Overview

• J.K. Rowling publicly clarified that she neither has the power nor the intention to fire Paapa Essiedu from HBO's Harry Potter series over his pro-trans stance.
• Essiedu, cast as Severus Snape, signed an open letter supporting trans rights after a U.K. Supreme Court ruling Rowling celebrated for excluding trans women from legal definitions of womanhood.
• Rowling reiterated her belief in not removing individuals from projects due to differing legally protected views.
• HBO's chairman, Casey Bloys, assured audiences that Rowling's personal views will not influence the series' creative direction.
• The series, set to begin production in summer 2025, has also cast John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, and Nick Frost in leading roles.