J.K. Rowling has taken fresh aim at former Harry Potter stars and industry colleagues who recently signed a pro-transgender rights letter, accusing them of cowardice and betrayal. The backlash follows a recent UK Supreme Court ruling that defines “woman” strictly by biological sex—a decision Rowling praised as a major win for sex-based rights.
Rowling, who has long been outspoken in her views on gender identity, called the ruling a “TERF version of VE Day” and claimed it was part of an ongoing battle to protect women’s rights. In response to the decision, several actors linked to the Wizarding World—including Eddie Redmayne, Katie Leung, and upcoming Harry Potter reboot actor Paapa Essiedu—publicly signed an open letter opposing the court’s stance.
Over the weekend, Rowling hit back in a sharply worded online essay, referring to the letter’s signatories as “back-stabbing colleagues.” She described them as driven by fear—of public backlash, of losing work, and of online mobs. “Nobody sane believes humans can change sex,” she wrote, adding that endorsing such views has become “an elitist badge of virtue.”
Despite the rising tension, Rowling said she wouldn’t use her influence to remove anyone from the new HBO series, responding to a headline about her alleged power over casting. “I don’t have the power to sack an actor, and I wouldn’t use it if I did,” she said, noting her respect for differing views protected under law.
The author also rekindled her long-running feud with Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, both of whom have publicly supported the trans community. While fans continue to call for reconciliation, Rowling remains firm in her position, stating that apologies should go not to her, but to those harmed by what she calls “a pernicious ideology.” Her comments leave little doubt—this rift in the Wizarding World isn’t closing anytime soon.
