In a recent interview with Decider, Keira Knightley said that before she joined the voice cast as Professor Umbridge on Audible’s Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Edition, she was “not aware” that fans were boycotting Harry Potter in general over JK Rowling’s comments about the transgender community.
“You know, I think we’re living in a time now where we have to think about how we’re going to live together, right?” Mr Knightley said. “And we all have very different opinions. I hope we can all be respectful.”
The backlash against Rowling began in 2020 after the author posted several tweets and a 3,600-word essay that many interpreted as transphobic. In the weeks that followed, “Harry Potter” stars Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and others posted statements on social media defending the trans community.
Watson opened up more about her relationship with Rowling on a recent episode of “On Purpose with Jay Shetty.” The host asked Watson for her thoughts on Rowling’s comments that she “will never forgive” Watson and her co-stars for ruining the “Harry Potter” movies.
“I really don’t believe that having an experience like that and continuing to have love and support and an opinion means that you can’t and don’t value Joe or anyone else you’ve had a personal experience with,” Watson said. “I never believe that one person negates the other, or that my experience with that person will remain with me and be cherished. To go back to what I said earlier, I don’t think these things are either/or. My deepest desire is for people who don’t agree with me to love me, and I hope that I can continue to love people who don’t necessarily share the same views.”
Shortly after, Rowling accused Watson of being “ignorant” and having “little real life experience” to X. “I am not obligated to obtain eternal consent from the actors who once played the characters I created. That idea is as ridiculous as asking my boss when I was 21 to see what opinions I should have these days. Emma Watson and her co-stars have every right to embrace their gender identity ideology. Such beliefs are legally protected, and I don’t want to see them lose their jobs or be threatened with violence or death because of it.” ”
