‘Harry Potter' Series Is ‘Not Secretly Being Infused' With J.K. Rowling's Anti-Trans Beliefs, Says HBO Boss: ‘If You Want to Debate Her, You Can Go on Twitter'
HBO's chief content officer Casey Bloys recently appeared on 'The Town' podcast and stressed to 'Harry Potter' fans that the network's upcoming TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling's literary franchise will not be 'infused' with the author's controversial views on the transgender community. Both the network and the new 'Harry Potter' cast have received backlash for getting into business with Rowling, who continues to post what many believe are transphobic comments on X. She also uses social media to regularly troll her critics and take aim at public figures (such as slamming John Oliver's comments on trans athletes).
'The decision to be in business with J.K. Rowling is not new for us. We've been in business for 25 years,' Bloys said, nodding to the mega-successful 'Harry Potter' film franchise that spawned eight movies, grossed $7.7 billion worldwide and launched spinoffs, video games and more.
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Bloys was asked if Rowling's views on the trans community made him worried for the show, to which he continued: 'We already have a show on HBO from her called 'C.B. 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. And if you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.'
At a press event last year, Bloys told reporters that Rowling was 'very, very involved in the process selecting' showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod to lead the charge on the 'Harry Potter' TV series. He added that Rowling's anti-trans statements 'haven't affected the casting or hiring of writers or productions staff' for the show. A spokesperson for the network added in a statement to Variety at the time that Rowling's 'contribution' to the larger Warner Bros. Discovery company 'has been invaluable.'
'We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter — the heartwarming books that speak to power of friendship, resolve and acceptance,' the statement continued. 'J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.'
HBO confirmed last month the first round of cast members for the new 'Harry Potter' series, including John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. Lithgow told The Times of London afterwards that he was surprised by the backlash that followed. A friend of the actor's sent him an open letter asking him to walk away from the show due to Rowling's involvement.
'I thought, 'Why is this a factor at all?' I wonder how J.K. Rowling has absorbed it,' Lithgow said. 'I suppose at a certain point I'll meet her, and I'm curious to talk to her.'
When asked if the backlash has made him reconsider the role, Lithgow said, 'Oh, heavens no.'
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USA Today
31 minutes ago
- USA Today
Arnold Schwarzenegger reacts to son Patrick's 'White Lotus' nudity: 'This is crazy'
Arnold Schwarzenegger reacts to son Patrick's 'White Lotus' nudity: 'This is crazy' Show Caption Hide Caption 'White Lotus' Season 3 trailer: Rich people and death in Thailand The trailer for HBO's "The White Lotus" Season 3 brings viewers to tropical Thailand and death is in the air. For Arnold and Patrick Schwarzenegger, the apple doesn't fall from the tree, especially in the fruit-bearing department. "The White Lotus" star, 31, and his movie icon father, 77, sat down for a candid joint interview on Variety's "Actors on Actors" series, released on June 3, during which they discussed Patrick's bold breakout role as Saxon Ratliff. A party-loving pool cretin, Ratliff is the poster boy for misguided masculinity on the HBO series' third season. "Saxon leads with his penis; quite literally, that's how he walks," said Patrick of his character's carnal confidence in a February interview with USA TODAY. This also included a scene in which the actor performed in full-frontal nudity. "I couldn't believe (it). I said to myself, 'I'm watching your show, and I'm watching your butt sticking out there,'" Arnold told Patrick on "Actors on Actors." "And all of a sudden, I see the weenie. ... What is going on here? This is crazy." Patrick Schwarzenegger interview: 'White Lotus' breakout star on show, dad Arnold Despite his parental shock, Arnold, who's had his fair share of risqué roles, later reflected on the parallel between his and Patrick's daring career moves. "I said to myself, 'Well, Arnold, hello. You did the same thing in 'Conan (the Barbarian)'andin '(The) Terminator' and in all of those films, so don't complain about it," Arnold said. "It was a shock to me that you were following my footsteps that closely." The former California governor also gave Patrick props on his acting chops: "Your acting surprised the hell out of me. Not that I didn't know that you're good. ... But it was just unbelievable, the kind of stuff that you did in the show." Patrick Schwarzenegger addresses 'frustrating' nepotism claims The father-son duo attended the Los Angeles premiere of "The White Lotus" Season 3 in February, after which Arnold gave his son a cheeky shoutout on social media. "What a show!" Arnold wrote in a Feb. 11 Instagram post. "I could claim to be surprised to find out he has a nude scene, but what can I say — the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Contributing: Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY
Geek Girl Authority
an hour ago
- Geek Girl Authority
DOCTOR WHO: 5 Jaw-Dropping Moments From the Season 2 Finale
