Bel Powley, who is set to play Aunt Petunia in the upcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation, has said she 'strongly disagrees' with JK Rowling's views on gender. In an interview with The Telegraph, the 34-year-old actress expressed support for the trans community while affirming her love for the Harry Potter franchise.
Powley's Statement
Powley said: 'I think that the trans community deserve safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance. But, I love Harry Potter. I grew up with the books. I am from that first generation of readers and, again, I love magic and spookiness.'
She joins other cast members, including John Lithgow and Paapa Essiedu, in distancing themselves from Rowling's gender-critical views. Rowling has been a prominent figure in the trans-exclusionary radical feminist movement and has faced backlash for her statements.
Rowling's Controversies
In 2024, Rowling donated £70,000 to For Women Scotland, a campaign group that pushed for the UK Supreme Court ruling that transgender women are not considered women under the Equality Act. After the ruling, she shared a photo of herself smoking a cigar on a yacht with the caption: 'I love it when a plan comes together.'
Rowling has routinely misgendered trans people on X, has said there 'are no trans kids', and was named in a cyberbullying lawsuit filed by Algerian boxer Imane Khelif in 2024.
Impact on the TV Series
Her behaviour has prompted calls for a boycott of the Harry Potter show, given that Rowling is an executive producer. HBO CEO Casey Bloys has said that Rowling was 'very, very involved in the process' of selecting the showrunner and director.
Rowling's relationship with the original film stars appears to have broken down after they supported the trans community. She has also fired back at director Christopher Columbus after he called her views 'very sad'. Metro contacted Rowling's representative, who had no comment.
The Harry Potter TV show premieres on Christmas Day on HBO and Sky.
