What Daniel Radcliffe has said as JK Rowling said she will ‘not forgive’ him and he can ‘save his apology’
JK Rowling has made her feelings about the stars of her Harry Potter series very clear, stating that she will 'never forgive' them over their support for trans rights.
The controversial author has never hidden her views on the trans community over the past couple of years, which has left her at odds with several actors who starred in the movie adaptions of her books.
Rowling has taken particular aim at lead actor Daniel Radcliffe and co-star Emma Watson, suggesting in April that she would 'never forgive' the pair.
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Following the publication of an independent review of the NHS' gender identity services earlier this year Rowling took to social media, writing that she was 'bloody angry' by the findings and claimed 'medics... celebrity mouthpieces, unquestioning media and cynical corporations' were all complicit in 'irreversibly' harming children.
Following the post, one user replied by saying: "Just waiting for Dan and Emma to give you a very public apology ... safe in the knowledge that you will forgive them ..."
However, Rowling then made it very clear that should the pair ever wish to make amends with her it won't be happening.
"Not safe, I'm afraid," she replied. "Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single-sex spaces."
What has Daniel Radcliffe said about JK Rowling and trans rights?
Radcliffe - who celebrates his 35th birthday today (23 July) - has been a staunch defender of trans rights.
In 2020 the actor penned an essay in defence of the LGBTQ community for The Trevor Project and apologised for the 'pain' which had been caused by Rowling's comments.
"I’ve met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter on that and so seeing them hurt on that day, I wanted them to know that not everybody in the franchise felt that way," he wrote. "And that was really important.”
The actor has also addressed the rift with Rowling directly, saying the fallout was 'really sad' but he didn't 'owe' the author due to his success in Harry Potter.
"I will continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people, and have no further comment than that," he added.
What have other Harry Potter stars said about Rowling's comments?
Emma Watson
In 2020 Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the films, said: "Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.
"I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are."
Rupert Grint
Grint, who played Ron Weasley in all eight movies, released a statement in 2020 saying: "I firmly stand with the trans community and echo the sentiments expressed by many of my peers. Trans women are women. Trans men are men."
He later added in an interview with the Times two years later: "I liken JK Rowling to an auntie. I don’t necessarily agree with everything my auntie says, but she’s still my auntie. It’s a tricky one."
Harry Melling
Melling, who played Dudley Dursley, told the Independent in 2022: "I can only speak for myself, and what I feel, to me, is very simple, which is that transgender women are women and transgender men are men."
Ralph Finnes
The Voldemort actor has criticised the backlash towards Rowling, telling The New York Times in 2022: "The verbal abuse directed at her is disgusting, it’s appalling.
"I can understand a viewpoint that might be angry at what she says about women. But it’s not some obscene, uber-right-wing fascist. It’s just a woman saying, ‘I’m a woman and I feel I’m a woman and I want to be able to say that I’m a woman.’"
Evanna Lynch
The Luna Lovegood actor has previously said she wished Rowling 'wouldn't' discuss trans rights on social media but has also defended the author after the backlash, telling the Telegraph: "I just felt that her character has always been to advocate for the most vulnerable members of society. The problem is that there’s a disagreement over who’s the most vulnerable.
"I do wish people would just give her more grace and listen to her."
Topics: Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter, JK Rowling, LGBTQ, Celebrity
Brenna Cooper