‘Harry Potter’ Actor Ralph Fiennes Defends J.K. Rowling from Critics, Calls ‘Verbal Abuse’ Against Her ‘Disgusting’

Zachary LeemanOct 25th, 2022, 11:59 am
 
Ralph Fiennes Defends J.K. Rowling from 'Verbal Abuse'

Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney

Lord Voldemort is taking a stand for Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. Franchise actor Ralph Fiennes defended Rowling in a recent New York Times interview, calling the “verbal abuse” she’s faced over her comments on trans people “disgusting.

“The verbal abuse directed at her is disgusting, it’s appalling. I mean, I can understand a viewpoint that might be angry at what she says about women. But it’s not some obscene, über-right-wing fascist,” the actor said.

Fiennes also defended Rowling’s specific comments, claiming what the novelist said has said should not be all that controversial.

“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.’ And I understand where she’s coming from. Even though I’m not a woman,” he said.

Rowling has faced backlash for years now for her viewpoints, even from some of the cast of the Harry Potter franchise. Controversy first began in 2020 when Rowling retweeted an op-ed referring to “people who menstruate,” mocking it for refusing to use the word woman. She has since made other statements that have caused controversy.

While Rowling has the villainous Lord Voldemort’s support, Harry Potter himself, actor Daniel Radcliffe, is among the cast members to push back on the author. He wrote an essay in response to Rowling’s controversial 2020 statement, writing, “transgender women are women.”

Emma Watson, who portrayed Hermione Granger in the franchise, similarly pushed back on Rowling’s comments at the time.

Despite numerous people distancing themselves from Rowling, the author has remained involved in her franchise, getting a co-writing credit on the this year’s Harry Potter prequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. She received sole credit for the previous two movies.

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Zachary Leeman

Zachary Leeman covered pop culture and politics at outlets such as Breitbart, LifeZette, BizPac Review, HollywoodinToto, and others. He is the author of the novel Nigh. He joined Mediaite in 2022.