Latest news with #JKRowling
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Emma Watson's dad warns parents of new Harry, Ron and Hermione of 'impact of fame on children' as HBO TV series begins filming
Emma Watson 's dad has warned the parents of the new Harry, Ron and Hermione of the 'impact of fame on children' as filming for the HBO TV series begins. The latest leading trio were finally announced this week after months of speculation - with Dominic McLaughlin landing the title role, while Arabella Stanton is set to play Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout will portray Ron Weasley. Emma, 35, played Hermione for ten years in the Harry Potter film series, and now her dad Chris has told of how he worked hard to keep her 'grounded.' He told Times Radio: 'As a parent, you have to be scared ... This can be a very difficult thing for a parent and child to handle, or not. 'It certainly helped that I don't actually watch movies, it's not a big thing in the house, and so it was easier for us to keep her feet on the ground.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. He added: 'Normal life continued as far as possible: her homework would go back to school on motorbikes, admittedly, but she had to do her homework and check in.' Filming for the new HBO series started this week in France with cast and crew setting up on the Île de Sein off the coast of Brittany where they are thought to be re-creating the famous moment that Hagrid says, 'You're a wizard Harry!' JK Rowling gave her approval to the trio cast as the new child stars of the multi-million-pound TV adaptation - after previously giving short shrift to racists complaining about producers' picks. There has been some online backlash against what has been branded ' woke ' reinterpreting of the wizarding franchise based on the seven bestselling books by Rowling, 59, which prompted eight movie versions. But the multi-millionaire author yesterday gave her first public response to the new Harry Potter television casting announcement, with showbusiness insiders suggesting she would have a key role in the new productions. One fan took to X, formerly known as Twitter, asking the bestselling author to inform the new recruits the wizarding franchise's creator felt about their casting. And now Rowling has responded by declaring: 'All three are wonderful. I couldn't be happier.' The writer was replying to a tweet which said: '@jk_rowling @streamonmax @harrypotter Please tell Dominic, Arabella and Alistair that they are already loved by the fandom and we can't wait to see the show! We wish them all the best and that they have a magic time.' The new adaptation will be spread across seven seasons, equal to the number of books - although there were eight films with the final Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows split into two parts. The HBO TV show is said to be costing £75million per episode - and the three child actors taking the lead roles have been tipped to land themselves even bigger fortunes than the original stars. Producers Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod praised the 'wonderful' talent of the three newcomers, when making Tuesday's casting announcement. They said: 'After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione, and Ron. 'The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen. 'We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It's been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.' Rowling released the first Harry Potter novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 1997, followed by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets the following year. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was released in 1999, followed by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2000. Three years later Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix was published and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2005. The final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was released in 2007. The first movie was released in 2001 and the final one came out in 2011. They played their roles for a decade.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
How SNP's dithering over single-sex spaces and JK Rowling's generosity could cost taxpayers dear
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The announcement last week from the author JK Rowling that she has established a women's fund to support legal cases for women who wish to protect their sex-based rights should be causing sleepless nights for Scottish Government ministers, and for the finance directors of public bodies such as local authorities and NHS boards. All these organisations are now at risk of litigation which could see extensive payouts of taxpayers' cash to women whose rights have been denied. Rowling's generosity is entirely in character with her robust stance in speaking up for women who have suffered discrimination because of their gender-critical views. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This latest initiative will mean that those, like NHS Fife nurse Sandie Peggie, who have lost out simply because they refused to quietly share spaces with biological men, will now be able to access funds to help them stand up to authorities who have endless sums of taxpayers' money to defend legal cases. Members of the For Women Scotland campaign group celebrate the Supreme Court ruling about the definition of the word 'woman' (Picture: Henry Nicholls) | AFP via Getty Images Serious legal consequences It comes in the wake of the interim guidance issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in response to the Supreme Court judgment in the For Women Scotland case. That guidance makes it clear that public bodies must ensure that workplaces have single-sex toilets and changing and washing facilities should these be required. For providers of services that are open to the public, these do not have to be provided on a single-sex basis, but a woman could have a claim for indirect sex discrimination if the only provision is mixed-sex. