By now, “Harry Potter”
author JK Rowling’s transphobia is widely known, so vehemently that she has used her international fame to express hateful views against the most vulnerable segment of the LGBTQ+ community. Fans of her popular books and movies have been left shocked, shocked and unsure why the author of a seemingly positive fantasy tale about embracing difference became so radicalized against a single marginalized group.
But Daniel Radcliffe, who rose to international fame as “the boy who lived” on screen, is more concerned about young trans fans who have felt betrayed and deeply hurt by Rowling’s dangerous comments.
“The reason I felt like I needed to say something when I did it was because, especially since I finished ‘Potter,’ I’ve met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter in that. So when I saw them hurt that day, I wanted them to know that not everyone in the franchise felt that way. And that was really important,” Radcliffe told IndieWire during a recent interview.
Radcliffe is referring to an open letter he wrote in June 2020 that clearly and definitively stated his unwavering support for transgender people. “Clearly, we must do more to support transgender and non-binary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause more harm,” she wrote at the time. The letter was posted on the website of The Trevor Project, an organization that runs the world’s largest suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ+ youth. Radcliffe has been an outspoken supporter of The Trevor Project since 2010.
“It was really important because I’ve been working with the Trevor Project for over 10 years and I don’t think I would have been able to look at myself in the mirror if I hadn’t said something,” he told IndieWire. “But it’s not for me to guess what’s going on in someone else’s head.”
Radcliffe can next be seen taking a wacky comedic turn in “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” playing the spoof singer in a wacky and loosely acted faux biopic. The film premieres on The Roku Channel on Friday, November 4, and will follow more of Radcliffe’s interview with IndieWire.
