The British Harry Potter actress Bel Powley, 34, is kritisch of author J.K. Rowling’s views on gender. “I strongly reject J.K. Rowling’s views on gender,” the 34-year-old told Telegraph (paywalled). In the new Harry Potter series, slated to debut later this year, Powley will play Harry Potter’s stern aunt Petunia Dursley. “I believe the trans community deserves safety, dignity, respect, and unconditional acceptance,” Powley said. Rowling (61) has been drawing attention for years with anti-trans remarks — often on social media — and has faced widespread criticism. Last year she even urged a boycott of a major retailer simply because it employs trans people as staff. Rowling maintains that trans women pose a blanket threat to cisgender women and should be discriminated against accordingly. Stars from the Harry Potter film series like Daniel Radcliffe (37) had distanced themselves from Rowling years ago. Rowling has not been on good terms with the former child actors for years: last year she claimed Emma Watson (36) is ignorant and wants to destroy women’s rights (TheColu.mn reported).
Powley: “I love Harry Potter”
Despite the differing views on the topic, she remains a big fan of the world-famous book series. “I love Harry Potter. I grew up with the books. I belong to that first generation of readers,” Powley enthused to Telegraph. She loves “magic and spooky stuff.”
The streaming service HBO Max announced the start of the Harry Potter series, in which Powley appears, for Christmas 2026. The lead roles feature Dominic McLaughlin as the famed young wizard Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.
Powley isn’t the first member of the new series’ cast to speak out against Rowling’s transphobia. Nick Frost, who plays Rubeus Hagrid, stated: “She has the right to her opinion and I have mine. They simply do not align in any way, shape or form.” John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore) spoke clearly about his distance, calling Rowling’s positions “ironic and somewhat inexplicable,” since the world of Harry Potter centers on acceptance and empathy. Paapa Essiedu (Severus Snape) joined more than 1,500 filmmakers in signing an open letter opposing a transphobic ruling by Britain’s Supreme Court in April 2025. (dk)
