‘J.K. Rowling does not speak for all of us’: Radcliffe

The Harry Potter actor renews his attack on the author's controversial anti-trans stance.

Daniel Radcliffe. Photo by Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic

The Harry Potter actor has criticised the author's controversial anti-trans comments, saying he stands with the queer community.

Daniel Radcliffe has distanced himself from JK Rowling’s anti-trans comments, saying he wants queer children to know he supports them.

Radcliffe penned an open letter stating his unwavering support for the trans community in June 2020, and now, speaking to IndieWire, has re-stated his concerns for young fans of the franchise who may have felt betrayed or hurt by Rowling’s staunch, trans-exclusionary stance.

“The reason I was felt very, very much as though I needed to say something when I did was because, particularly since finishing ‘Potter,’ I’ve met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter on that,” he said. 

“And so seeing them hurt on that day I was like, I wanted them to know that not everybody in the franchise felt that way. And that was really important.”

Actors Rupert Grint, Author JK Rowling, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson attend the world premiere of the first Harry Potter film, 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' in 2001. Photo by Gareth Davies/Getty Images.

Radcliffe’s comments go against those of Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the franchise and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, who both earlier this month defended the author.

In his original open letter, published on website The Trevor Project, Radcliffe said it was “clear we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their indenities and not cause further harm.” 

“It was really important as I’ve worked with the Trevor Project for more than 10 years, and so I don’t think I would’ve been able to look myself in the mirror had I not said anything,” he told IndieWire. “But it’s not mine to guess what’s going on in someone else’s head.”

Though Rowling has been met with massive backlash for her anti-trans comments, she has continued to express the view that transgender women are not “real” women.

Just this week, she praised Scottish politician Ash Regan for being a “principled politician” after Regan resigned from parliament over government plans to make it easier for someone to change their legally-recognised gender. 

Regan said her conscience would not let her support the plans.