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yesterday

J.K. Rowling Clarifies She Cannot Fire Actor Paapa Essiedu for Pro-Trans Views

Rowling asserts her lack of authority and unwillingness to remove Essiedu, cast as Severus Snape, following his support for trans rights and criticism of UK Supreme Court ruling.

Image
JK Rowling. (Getty)
Paapa Essiedu has signed his name on a pro-trans letter (Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)
HBO's boss said casting has not been impacted (David Silverman/Getty Images/ Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic/Canva)

Overview

  • J.K. Rowling stated on X that she does not have the power to fire Paapa Essiedu from HBO's Harry Potter series and would not do so even if she could.
  • Essiedu, cast as Severus Snape, signed an open letter with over 400 entertainment professionals condemning the UK Supreme Court ruling on biological definitions of sex.
  • Rowling reiterated her support for the court's decision but said she opposes taking away jobs over differing legally protected beliefs.
  • HBO chief Casey Bloys reaffirmed that Rowling's personal views will not influence the series, emphasizing the network's focus on the story's themes of love and self-acceptance.
  • Production for the seven-season Harry Potter reboot is set to begin mid-2025, with a planned 2026 premiere, despite ongoing criticism of Rowling's involvement.