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Harry Potter Star Paapa Essiedu Reaffirms Support for Trans Rights
· Confirmed
In Short: Harry Potter star Paapa Essiedu, who plays Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO series, reaffirmed his support for trans rights despite facing backlash for his stance.
Harry Potter star Paapa Essiedu, who plays Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO series, reaffirmed his support for trans rights despite facing backlash for his stance.
Essiedu told Vanity Fair, 'I don’t want to talk about Jo at all,' referring to author J.K. Rowling, and added, 'nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job. Many people put their lives on the line in their work. I’m playing a wizard in ‘Harry Potter.’ And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally.'
The controversy surrounding Rowling’s anti-transgender views has led to protests and demonstrations, including one at the opening of the new Harry Potter store on Oxford Street in London.
Protesters urged Harry Potter fans not to visit the store, with one demonstrator saying, 'It’s not my place to tell you what to do with your money but I would like to encourage all Harry Potter fans to support trans rights.'
The store opening was marked by a tense standoff, with more than 11,000 people signing a petition calling for London Mayor Sadiq Khan to 'pull the plug on transphobia' and ax the Potter-themed display.
The casting of the new Harry Potter series has also been impacted by the controversy. For the second installment, three more roles were cast: Harry Gilby as Charlie Weasley, Jasper Talbot as James Potter, and Hannah Chinn as Lily Potter.
The documentary about Rowling, which explores the rise of Harry Potter and her use of her platform to fight trans rights, is set to air in two parts.
Essiedu told People, 'I don’t think some 17-year-old boy being put in jail for two weeks for threatening to murder me would actually make me feel any better.'
What this adds
The controversy has also led to protests at the opening of the new Harry Potter store on Oxford Street in London, where over 11,000 people have signed a petition to stop the installation of Harry Potter-themed Christmas lights on Oxford Street.
The casting of the new Harry Potter series has been influenced by the ongoing controversy, with the search for the young actors being described as 'nerve-wracking.'
Background
Harry Potter star Paapa Essiedu, who plays Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO series, reaffirmed his support for trans rights despite facing backlash for his stance.
Harry Potter star Paapa Essiedu, who plays Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO series, reaffirms his support for trans rights despite backlash.
Harry Potter is a series of seven children's fantasy novels written by British author J. K.
What's confirmed
- Harry Potter star Paapa Essiedu, who plays Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO series, reaffirmed his support for trans rights despite facing backlash for his stance.
- The controversy surrounding Rowling’s anti-transgender views has led to protests and demonstrations, including one at the opening of the new Harry Potter store on Oxford Street in London.
- The store opening was marked by a tense standoff, with more than 11,000 people signing a petition calling for London Mayor Sadiq Khan to 'pull the plug on transphobia' and ax the Potter-themed display.
- The casting of the new Harry Potter series has also been impacted by the controversy. For the second installment, three more roles were cast: Harry Gilby as Charlie Weasley, Jasper Talbot as James Potter, and Hannah Chinn as Lily Potter.
- The documentary about Rowling, which explores the rise of Harry Potter and her use of her platform to fight trans rights, is set to air in two parts.
What's still developing
- “And one of those friends is Lucy Bevan, who had just finished her ‘Harry Potter ’ search, so she so generously said, ‘Why don’t I share some of the names.’” To cast the first season of the $200 million-plus upcoming HBO series — based on the first Harry Potter book, “The Philosopher’s Stone,” in which Harry turns 11 — Bevans had just finished her own six-month search.
- Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis Protesters demonstrated outside the new flagship Harry Potter store that opened on Oxford Street on Wednesday morning, chanting in support of transgender rights as the shop prepared to open its doors.
- The cast will be led by Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger.
- Sure, most of the time I was imagining Daniel Radcliff as Harry Potter and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, because that’s how they were first introduced to me.
- Premiering on Christmas Day, Harry Potter began filming in the UK last summer.
- Paapa Essiedu, who stars as Professor Snape in HBO’s Harry Potter series, says he doesn’t want to talk about franchise creator JK Rowling “at all,” as he says transgender people deserve “respect.” Rowling has been a target of haters on the left for her activism for female-only spaces and her criticism of radical transgenderism.
Sources
- Breitbart link
- Deadline link
- Goldderby link
- IndieWire link
- Standard link
- The Hollywood Reporter link
- Variety link
- Warpbeat link
- Wiki of Thrones link
- Women's Health link
- WarpBeat — background on Harry Potter Star Paapa Essiedu Stands Firm on Trans Rights link
- Wikipedia — background on Harry Potter link
- NewsDrop DE — video link