The TARDIS doors have now closed on Doctor Who Season 2. Its finale, 'The Reality War,' boasts many a twist (there's always a twist at the end), from surprise appearances to surprise endings. The most shocking twist is easily Ncuti Gatwa's departure as the Fifteenth Doctor and his regeneration into a face baked into the DNA of the RTD era (well, the first one, anyway). I've thoroughly enjoyed Gatwa as our intrepid alien with two hearts, so much that he's easily in my top three. He commandeered the TARDIS with compassion, joy and endearing depth of feeling. Below, I've compiled a list of five jaw-dropping moments from the Season 2 finale. So, let's hop onto the Rani's weird flying scooter and pray the Bone Beasts don't mistake us for excitated atoms. Anita to the Rescue DOCTOR WHO Season 2 Episode 8, 'The Reality War.' Photo credit: Lara Cornell/BBC Studios/Bad Wolf Remember Anita (Steph de Whalley)? We last saw her in the 2024 Christmas special, 'Joy to the World.' Now, she's the manager at the Time Hotel, living and working in 4202. She has a child on the way with a man named Ricardo from HR. Anita has grown accustomed to living in the distant future and has even become familiar with the vernacular surrounding our titular Time Lord (Gatwa) and his adventures. RELATED: TV Review: Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 4, 'Lucky Day' She saves the Doctor right before he presumably would've fallen into the Underverse with, well, the whole world. Then, Anita makes another valuable contribution to our heroes' efforts in battling the Rani (Archie Panjabi), Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson) and Conrad (Jonah Hauer-King). She opens the portal to the Time Hotel and leaves it open, allowing the flow of actual reality to wash over Conrad's wish world. Reuniting with Anita in 'The Reality War' is an absolute highlight. I'd watch the hell out of a Time Hotel spinoff with her at the helm. The Rani Becomes Lunch DOCTOR WHO Season 2 Episode 8, 'The Reality War.' Photo credit: James Pardon/BBC Studios/Bad Wolf This one stings. I've fallen head over heels for Panjabi's take on this iconic character in the Whoniverse. She's wholeheartedly (whole- hearts -edly, if you will) Shakespearean here and fits the theatrical vibe of this series well. Panjabi squeezes the figurative juice out of every syllable and never wastes a word — or a charged glance. The Rani's objective to split open the skin of reality to unleash Omega and rebuild Gallifrey is compelling. Personally, I would've loved to see her get closer to bringing her vision to fruition and the narrative obstacles this creates. RELATED: TV Review: Doctor Who Season 2 Premiere However, Omega, now a skeletal monster creature, emerges from the Underverse via the Seal of Rassilon with the intent of becoming the God of Time. He'd rather feast on the remaining Time Lords and the world at large than help the Rani achieve her dream. Hence why she, unfortunately, becomes lunch. RIP to a queen. Well, I don't entirely believe she's gone. At the very least, Mrs. Flood is still out there. I enjoyed seeing our favorite Time Lord use the Vindicator — a device he constructed in episode two to bring Belinda (Varada Sethu) home — to send Omega back from whence he came. Lucky Number 13 DOCTOR WHO Season 2 Episode 8, 'The Reality War.' Photo credit: James Pardon/BBC Studios/Bad Wolf I love a good pleasant surprise . Jodie Whittaker reprises her role as the Thirteenth Doctor in 'The Reality War.' She and Gatwa boast an easygoing, vibrant chemistry despite their brief scene aboard the TARDIS. Thirteen imparts wisdom to Fifteen regarding his departure and impresses the importance of getting it right — rupturing the Time Vortex with all that regeneration energy could be detrimental to all creation. RELATED: Doctor Who : 11 Easter Eggs in 'Boom' Fifteen tells Thirteen he loves her, and it's a profound, resonant moment of self-love for the Doctor. I especially love Thirteen contemplating telling Yaz (Mandip Gill) she loves her. Fifteen informs Thirteen that she doesn't, but Yaz knows. Oof. Talk about a punch to the gut. Thirteen's remark about not liking Fifteen's redecorating is a fun dig, as is Fifteen's line about being surprised Thirteen isn't 'the other guy.' He's always turning up. Friendly shots fired at David Tennant, y'all. The pair also has an exchange about how stuck in their ways they are ('timey-wimey,' anyone?), which is interesting considering how many different faces the Doctor has had. Yet, there's always a desire to cling to a particular visage for a bit longer as the inevitable regeneration takes effect. Even our eponymous Gallifreyan hates change and fears the unknown. Getting Home to Poppy DOCTOR WHO Season 2 Episode 8, 'The Reality War.' Photo credit: James Pardon/BBC Studios/Bad Wolf Who knew Captain Poppy (Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps) from 'Space Babies' would have so much narrative importance? After her debut in Fifteen's first season, she reappears in Season 2 Episode 5, 'The Story & the Engine,' but only to Belinda. Then, she's Belinda and the Doctor's (aka John Smith) daughter in the Season 2 penultimate episode, 'Wish World,' before becoming Belinda's actual daughter. RELATED: Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: Doctor Who 's Ruby Sunday Of course, Poppy's eventual disappearance following the undoing of Conrad's wish world activates Ruby's (Millie Gibson) Spidey senses. Fifteen is known for risking it all to save one person, which he's done for Ruby, Belinda and even Susan Triad (Susan