Nick Frost, 53, has been officially announced as the new Rubeus Hagrid in the upcoming Harry Potter television series, replacing the late Robbie Coltrane. The actor shared the news on Instagram with a photo of himself holding J.K. Rowling's first book, writing: 'You're a wizard, Harry!!! Thank you for trusting me with such a loyal, gentle and courageous half-giant like Rubeus Hagrid. Robbie, I promise I won't let you down.'
However, Frost has disabled comments on the post, leading to speculation that he is facing backlash over the announcement. On other recent Instagram posts where comments remain enabled, users have expressed disappointment. One comment read: 'This is so sad, are you just going to keep turning off comments and deleting posts to avoid legitimate criticism from your fans? If you do this HP show, you will have to answer for JK and excuse her comments for the rest of your career.'
The Harry Potter TV series has been mired in controversy due to J.K. Rowling's comments about the transgender community. In 2020, Rowling questioned the use of the term 'people who menstruate' instead of 'women', and argued that 'erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives'. Her remarks were widely condemned as transphobic.
Several original film cast members have spoken out against Rowling's views. Daniel Radcliffe stated: 'Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people.' Emma Watson echoed this, saying: 'Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned.' Others, like Miriam Margolyes and Ralph Fiennes, have defended Rowling.
Frost joins a cast that includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch. The series has prompted some fans to announce a boycott due to Rowling's involvement.
