Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Bel Powley “strongly disagrees” with J.K. Rowling’s views on gender.
The 34-year-old actress has been cast as Harry Potter’s aunt Petunia Dursley in the upcoming TV series based on Rowling’s wizardry novels and explained that her love for the stories overrides any fear that being associated with the author’s outspoken views on transgender rights.
Bel told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “I strongly disagree with J.K. Rowling’s views on gender.
“I think that the trans community deserve safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance.”
The Possession star added: “But, I love Harry Potter. I grew up with the books. I am from that first generation of readers and, again, I love magic and spookiness.”
Powley is far from the first actor in the Harry Potter TV series, which will arrive on screens in December, to speak out against Rowling’s stance, with John Lithgow – who will play Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore – describing her views as “ironic and inexplicable” earlier this year.
Speaking at the Rotterdam Film Festival, the 80-year-old actor said: “I take this subject extremely seriously. She has created this amazing canon for young people and it has jumped into the consciousness of the society. It’s about good versus evil, kindness versus cruelty.
“I find her views ironic and inexplicable. I’ve never met her, she’s not really involved in this production at all. But the people who are, are remarkable.”
The Crown star explained that he was told to “walk away from the job” by others because of the show’s association with Rowling.
Lithgow said: “It upsets me when people are opposed to me having anything to do with this. But in Potter canon you see no trace of transphobic sensitivity. She’s written this mediation of kindness and acceptance. And Dumbledore is a beautiful role.
“It was a hard decision. It made me uncomfortable and unhappy that people insisted I walk away from the job. I chose not to do that.”
Lithgow previously explained that playing Dumbledore is likely to be the final “major role” of a career that has spanned more than 50 years.
He told The Sunday Times’ Culture magazine last year: “Of course, it was a big decision because it’s probably the last major role I’ll play. It’s an eight-year commitment so I was just thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role.”
