‘It Makes Me Really Sad’: Harry Potter Actor Daniel Radcliffe Reflects On Relationship With JK Rowling

Actor Daniel Radcliffe from the Broadway cast of “Merrily We Roll Along” in conversation at The 92nd Street Y on Thursday, March 28, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)

Actor Daniel Radcliffe expressed his disappointment at the relational rift between himself and author J.K. Rowling over her openly critical views on transgender issues.

In an interview with The Atlantic, Radcliffe, who played the lead role of Harry Potter in the film adaptations of Rowling’s celebrated book series, reflected on the bond they once shared and said: “It makes me really sad, ultimately.”

Radcliffe told the magazine: “I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.”

He continued: “I will continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people, and have no further comment than that.”

He added: “Jo, obviously Harry Potter would not have happened without her, so nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person. But that doesn’t mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life.”

Rowling’s divisive remarks have become a flashpoint in the trans rights debate since 2020, positioning her in opposition to many in the Potter community, including Radcliffe. Early on he voiced support for the trans community and criticism of Rowling in the form of an essay for the Trevor Project writing “transgender women are women.”