Harry Potter was once perhaps the most beloved franchise on this planet; these days though, it’s most definitely no longer viewed that way.
Yes, of course, Harry Potter retains a dedicated fanbase, but many of its former most devout followers now feel totally alienated and forced away from the franchise due to the views of creator and author JK Rowling.
As I’m sure you’re aware, JK Rowling has become embroiled in controversy in recent years for spouting views widely criticised as being harmfully transphobic.
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It’s something that’s only snowballed.
Last month, Rowling came under scrutiny for reportedly donating £70,000 to For Women Scotland, a group that initiated a legal challenge that led to a major UK Supreme Court ruling on transgender rights.
The ruling essentially determined that trans women should not be legally recognised as women under specific legal contexts.
To read more upon the issue, I highly suggest this incredibly thorough breakdown by Glamour’s Abby Gardner.
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The view many now hold is that if they continue to support the Harry Potter franchise, they are feeding into JK Rowling’s earnings and thus supporting her political goals.
Others have opted for the ‘separate the art from the artist’ approach, although that’s becoming increasingly difficult to do.
In fact, many of the franchise’s film stars have distanced themselves from the franchise as much as possible, speaking out against Rowling’s views.
“It makes me really sad, ultimately,” Daniel Radcliffe previously said, “because 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.”
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“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,” he continued. “But that doesn’t mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life.”
Rupert Grint has similarly spoken out, “I don’t necessarily agree with everything my auntie says, but she’s still my auntie. It’s a tricky one. I think that she’s extremely talented, I mean, clearly, her works are genius - but yeah, I think also you can have huge respect for someone and still disagree with things like that,” as has Emma Watson.
The golden trio's co-star, Tom Felton, has not joined them.
Felton is best known for playing villain Draco Malfoy and will soon reprise the role in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway which features an adult version of the character.
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Ahead of his Broadway run, Felton recently attended the Tony Awards where he was quizzed by Variety on Rowling’s views and whether they “impacted [his] work in the world of Harry Potter”.
“No, I can’t say it does. I’m not really that attuned to it. The only thing I always remind myself is that I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world – here I am in New York – and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter. And she’s responsible for that, so I’m incredibly grateful,” Felton replied.
Of course, Felton remains employed within the franchise so some diplomatic media training is perhaps expected but his admittance at being “not really that attuned to it” has been criticised by fans as being tone deaf and harmful.
“This is what privilege looks like,” wrote Twitter user lizziethat, “and we shouldn’t ignore how much harm looking the other way because things don't affect us directly does. Don't be Tom Felton.”
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“What a tone deaf answer and a straight up lie,” added DestinyDreadful.
“Tone deaf response. He’s clearly no ally,” added ladidaix.
Felton is yet to respond to the controversy.
With HBO’s Harry Potter series set to arrive next year, the debate surrounding the franchise is most certainly not going to quell.
Both fans and naysayers are agreed on one thing though, the series’ new young golden trio must be shielded and protected from any sense of online hate as they remain in childhood.
Topics: Harry Potter, TV And Film, Warner Bros