Katherine Parkinson wants to stay out of the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling‘s involvement in HBO’s Harry Potter TV adaptation.
The actress, who will play Molly Weasley in the upcoming series, was asked for her thoughts on Rowling’s anti-trans views in an interview with RadioTimes.com published on Wednesday, July 16. In response, she said, “I don’t want to add to that debate at all. I’m just delighted to be joining the magical world of Harry Potter.”
Since the show’s announcement in 2023, many fans of the franchise have expressed their disappointment with Rowling’s role as an executive producer. The author has been wrapped in controversy over the past few years for her controversial comments about the transgender community, most recently celebrating the U.K. Supreme Court’s ruling that one’s biological sex legally defines womanhood.
“I love it when a plan comes together,” she captioned an X photo of herself smoking a cigar and enjoying a drink following the ruling in April.
Celebrities including Nicola Coughlan and Pedro Pascal have spoken out against Rowling and the Harry Potter TV series. John Lithgow, meanwhile, has faced backlash of his own, both for taking on the role of Albus Dumbledore as an American and for becoming involved in the project after playing LGBTQ+ roles in the past.
Robert Viglasky/Disney
“I thought, why is this a factor at all? I wonder how JK Rowling has absorbed it,” Lithgow told The Times U.K. in April about how Rowling’s views will affect the series. “I suppose at a certain point I’ll meet her and I’m curious to talk to her.”
Paapa Essiedu, who will play Severus Snape, was one of many celebrities to sign a petition for the U.K. entertainment industry to protect the trans community earlier this year. In response, Rowling wrote via X in May. “I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.”
Regardless of the controversy surrounding the Harry Potter series, Parkinson told The Times U.K. that the show’s filming schedule shouldn’t cause any conflict with her other projects, including Season 2 of Hulu’s Rivals.
“[My] character isn’t in it that much until, I think, series 4,” the actress said, referring to the fourth Harry Potter installment, The Goblet of Fire. “So, as far as I can tell, because it’s very important to me to work as little as possible – always has been – I’m not going to be terribly needed for it.
Parkinson, who plays Lizzie Vereker on Rivals, added, “I’m hoping I’ll be very free to do whatever I want.”
Aidan Monaghan/HBO
As Harry Potter fans know, Molly Weasley takes on a bigger role as the book series goes on, becoming a surrogate mother for Harry and being one of many wizards to help him take down Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters.
Newcomers Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout will take on the roles of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, respectively, in the Harry Potter series. HBO recently revealed its first look at McLaughlin in character as Harry, as well as a glimpse of Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
If you or a loved one in the LGBTQ+ community need support, please contact The LGBT National Hotline at (888) 843-4564.
Harry Potter, New Series, TBA, HBO Max