Tom Felton showed up to JK Rowling’s stage show this week, even with all the drama still going on around her. A lot of his former Harry Potter co-stars have distanced themselves from Rowling in recent years, mostly because of her views on trans rights.
Rowling first stirred backlash in 2018 when she liked a tweet that called transgender women “men in dresses.” Things escalated after that, and she’s been called transphobic by many ever since.
Daniel Radcliffe has publicly disagreed with her and seems to have cut ties. He told an outlet: “It makes me really sad, ultimately. 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.
“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. But that doesn’t mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life.”
Tom Felton, on the other hand, still appears to support her. He showed up for the 10-year anniversary event for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in New York.
He was also asked during the Tony Awards if Rowling’s statements had affected his career. Felton said: “No, I can’t say it does. I’m not really that attuned. 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.”
Emma Watson has also spoken out against Rowling’s comments. Back in 2020, she posted a message on Twitter saying: “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are. I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.”
So while some of the Harry Potter cast have chosen to speak up or step away, Felton seems to be sticking by Rowling, at least publicly.