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Despite this interim guidance being issued more than a month ago, and having serious legal consequences, public bodies in Scotland have been slow to adjust their practices. To give just one example, my own local authority, Perth and Kinross Council, in response to a freedom of information request submitted by the Free Speech Union Scotland, has stated that individuals are permitted to access single-sex facilities that align with their self-identified gender. This position is entirely contrary to the law as stated by the Supreme Court, and fails to provide adequate protection for female workers. Holyrood's swift action One body which moved quickly, and appropriately, to ensure that the law was complied with was the Scottish Parliament itself. Earlier this month the Presiding Officer, Alison Johnstone MSP, set out an interim position in response to the court ruling, making it clear that toilets designated as male or female only are to be interpreted as meaning biological sex, whilst ensuring that there will be gender-neutral facilities available to everyone, including members of the trans community. This ruling has now been challenged by some 17 MSPs from the SNP, Green, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties (no Scottish Conservatives were daft enough to sign up) in an open letter expressing 'deep concern' about the decision, which they claim risks exposing trans and non-binary individuals to humiliation, harassment or worse. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The letter has been written on the basis of legal advice from the ironically titled Good Law Project, headed up by the one-time fox-killer Jolyon Maugham KC, currently involved in an online spat with Rowling which might well end up with him being on the wrong end of a writ for defamation. Far better lawyers than either I or the Good Law Project have been clear that the EHRC's interim guidance accurately interprets the Supreme Court judgment, and it is disappointing to see this group of MSPs relying upon such poor-quality legal advice. Bizarrely, one of the signatories to the letter is Green MSP Maggie Chapman, herself a member of the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body, and therefore of the group who took the decision to issue the new 'transphobic toilet rules' (sic) which are being complained about. In an unexpected twist, Ms Chapman now appears to be disagreeing with herself. Tip of the iceberg The more serious issue is what exactly this means for public bodies and their finances. There is the potential here for a whole series of compensation claims from female workers in local authorities, in the NHS, or in other public bodies, who have been denied their gender-based rights. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad We have already seen with the Sandie Peggie case that an individual is able to challenge an NHS board which does not properly protect a woman concerned about having to share changing facilities with a biologically male trans woman. This case could be simply the tip of the iceberg with many hundreds or thousands of similar claims to follow. Now a female prisoner is threatening to sue the Scottish Prison Service after being forced to share a cell with a transgender woman. Jane Sutherley, in jail for culpable homicide, could be in line for a payout of taxpayer funds due to the SPS adopting a policy of gender self-identification – a policy which we now know is unlawful. Any female employee who has had to share toileting or changing facilities with a biological male identifying as a woman, whether or not that individual holds a gender recognition certificate, could potentially have a compensation claim. And any public body not moving immediately to fully implement the EHRC interim guidance puts itself at risk from a flood of litigation. JK Rowling's generosity means that any woman in that position will not lack the resources necessary to take a legal case. The cost to the public purse, both in terms of legal fees in defending any such actions and then in potential compensation payouts, could be enormous. The lack of awareness of the risks here – and the apparent absence of any sense of urgency – from both the Scottish Government and public bodies is quite staggering. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Forbes Daily: Supreme Court Gives A Boost To Oil And Gas Billionaires
J.K. Rowling brought magic to multiple generations with her wizarding world—and it's made her a billionaire, again, despite plenty of recent controversy. The Harry Potter author is now worth $1.2 billion, according to Forbes estimates, after previously falling off the Billionaires List in 2012 as a result of charitable giving. That's in spite of the fact that Rowling has placed herself at the center of a culture war, frequently posting anti-transgender rhetoric on social media. Since 2020, she has earned more than $80 million per year from the sales of her books and the vast litany of Potterverse brand extensions. The staying power of the franchise is only set to continue, with a new HBO Max series adaptation of the books going into production this summer. President Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs will stay in effect for now, a federal appeals court ruled, despite a Wednesday ruling from the Court of International Trade that they were unlawful, plus a second, similar ruling from a federal court Thursday. But if an appeals court or the Supreme Court, where the case is likely to end up, ultimately sides with the international court and says they're unlawful, the Trump Administration will have to refund any tariffs collected. MORE: Nvidia briefly became the world's most valuable company again Thursday after its latest earnings report, surpassing Microsoft, before falling back into No. 2. The AI chip giant's stock surged post-earnings and after the international trade court's tariff ruling, helping lift the broader market, before indexes ended the day at more modest gains. