JK Rowling Addresses Special Absence From Harry Potter Reunion: ‘I Didn’t Want To Do It’

JK Rowling has finally confided in her absence from the Harry Potter reunion special. In an interview on Graham Norton’s Virgin Radio UK show, the controversial author revealed it was his choice not to appear on the special. “I was asked to be on it and decided I didn’t want to do it,” Rowling said, closing claims that she was kicked out of the meeting. Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: ​​Return to Hogwarts premiered on HBO Max (in the US) and Amazon Prime Video (in India) on New Year’s Day and featured Rowling in a 30-second archived clip.

The award-winning author – who wrote all seven bestsellers Harry Potter books and the Fantastic Beasts prequel movies – was largely absent from the reunion special. Although his name was mentioned by several interviewees, no promotional material featured his images. Critics speculated it had to do with a series of transphobic tweets and comments from Rowling. Rowling said in the interview that the Harry Potter reunion special had more to do with the movies, than his books. She was asked to be part of it, but she refused to do so.

“No one said no [do it] … I was asked to do it and I decided not to do it,” she added. Rowling has received a lot of backlash over the past two years, starting by showing her support for Maya Forstater, a researcher who claimed people can’t change their biological sex. This was followed by a series of tweets criticizing the belief that the sex assigned to a person at birth is not “real”. Naturally, Rowling’s comments were inundated with people pointing out her lack of judgment, with many boycotting theHarry Potter franchise.

Online campaigns have been launched calling for Rowling to be barred from any future Harry Potter properties, including movies, book sales and the upcoming Hogwarts Legacy video game. Last month, a representative from Warner Bros. confirmed that Rowling’s connection to the franchise was a “creative, productive and fulfilling partnership”. “She is one of the most accomplished storytellers in the world, and we are proud to be the studio bringing her vision, characters and stories to life now – and for decades to come,” they told the Daily Mail UK.

While Rowling was credited with scripting and producing Eddie Redmayne-directed Fantastic Beasts: Dumbledore’s Secrets, she was not part of any promotional or marketing activities. Many assumed that Warner Bros. was trying to distance himself from her, but her most recent remarks suggest otherwise.

Several of Harry Potter The actors, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, have openly opposed Rowling’s anti-transgender views and have made public statements against them. While Radcliffe was writing an essay disapproving of the author’s beliefs, Watson caught on Twitterexpressing, “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told that they are not who they say they are.”

So far, the famous British author has not backed down or apologized for the statements, while denying that she is not transphobic. Meanwhile, Warner based the possibility of a Fantastic Beasts 4 based on the reception of The Secrets of Dumbledore. The Harry Potter The spin-off film earned $405.2 million (about Rs. 3,244 crore) at the global box office, coupled with mixed reception from fans and critics.

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