Twist). Naturally, when he learns he has a daughter, our Doctor springs into action and willingly sacrifices himself to shift all of time so Poppy exists again. Before he regenerates, though, the Doctor reunites with Belinda and Poppy. This time, we learn that Poppy is the reason Belinda wanted to go home so badly at the start. We see a collection of scenes from past episodes in which dialogue about Poppy is retroactively inserted, from Belinda believing she's dying in 'The Well' to after she and the Doctor meet young Conrad in 'Lucky Day.' RELATED: 6 Doctor Who Episodes That Show the Eleventh Doctor's Personality Real Heartbreak Sure, this gives us a new perspective on those scenes. The plan was always to return to Earth on May 24, 2025, at 7:30 am, for her daughter. While the choice to end Belinda's arc with motherhood is strange, given she's never mentioned it before (although it does call into question how much of actual reality we've seen this season), the real heartbreak is in the Doctor realizing he doesn't have a child. That's the meat of it all. Oh, Hello DOCTOR WHO Season 2 Episode 8, 'The Reality War.' Photo credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf As much as I don't want Fifteen to go, I enjoyed his pre-regeneration moments while he's alone in the TARDIS. He decides to regenerate in open view of space, with Joy (played by Nicola Coughlan before she turned into a star) twinkling before him. Joy to the world, indeed. Fifteen lands on 'joy' as the descriptor for his experience with this face and body — an 'absolute joy.' And it feels fitting for this Doctor to leave with joy in his hearts and a smile on his face. He simply radiates optimism and a buoyant, effervescent energy. RELATED: Read our Doctor Who recaps Who Is She? So, after looking like a star himself as he regenerates, the Fifteenth Doctor transforms into … Billie Piper, who seemingly breaks the fourth wall to greet us. Now, I have thoughts. I don't think Piper is the Sixteenth Doctor. Firstly, she's not introduced as such in the closing credits, whereas Gatwa and Whittaker are credited as the Doctor, respectively. Secondly, the new Doctor is usually announced well in advance of the current Doctor's regeneration. Thirdly, there's an intriguing shot of the TARDIS console while Fifteen regenerates. Could this familiar face have sprung from the TARDIS, considering how inextricably linked it is to Rose Tyler? Could she be The Moment? An alternate Rose? Or perhaps she's the TARDIS herself, having taken on a new face (the TARDIS was previously played by Suranne Jones in 'The Doctor's Wife'). What if Billie Piper is meant to be someone else entirely? That said, if she really is the next Doctor, it wouldn't be the first time our Time Lord has regenerated into a familiar face from the series. Regardless, I hope Russell T Davies has something exciting in store for us. Let's not retread old ground, please. Although I highly suspect that Piper is a placeholder, as it were, and will transform into the Sixteenth Doctor, whoever they might be. Seasons 1 and 2 of Doctor Who are now streaming on Disney+. DOCTOR WHO: Our Favorite Easter Eggs From 'Lux' Contact: [email protected] What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events. Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet. Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium. Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Patrick Schwarzenegger considered adopting an alias
Patrick Schwarzenegger considered adopting an "alias" earlier in his career. The 31-year-old actor - who is the son of Hollywood icon Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver - actually thought about adopting another name in order to distinguish himself from his family. Speaking to his dad, for Variety's Actors on Actors series, Patrick explained: "I feel [the weight of my name] in multiple different ways. "['White Lotus' creator] Mike White said that it comes with baggage, the idea that when you have successful parents like I do with you and mom, there's an added level of what other people think. Mike was worried about, if he cast me, what other people would think. Which they did — they did care about that; people said I got the role because of you and mom. "There were times earlier in my career where I was wondering, does it make sense to go under an alias? It took a while for me to get to a point where I was less worried about living in your shadow versus wanting to do it the way I thought I should do it." Patrick's parents instilled a solid work ethic into the actor, and he's determined to "honour" their advice. He said: "I understand how hard you and mom have worked throughout your life to give me the opportunities that I've had. The biggest advice you gave us kids is to work hard. I've tried to honour that." Patrick recently admitted that he "grew as an actor" during his time on 'The White Lotus'. Patrick played Saxon Ratliff on the hit HBO series, and he took to social media to reflect on his experience. He wrote on X: "Today's quite bittersweet. I teared up last night in the finale… First — because It was this beautiful yet devastating and profound ending - but secondly, because It was also the end of this chapter for me in my life.. "White lotus has consumed my life the past 16 months. Prepping, filming , press etc etc. It was a Beautiful chapter of my life. One that I'll never forget. One that I made everlasting relationships. A chapter That I learned immensely from. That I grew as an actor and a Human. Just a moment in life that I'm forever grateful for. (sic)"