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said trade talks between China and the U.S. have stalled and a direct call between the two countries' presidents may be needed to close a deal, leading U.S. stock futures to drop slightly in early trading on Friday. After their meeting in Geneva earlier this month, U.S. and Chinese officials announced they would significantly cut back tariffs placed on each other's goods for at least 90 days, while both sides work on a trade agreement. Despite President Trump repeatedly attacking Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, the pair met Thursday at Trump's request—Powell's first meeting with a sitting president since May 2022. Trump has expressed frustration with the Fed's hesitation to lower interest rates, but Powell was insistent that the Fed would determine monetary policy based on economic data, according to a statement from the central bank. The SEC dropped a lawsuit against Binance on Thursday, days after the crypto exchange began listing a stablecoin created by World Liberty Financial, one of President Donald Trump's blockchain ventures. Binance admitted in a November 2023 plea deal to anti-money laundering and sanctions violations, agreeing to pay $4 billion, and it's not the only Trump crypto partner to have benefited personally from his administration. The Supreme Court gave a boost to oil and gas companies as it sided Thursday with a railway company that argued an environmental review of a planned construction project in Utah was too broad. Dozens of energy billionaires stand to benefit, like Anschutz Exploration Corporation leader Philip Anschutz and Energy Transfer LP founders Kelcy Warren and Ray Davis, who are worth $16.9 billion, $7.2 billion and $3.7 billion, respectively. As AI chatbots become more trusted with high-stakes jobs like helping to diagnose medical patients or screening loan applications, they're also making more mistakes,—which means assessing a model's performance is more crucial than ever. The once-buzzy data-labeling startup Snorkel AI is shifting gears to help enterprises create evaluation systems and datasets to test their AI models, raising $100 million at a $1.3 billion valuation. Despite repeated promises of an imminent launch, President Donald Trump's Gold Card visa—which would give wealthy investors U.S. residency and an expedited path to citizenship—would require Congress to change immigration laws, a process that could take months or years. And furthermore, while Trump has suggested the administration could raise trillions selling the cards, the math just doesn't add up, according to one expert: To afford the visa, someone would have to be worth over $100 million, and there are fewer than 30,000 centimillionaires in the entire world, more than a third of whom are American. A federal judge will indefinitely block the Trump Administration's ban on Harvard University's enrollment of foreign students, amid the ongoing feud between the university and federal government. In a shift from the Department of Homeland Security's initial announcement, which stated the ban would take effect immediately, the administration told Harvard ahead of the court hearing that it had 30 days to show why the school should not be barred from enrolling international students. Real Madrid forward Vinícius Forbes' latest ranking of the World's Most Valuable Soccer Teams, Spain's Real Madrid once again takes the crown, worth an estimated $6.75 billion after becoming the first soccer team to cross $1 billion in annual revenue during the 2023-24 season. Together, the 30 most valuable soccer teams are worth more than $72 billion, or an average of $2.4 billion, up 5% from last year. Michigan Potash & Salt founder Ted Pagano jamel toppin for forbes Michigan is sitting on a motherlode of potash, a mineral which is the main ingredient in agricultural fertilizer. The U.S. uses 5.3 million tons annually and imports 95% of it, mostly from Canada. Ted Pagano's Michigan Potash & Salt Company is on the cusp of closing on $1.8 billion of financing for a new mine, including a $1.3 billion loan from the Department of Energy and $500 million in equity being arranged by JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs. If all goes well, the mine will be churning out 1 million tons per year of potash (worth $350 million) and 1.3 million tons of salt (worth $80 million) by the end of the decade. With a resource base proven to be 130 million tons, the company could keep that up for a century or more—and make Pagano, who owns 65%, very rich. Even now his stake is worth at least $300 million. To extract the potash, Pagano will use a form of 'in-situ,' or solution mining. He'll drill 8,000-foot-deep wells in pairs. One is the injection well, down which Michigan Potash will send hot water to dissolve potash and salt in place. The second is the production well; the solution travels up that well to the processing plant for separation and drying. The water is reclaimed, heated and sent back down the hole. From the surface the mine will hardly be noticeable and should be eligible for green tax credits. 