Harry Potter stars take swipe at JK Rowling as they sign open letter supporting trans people

1 May 2025, 05:56

A slew of Harry Potter stars have taken a swipe at author and gender-critical activist JK Rowling by signing a letter supporting trans women.

It comes after JK Rowling threw her support behind a controversial Supreme Court ruling which declared trans women are not women in the eyes of the law.

One of the stars to sign the letter is Paapa Essiedu, who has faced criticism from trans people and human rights groups for agreeing to play Professor Snape in an upcoming HBO remake of the series.

Rowling, 59, has openly slammed Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson for their unwavering support for trans people.

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All three stars criticised the author following her publishing of a 4,000-word essay about trans people in 2020.

Alongside Essiedu, Eddie Redmayne and Katie Leung, who played Cho Chang in several Potter films, have signed the letter supporting trans people.

Fresh Meat, You and Ghosts star Charlotte Ritchie, who appeared as a student in the Goblet of Fire, also signed the letter.

It stated actors wished to "add our voices to the 2000+ signatories of the Open Letter from UK Writers to the Trans Community published last week."

Signatories said: “We believe the ruling undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary, and intersex people living in the UK.”