‘Don’t Have The Power To Sack’: J.K. Rowling On Backlash Over Paapa Essiedu Casting

J.K. Rowling responded to the buzz over Paapa Essiedu’s casting as Snape in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series.

reset

Follow us on Flipboard

Follow us on Google News

Paapa Essiedu drew attention after opposing a UK gender ruling in support of trans rights. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

J.K. Rowling has responded to the online buzz surrounding actor Paapa Essiedu’s casting as Severus Snape in HBO’s forthcoming Harry Potter series. The British actor, recently in the spotlight for his vocal support of trans rights, has sparked discussions after signing a public letter that criticised a UK Supreme Court decision regarding the legal definition of gender.

Following the announcement of Essiedu’s role in the new adaptation of the wizard saga, attention turned to his involvement in a petition challenging the court’s April 17 ruling in For Women Scotland v. The Scottish Ministers. The judgment reaffirmed that legal gender is determined by biological sex at birth, thereby potentially restricting trans individuals’ access to single-sex spaces in workplaces, schools, and public institutions.

Amid growing social media speculation over whether Rowling, known for her controversial views on gender identity, would attempt to remove Essiedu from the project, the author took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify her position. Sharing an article about Essiedu’s involvement in the letter, she wrote: “I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did. I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine."

Essiedu’s stance, along with that of many other prominent figures in the film and TV industry, was expressed through an open letter condemning the ruling. The document, titled An Open Letter to Film and Television Industry Professionals and Cultural Bodies, was initiated by development producer Sid Strickland and script editor Jack Casey.

It was signed by more than 1,500 industry professionals, including actors Emma Watson, Bella Ramsey, Nicola Coughlan, Emma D’Arcy, Aimee Lou Wood, and Joe Alwyn. The letter states: “We, the undersigned film and television professionals, stand in solidarity with the trans, non-binary, and intersex communities who have been impacted by the Supreme Court ruling on April 17th. We wish to add our voices to the 2000+ signatories of the Open Letter from UK Writers to the Trans Community published last week, and call upon members of our industry and cultural bodies to join us."

Rowling’s response has added another layer to the ongoing discourse around gender, representation, and the cultural legacy of Harry Potter as the franchise moves into a new chapter.

Location :
Mumbai, India, India

First Published:
May 08, 2025, 16:39 IST