'There's no hair on this project that we're ashamed of,' says chief operating officer Aric Glasser. In all, Forbes estimates that costs should come to about $140 per ton; potash sells for about $350 a ton today. And agricultural giant ADM has already agreed to buy nearly all of Pagano's yearly potash production. WHY IT MATTERS 'This story shows how even in a giant, oligopoly-controlled industry like fertilizer, an individual entrepreneur like Ted Pagano—in the right place at the right time—can generate huge value for himself and for the country,' says Forbes senior editor Christopher Helman. 'This matters now because there are many other critical minerals of which the U.S. needs to develop secure domestic supplies. Hopefully Pagano's story can inspire more entrepreneurs to take on the challenge.' MORE The $800 Million Rare Earths Portfolio Of Australia's Richest Woman References to DEI in the corporate reports of top companies took a sharp dive this year, according to analysis by Gravity Research. As President Donald Trump has waged a war on DEI, many companies have dropped or reframed their diversity initiatives: 72%: The drop in references to diversity, including 'DEI' and 'racial diversity,' in the reports of major corporations between 2024 and 2025, per the study 87%: The increase in usage of the word 'belonging' between 2023 and 2024 as a 'safer' alternative to DEI, though mentions of the word then declined 47% between 2024 and 2025 'Speaks volumes to the current political environment': said Joanna Piacenza, vice president of thought leadership at Gravity Research No matter the reason, if you were seeking a promotion that didn't pan out, you can still create your own opportunities for leadership development in your current role. Look at previous performance reviews to figure out what skills you need to work on, and collaborate with your manager to restructure your role for stretch assignments. And if you're looking for an opportunity to manage people, start by managing a project or asking your boss if you can take something off their plate. Scientists have created a 'smart' dental floss that doesn't just clean your teeth, but also gauges what about your health? A. Blood pressure B. Presence of cavities C. Stress levels D. Recent drug use Check your answer. Thanks for reading! This edition of Forbes Daily was edited by Sarah Whitmire and Chris Dobstaff.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Download Festival is engulfed by trans row as acts threaten a boycott after organisers follow Supreme Court ruling and enforce single sex toilet policy
LGBTQ acts have threatened to boycott the Download Festival after organisers followed the Supreme Court 's ruling and said trans men and women should use toilets according to their biological sex - not the gender they identify as. Trans pop-punk artist Noahfinnce says the decision will be put people 'in danger', declaring the decision means: 'My trans sisters have to risk outing themselves in the men's [toilets]'. The row has come to the attention of Harry Potter author and women's rights campaigner JK Rowling, who said of the complaints by trans artists and campaigners: 'Nothing short of women's total capitulation will be good enough for them'. The rock and metal festival held in Donington Park, Leicestershire, between June 13 and 15 will be attended by up to 130,000 people and will feature performances from Green Day, McFly, Korn and Weezer. And six weeks on since the Supreme Court ruled trans women are legally male and trans men are legally female for the purposes of the Equality Act, Download applied it to its portaloo policy. It said this year it would be following the guidance issued by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission that 'trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women's facilities and trans men (biological women) should not be permitted to use the men's facilities.' The vast majority of the portaloos on site will still be gender neutral. Yet Noahfinnce has threatened to quit claiming the decision is 'unsafe' - with some trans men and women vowing to defy the rules and use whatever toilet they want. 'I had a great time playing last year but will not be attending again if I have to queue up for the ladies' and my trans sisters have to risk outing themselves in the men's. All this does is put trans people in danger', the singer said. In a post on Twitter, Noahfinnce wrote: 'Hey @DownloadFest what the f**k are you doing? How have you got the gall to invite trans people like me to play your festival, then ban them from using the toilet? If the only way we can p*ss is by outing ourselves, then you've created an unsafe environment'. Manchester band Witch Fever said: 'The threat to trans people's safety by forcing them to enter toilets that are assigned to a gender that they don't associate with is a complete f***ing tragedy. We are hoping this decision gets changed'. American rock band Pinkshift then said on Instagram: 'Playing @downloadfest was fun last year but what f*cking music festival policies gendered bathrooms? 'Thanks Noahfinnce for being the only artist [we've] seen talk about this. If Download is part of your life, speak up. They think they can get away with discrimination in the year of 2025'. Download then issued a statement declaring that the 'Festival has always been and remains for everyone', adding: 'We want to reassure all of our customers that the majority of the toilets across the site are gender neutral'. Artist and campaigner Birdy Rose said that Download had done the right thing to offer single sex toilet facilities and gender neutral toilet facilities to be available to those who want to use them. But she added: 'This should have been a good and reasonable way to make everybody happy whilst also abiding by the law. Instead 'trans' activists seem to be having an absolute meltdown, claiming that this is 'immoral' and men should just ignore the law and enter the female spaces anyway. 