim
It's been a year since Andy Murray called time on his playing career after the 2024 Olympic Games, with the Scottish hero keeping himself busy with a wide range of projects Since calling time on his glittering tennis career, Andy Murray has had little time to relax. The Scottish legend, who clinched three Grand Slam titles, remains an iconic figure, having competed against the 'big three' of his era: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Over the past year, Murray has been indulging in various pursuits, with most of them away from tennis. He's been relishing additional time with his wife, Kim, and their four children. He also embarked on a live theatre tour and dedicated time to improving his golf handicap. A year after retiring as a player, we take a look at what the 38-year-old has been up to, including a fleeting new role and a television advert that got cancelled... New job with rival In a surprising move, Murray briefly ventured into coaching, working with one of his former adversaries in Djokovic. The partnership began ahead of this year's Australian Open. Ahead of the tournament, Murray was clear about his tolerance for Djokovic's intense on-court demeanour. He said: "Providing that he's giving his best effort and trying as hard as he can, I'm absolutely fine with him expressing himself how he wants." Murray confessed that the invitation to coach the 24-time Grand Slam champion took him just as much by surprise as it did the rest of the tennis community. He said: "I was enjoying being away from the tour, and I really hadn't watched much tennis. "I had not missed playing or competing or being on a tennis court at all. I was actually playing golf. We'd actually been exchanging messages. Novak had messaged me just wanting to chat. "I was on the 17th hole of the golf course, and the guy I was playing with said to me, 'Do you know what's next?' I was like, 'No, not really.' He said, 'Do you have any plans to do any coaching?' And I said, 'Honestly, I can't think of anything worse to do right now.' "And then 30 minutes later I was in the car and I called Novak, and then we had a conversation and he asked if I would be interested in helping, which I obviously wasn't expecting. "I said to him, 'Look, I need to think about it and talk to my family.' So I spoke to them and, after a couple of days, I thought that it was a pretty unique opportunity and experience." The collaboration lasted just one Grand Slam, as it was revealed in May that they would no longer work together. Murray said: "Thanks to Novak for the unbelievable opportunity to work together, and thanks to his team for all their hard work over the past six months. I wish Novak all the best for the rest of the season." Theatre shows Murray recently embarked on a live speaking tour titled 'Centre Stage', where he shared insights into his career with theatre audiences. The tour took place in June and saw him visit venues in Glasgow, Edinburgh, London's Apollo and the New Wimbledon Theatre, with special guests such as his wife Kim, mother Judy and tennis legend John McEnroe. Wimbledon snub Despite his strong association with Wimbledon, Murray chose to give the 2025 tournament a miss. Speaking to the Guardian, he explained: "I'm not working there. I don't go to watch tennis as a fan. But if one of my kids wanted to go along and watch, I obviously would take them. If a British player made the final, I'd go. "I went to the Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz final a couple of years ago, just because I had a feeling it was going to be a great match. But I won't be there otherwise." Banned advert An advert featuring Murray, which aired during this year's Australian Open, was banned following complaints that it "promoted kidnapping." The advert for Uber Eats showed the two-time Wimbledon champion being approached by delivery drivers at his hotel, who tell him, "We're here for you, actually," before instructing him to "get in the bag" prompting Murray to dash away. Murray makes a dramatic escape in the advert by leaping out of a glass window and dashing away. A message then flashes on the screen, stating: "Order Andy Murray on Uber Eats Now. We haven't caught him yet, but he can't run forever." However, following grievances lodged with the Ad Standards Community Panel, the commercial was axed. The panel agreed with complaints regarding kidnapping, noting it " depicted violent and threatening behaviour", although the panel acknowledged it was "unlikely to lead to copycat behaviour." Improving his golf Murray has been able to focus on another sporting love, golf. The seven-handicap participated in the BMW PGA Championship's Pro-Am at Wentworth last year and triumphed at the inaugural BTJA Mike Dickson Golf Day, held in honour of the Daily Mail tennis correspondent who died while reporting on the 2024 Australian Open. Regarding golf, Murray said: "It's a different sort of nerves, because you are comfortable in the sort of tennis environment. I'm not thinking I'm going to walk out on the tennis court and forget how to hit the ball. "Whereas here [on the golf course], there's people standing five metres away from where I'm driving, and I'm like, I'm useless at this game. You just want to try and keep the ball in play and don't mess up too much. I'm obviously getting to practice a lot more than the average person. "I obviously played a bit when I was younger, and if I can get the right sort of lessons and practise the right things, then yeah, I've got a chance of doing that [becoming a scratch player]." Life with Kim Murray's wife, Kim, has remained a steadfast presence throughout the past two decades. Murray frequently sings the praises of his partner, who chooses to avoid the spotlight whenever possible. In an interview with the New York Times, he explained: "She doesn't like being in the newspapers, and people commenting on what she's wearing and how she looks, and those sorts of things. "That's one of the things that I guess she's also sacrificed, a little bit, for our relationship, and I appreciate that a lot. You're in these huge cities meeting new people all the time and it would be easy to get your head turned. "But Kim's always been there for me. She really cares about me and helps with so many things. She always has. That's why we have such a great relationship."
