The Harry Potter franchise has been entertaining audiences for decades, although it all started with J.K. Rowling’s beloved novels. And while the Wizarding World remains a vital part of pop culture, the author herself has been getting a ton of backlash over her controversial views on gender, sex, and the trans community. While various members of the Harry Potter cast have come out in suport of transgender folks, Helena Bonham Carter recently defended Rowling amid her controversies.
Helena Bonham Carter played the villainous Bellatrix Lestrange to pitch perfection in the final four Harry Potter films in the franchise. In a recent interview with The Times (opens in new tab) about her career and personal life, she defended both Johnny Depp and Rowling despite their controversies. When speaking about the creative mind behind the Wizarding World, Carter was quoted saying:
I think she has been hounded. It’s been taken to the extreme, the judgmentalism of people. She’s allowed her opinion, particularly if she’s suffered abuse. Everybody carries their own history of trauma and forms their opinions from that trauma, and you have to respect where people come from and their pain. You don’t all have to agree on everything — that would be insane and boring. She’s not meaning it aggressively, she’s just saying something out of her own experience. Personally I feel [my costars] should let her have her opinions, but I think they’re very aware of protecting their own fan base and their generation.
Well, there you have it. While both fans and celebrities alike have admonished J.K. Rowling’s comments about the transgender community, Helena Bonham Carter has another view of the situation. Namely because she’s putting great stock in the fact that the 57 year-old writer also came out as a domestic violence survivor, which seemingly informed her views on same-sex spaces.
Helena Bonham Carter’s comments to The Times are sure to turn a few heads, especially as they stand in stark juxtaposition to statements issued by the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne. Those actors have all used their public platform to support the transgender community, which is vulnerable a demographic that faces violent in astonishing numbers. Still, Carter seems to take umbrage with just how much backlash has come J.K. Rowling’s way as a result of this discourse.
One of Helena Bonham Carter’s Harry Potter co-stars also recently came to the defense of J.K. Rowling. Namely Voldemort himself Ralph Fiennes, who similarly took issue with how much vitriol has come her way. Like Carter, he didn’t argue against people who were offended or upset by Rowling’s comments, but thinks that the response online has been toxic. Clearly the discourse surrounding Rowling isn’t going to slow down anytime soon.
Part of why J.K. Rowling’s views about gender have gotten such astrong reaction online is because of how many outsiders have identified with the Harry Potter franchise over the years. This is especially true for LGBTQ+ fans, who have felt betrayed by Rowling’s comments about the transgender community. Some have even gone so far as to leave the Wizarding World behind them entirely– including the books, movies, plays, and theme parks.
It’s currently unclear when Harry Potter will return to theaters, as the final two installments of the Fantastic Beasts franchise haven’t been announced yet. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater in the New Year.
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