'So what have we learned here? Nothing is ever good enough for the woke lunatics'. Olympian Sharron Davies then tweeted: 'This is exactly what happened in world aquatics. They put on a trans events at a World Cup in Berlin. After endless complains about inclusion. So they didn't even have to be the best in their country like everyone else. Yet no one turned up. These men only want an unfair advantage in a category they have no right to be in. Very revealing… every time'. Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson said last month that 'services should be accessed on the basis of biological sex', meaning trans women should usually use male toilets if there is no alternative provision, despite last year saying that a man who had legally changed gender 'would be using female toilets'. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has now issued guidance stating unequivocally that in workplaces and places open to the public 'trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women's facilities and trans men (biological women) should not be permitted to use the men's facilities'. But Labour has been accused of being in chaos over the Supreme Court's April ruling. Guidance for schools on pupils who identify as the opposite sex may not be published before the summer holidays, for example. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has demanded Keir Starmer apologise to women after the Supreme Court's biological sex ruling. The Leader of the Opposition told the Mail that the Prime Minister - who has now dropped his belief that transgender women are women - should say sorry to those who lost jobs or were harassed in the row over equality law. In Parliament she also urged him to apologise to MP Rosie Duffield who was hounded out of Labour after she spoke up for female-only spaces - and told him to crack down on the trans activists who defaced Westminster statues in angry protests against the landmark judgment. Her comments came after Sir Keir belatedly spoke out on the declaration by Britain's top court that the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex, saying: 'A woman is an adult female, and the court has made that absolutely clear.' He declined to repeat his previous statement that 'trans women are women' but his official spokesman later confirmed he no longer believes it.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Who will play the new Voldemort? Hollywood actor predicted to star as iconic Harry Potter villain
One Hollywood actor has been tipped to play Voldemort in the upcoming HBO remake of JK Rowling's Harry Potter. With the cast edging closer to completion, Potterheads are waiting patiently to find out who will play the remaining characters - including Voldemort, the franchise's dark wizard. Ralph Fiennes was cast as the villain in the original eight movies. This time around however, a household name in the film industry is the bookies' favorite for the role. Paul Bettany comes in third in the predictions, followed by Ralph Fiennes in fourth, just in front of Benedict Cumberbatch. However, a return for any actor who featured in the original films seems increasingly unlikely given not a single one has yet been announced. While stars such as Robbie Coltrane, Richard Harris, Dame Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman passed away since they starred in Potter, a very public feud between JK Rowling and the movie's three main stars made certain they would not be returning. Hopes of seeing Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint back at Hogwarts were all but crushed after the trio spoke out against the author over her views on trans rights in 2020. Rowling had stated her belief that women are defined by their biological sex and not their gender identity. The author later insisted she would never forgive the Harry Potter stars, with Rowling again taking aim at them just last month. Replying to a tweet asking: 'What actor/ actress instantly ruins a movie for you?', she wrote: 'Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible.' But while cast members of the films have publicly criticized the books' author, HBO have backed her saying she has a 'right to express her personal views'. The announcement came after other members of the cast were revealed months earlier, with Paapa Essiedu in-line to play Severus Snape and John Lithgow as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Earlier this week, JK Rowling expressed her delight at the casting of her new Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Responding to a fan on X asking how she felt about the appointments, she said: 'All three wonderful. I couldn't be happier.' The three new leads are expected to start filming this summer after being chosen from more than 32,000 audition tapes from across the UK and Ireland. The new adaptation will be spread across seven seasons, equal to the number of books - although there were eight films with the final Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows split into two parts. The HBO TV show is said to be costing over $100million per episode - and the three child actors taking the lead roles have been tipped to land themselves even bigger fortunes than the original stars. Producers Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod praised the 'wonderful' talent of the three newcomers, when making Tuesday's casting announcement. They said: 'After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione, and Ron. 'The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen. 'We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It's been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.'
