‘Harry Potter’ actor won’t be fired for pro-trans views, says J.K. Rowling: “I don’t have the power”

J.K. Rowling has insisted that she will not fire Paapa Essiedu from the forthcoming Harry Potter TV series for supporting trans rights.

READ MORE: Every actor confirmed for HBO’s Harry Potter TV series

Essiedu is set to play Severus Snape in the HBO show after he was officially confirmed for the role last month. The late Alan Rickman originally played the potions master in the movies.

The actor recently signed an open letter condemning the UK Supreme Court for ruling that transgender women are not legally considered women and transgender men are not legally considered men under the Equality Act, despite Rowling actually celebrating the ruling.

After five judges confirmed the ruling, Rowling shared a photo of herself smoking a cigar from her superyacht with the caption, which The A-Team character John “Hannibal” Smith often said in the TV series: “I love it when a plan comes together.”

But despite her difference of opinion with Essiedu or the fact Rowling remains “fairly involved” in the TV series, she took to X to say she won’t be giving the actor his marching orders.

“I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did. I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine,” Rowling wrote.

I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did. I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine. pic.twitter.com/nKcAl3gcvO

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 5, 2025

Following Rowling’s celebration of the ruling, Pedro Pascal branded her a “heinous loser”.

The actor, who has been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and has a transgender sister, Lux, left the comment under an Instagram post from Tariq Ra’ouf in which the activist called on his followers to boycott Harry Potter projects.

Meanwhile, former Harry Potter film series star David Tennant recently made a subtle dig at Rowling when asked about potentially joining the show.

It comes after many fans previously objected to Rowling’s involvement in the forthcoming series due to her previous anti-trans statements.

Daniel Radcliffe also reflected on her controversial views in an interview with The Atlantic. “It makes me really sad, ultimately,” he 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 empathetic.”

In 2020, Radcliffe wrote an essay in support of the trans community, referencing Rowling. “Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I,” he wrote at the time.

Last year, Rowling got involved in an alleged transphobia controversy surrounding the Butlin’s holiday resort in Skegness, and was also named in a lawsuit filed by Olympic boxer Imane Khelif.

The upcoming Harry Potter TV series is expected to run for seven seasons, with each adapting one of the books in Rowling’s series.

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