Keira Knightley has publicly apologized after drawing backlash for her involvement in a new Harry Potter project, amid continued tension surrounding the franchise’s creator, JK Rowling.
The Pride & Prejudice and Love Actually star, 40, recently joined a star-studded cast for Audible’s seven-part audiobook adaptation of the Harry Potter series.
Knightley voices the infamously cruel Professor Umbridge, alongside Hugh Laurie as Albus Dumbledore and Matthew Macfadyen as Lord Voldemort.
More than 200 actors are involved in the new production, which is being released through Rowling’s Pottermore Publishing company.
But the Atonement star's casting sparked disappointment from fans, particularly because of Rowling’s long-criticized views on transgender rights.
Knightley, who has portrayed multiple LGBTQ+ characters in her career, has now responded to the backlash in a new interview with Decider. “I was not aware of that, no,” Knightley said when asked if she knew that many fans were boycotting the franchise. “I’m very sorry.”
“I think we’re all living in a period of time right now where we’re all going to have to figure out how to live together, aren’t we?” she added. “And we’ve all got very different opinions. I hope that we can all find respect.”
Rowling’s Views Continue to Divide the Wizarding World
The controversy surrounding JK Rowling dates back several years. In 2017 and 2018, she was criticized for liking a series of anti-trans tweets, but tensions escalated sharply in 2020 when she tweeted an article referencing “people who menstruate” and sarcastically wrote: “‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
She followed up with several tweets defending her belief in biological sex, stating: “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth."
Rowling continued: “I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.”
Since then, she has spoken out against trans women accessing women’s spaces, and in 2023 declared she would rather go to prison than use a trans person’s correct pronouns.
The Cast’s Response and Rowling’s Retaliation
The author's remarks prompted a wave of public responses from the original Harry Potter cast.
Daniel Radcliffe published an open letter in collaboration with The Trevor Project, stating: “Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.”
Rupert Grint echoed the sentiment, saying trans people are “a valuable group that I think needs standing up for.”
Emma Watson also weighed in on social media: “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.”
Watson Opens Up and Rowling Fires Back
In a recent appearance on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, Watson expanded on her complicated feelings toward Rowling.
She explained that while she still “treasures” the author and the impact Rowling had on her life and career, she feels disappointed they never had a direct conversation about their differing views.
“I just don’t know what else to do other than hold these two seemingly incompatible things together at the same time and just hope maybe they will one day resolve,” she said. “And I can love her, I can know she loved me… and there can be this whole other thing.”
But Rowling seemed unmoved. On social media, she reposted a prior statement defending her stance, writing: “A little reminder for anyone who may be regretting their very public sprint to the front of the mob and is now trying to discreetly shove their pitchfork out of sight.”
She added: “In light of recent open letters from academia and the arts criticizing the UK's Supreme Court ruling on sex-based rights, it's possibly worth remembering that nobody sane believes, or has ever believed, that humans can change sex, or that binary sex isn't a material fact."
When asked whether Radcliffe, Watson, or Grint could apologize and regain her favor, Rowling replied bluntly: “Not safe, I’m afraid.”
She also appeared to mock the trio in a viral post where she responded to a question asking: “What actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you?” with: “Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible,” punctuated by laughing emojis, widely interpreted as a dig at the Harry Potter leads.