The Truth Behind Daniel Radcliffe's Decision to Criticize J.K. Rowling

Summary

• Back in 2020, J.K. Rowling divided the Harry Potter fandom and cast with her comments about sex and gender.
• The franchise's leading man, Daniel Radcliffe, was the first to publicly denounce her remarks.
• In several interviews, the actor explained why he turned against the woman who launched his stunning career.

At the time of their publication (late 1990s-early 2000s), the Harry Potter books became a kind of beacon for all the outsiders out there. The boy who lived was very good at representing those vulnerable teenagers who couldn't find their place in society, including, of course, LGBTQA+ members.

The film series starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson has only cemented the public's love for the story and the Wizarding World in general. In June 2020, however, that changed dramatically.

Series author J.K. Rowling used that year's Pride Month to start a conversation that was labeled transphobic and TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) and quickly turned into a full-blown war between the bestselling author and the trans rights movement. A war that affected everyone and everything associated with the Harry Potter franchise.

The Rift

Over the years, the Wizarding World fandom, as well as the cast and crew of the Harry Potter films, split into two equally passionate camps. Some supported Rowling, whose name became automatically synonymous with transphobia. Others harshly criticized her.

Harry Potter's leading man, Daniel Radcliffe, was the first to make a statement about Rowling's comments and denounce her views. He did it via an open letter on The Trevor Project, a non-profit organization that focuses on preventing suicide in the queer community.

'I feel compelled to say something at this moment. Transgender women are women,' he wrote in the letter.

Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, as well as other stars of the franchise, followed Radcliffe's lead shortly after and publicly spoke out in support of the trans community. Naturally, the actors have been accused on multiple occasions by Rowling's fans of going against the woman who gave them everything - fame, money, a career to die for.

Daniel Radcliffe, however, doesn't think that should be a factor when it comes to such serious issues. More than that, he believes he is helping the franchise with his statements.

The Support

Back in 2022, Radcliffe told IndieWire that he felt compelled to speak out when Rowling first published her comments. He felt an obligation to the Harry Potter fans who were deeply hurt by the author's comments.

'I've met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter on that,' Radcliffe told the outlet. 'And so seeing them hurt on that day I was like, I wanted them to know that not everybody in the franchise felt that way. And that was really important.'

In April this year, the actor doubled down on his reasons for criticizing the Harry Potter author. For those who still call him ungrateful, he stated that as a man with his own opinions and views, he has the right to disagree, no matter how great a start Rowling gave him as a child.

'Nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person,' he said in an interview with The Atlantic. 'But that doesn't mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life.'

Sources: The Trevor Project, IndieWire, The Atlantic.