At this point, “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling’s transphobia is widely known, so vehemently has she used her international notoriety to spew hateful views against the most vulnerable segment of the LGBTQ+ community. Fans of her popular books and films have been blindsided, shocked, and left scratching their heads as to why the author of a seemingly positive fantasy tale about acceptance of differences would become so radicalized against a single marginalized group.
But Daniel Radcliffe, who rose to international fame playing “the boy who lived” onscreen, is most concerned about the young trans fans who have felt betrayed and hurt deeply by Rowling’s dangerous comments.
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“The reason I was felt very, very much as though I needed to say something when I did was because, particularly since finishing ‘Potter,’ I’ve met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter on that. 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,” Radcliffe told IndieWire during a recent interview.
Radcliffe is referring to an open letter he penned in June of 2020, which clearly and definitively stated his unwavering support for transgender people. “It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm,” he wrote at the time. The letter was published on 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 as I’ve worked with the Trevor Project for more than 10 years, and so I don’t think I would’ve been able to look myself in the mirror had I not said anything,” he told IndieWire. “But it’s not mine 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,” where he plays the parody singer in a zany and loosely interpreted faux biopic. The film premieres on The Roku Channel on Friday, November 4, and more from Radcliffe’s interview with IndieWire is to follow.
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