Daily Mirror
17 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Love Island's Harry 'proves doubters wrong' on first days outside villa
Harry Cooksley, who finished in second place on the dating programme, has shared a glimpse into his life after the villa - and silenced the sceptics Love Island's Harry Cooksley has shut down his critics on his first day back from Majorca. The footballer, who stepped into the ITV villa on day one and reached the finale, clinched second place alongside partner Shakira Khan, 22. Now, the 30 year old reality television personality has turned to TikTok to offer followers an insight into his private world. In a vlog-style clip shared on 8 August, Harry chronicled his return journey from Spain, which kicked off at the break of dawn. Upon arriving home, the sportsman headed straight to a supermarket he lovingly referenced throughout his villa stint. It comes after Paul Weller reveals the unusual reason he refuses to watch Oasis concerts. "This whole experience has been wild and I've been wondering what life's gonna be like after. It is gonna be so weird," he reflects in the footage, reports the Daily Star. He continued: "I proved some of the doubters wrong, I headed straight to Aldi to pick up the essentials." Harry incorporated a brief moment from Love Island where he and Shakira contemplated their post-celebrity existence, with Shakira voicing concerns about managing everyday activities like popping to Aldi. This touching conversation took place as the pair were rekindling their connection, after Harry's original coupling with fellow day-one Islander Helena Ford. Despite his new-found fame, the Farnham Town player encountered no difficulties whilst browsing the aisles at Aldi. In another segment of the now-viral clip, Harry discloses that he also dropped by to see his mum during his initial days back on home soil. "It's been a bit odd being away from her these past few months. We're thick as thieves, I see her every week, so it was a treat to catch up and dish the dirt on Island life," he added. The ITV heartthrob experienced quite the emotional journey on the reality dating show. He initially paired up with Shakira shortly after the series began, but their budding romance faced turbulence when his attention shifted to Helena. Finding himself in a vexing love triangle, the 22 year old ultimately chose to sever ties with Harry, which resulted in him spending most of the season with Helena. Yet, in an unexpected twist, Shakira revealed she still had feelings for Harry. In a surprising turn of events, Harry and Shakira rekindled their flame just days before the final, securing the runner-up position with 26% of the public vote. Earlier this week, Harry said he thinks he 'handled things the wrong way' when it comes to his infamous triangle on Love Island. in their first joint interview as a couple, Harry has spoken out on his behaviour in the villa which saw him play Shakira and Helena against each other time and time again. He also sat back as Helena and Shakira took the triangle drama out on each other. Just days after the final, he has admitted that he hasn't actually spoken to Helena but gave a positive update on the status of their relationship now that the show is over. He told Christine Lampard on Friday's edition of Lorraine: "I think I definitely handled things in the wrong way with Helena and Shakira. But at the end of the day, Helena and I are now moving forward as friends. I haven't actually spoken to her since I've been out but we had a couple of conversations before she left the villa and I'm delighted it's amicable." Christine then quizzed Shakira on how she felt during the whole situation, and she said: "Honestly it was heartbreaking and having to watch it pan out every day was so tough. I think in the outside world you can have a bit of distance, you can speak to each other. It was something I'd never experienced before." Elsewhere in the series, Harry had to deal with his ex-girlfriend Emma Munro arriving as a Bombshell during the Casa Amor portion of the competition and joked that he and the other boys had been hitting the gym every day in an attempt to impress the girls before all the drama unfolded.
