The Harry Potter franchise has been entertaining audiences for decades, starting with J.K. Rowling’s novels and growing into a behemoth property including movies, video games, theme parks, and stage plays. But there’s also been some controversy surrounding the Wizarding World thanks to the author’s comments/views about the transgender community. A number of figures from the franchise have joined in on the discourse, including Luna Lovegood actress Evanna Lynch. She recently spoke out about the Rowling controversy, saying “there’s a disagreement over who’s the most vulnerable.” Let’s break it all down.
The situations surrounding J.K. Rowling dates back to 2020, where she spoke in response to changing UK gender recognition laws, and the adoption of gender neutral spaces (including bathrooms). Her comments about sex and gender were seen by many as transphobic, and she’s since doubled down on those opinions in recent years. Actress Evanna Lynch deleted Twitter after getting involved in the discourse, although she’s once again weighed in during a conversation with The Telegraph. She seemingly defended Rowling, saying:
I just felt that her character has always been to advocate for the most vulnerable members of society. The problem is that there’s a disagreement over who’s the most vulnerable. I do wish people would just give her more grace and listen to her.
There you have it. It looks like Evanna Lynch has joined the likes of co-stars Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes with taking umbrage over how J.K. Rowling has been treated online. As the Luna Lovegood actress pointed out, Rowling’s original comments came along with her accounts of domestic abuse and sexual assault. And it’s seemingly for this reason that the situation comes with so many complicated feelings for Lynch.
Evanna Lynch’s latest comments stand in juxtaposition to the stance taken by most of her Harry Potter peers. Most of the young cast has come out in support of the transgender community, including the trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne did the same, as he continued to work with J.K. Rowling on that franchise (which looks like it’s over).
As previously mentioned, Evanna Lynch had also weighed in on the controversy years ago via Twitter, before deactivating her account altogether. While saying that the subject of transgender rights is a complicated one that shouldn’t be discussed flippantly, she also defended Rowling’s character. In the same interview with The Telegraph, the 31 year-old actress addressed that original response, saying:
I was very naive when I was dragged into that conversation. I didn’t even know there were two sides. I had a view of, like, good and bad. I do have compassion for both sides of the argument. I know what it was like to be a teenager who hated my body so much I wanted to crawl out of my skin, so I have great compassion for trans people and I don’t want to add to their pain.
Of course, J.K. Rowling has since doubled down on her comments, and is seemingly unapologetic regarding her views on the trans community, and her legacy with fans. As a result, some lifelong fans have banned the Harry Potter franchise altogether, as it had historically been a safe space for outsiders and those who live in the margins of society.
Rowling is seemingly not changing her views anytime soon, and she’s expected to defend herself on her new podcast. Warner Bros. has also affirmed its commitment to further collaboration with the author, so there’s going to be new Harry Potter content regardless.
The Harry Potter movies are currently streaming on Peacock. While there were originally going to be five Fantastic Beats movies, it’s currently unclear if the final two will every be produced. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
