Harry Potter actor Tom Felton has shared his perspective on author J.K. Rowling's public controversy over comments that were widely interpreted as transphobic. Felton appeared in all eight Harry Potter films as Harry (Daniel Radcliffe)'s antithetical contemporary, Draco Malfoy, an ill-mannered Slytherin boy with conniving ways. His character is remembered for his unmistakable blonde hair and cruel disdain for Harry, but the actor is adored by fans to this day. Felton's memoir Beyond the Wand is now available.

In 2020, Rowling shared a contentious tweet with her millions of followers that pushed against the use of inclusive language related to transgender women. Rowling has given oxygen to transphobic views by inflating posts on social media, and she's been branded by opposition as a TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist). Rowling has argued that her comments are not discriminatory, but rather an accurate reflection of reality. Daniel Radcliffe published a statement speaking out against Rowling's comments through The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group for youths. And the lead actor isn't the only one distancing himself from the author.

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Felton, now 35, spoke with The Independent about his memoir, which recalls the days of Harry Potter and other aspects of his life and career. He prefaced by saying he's not fully aware of the nuances of Rowling's controversy, but went on with a contemplative take. Read Felton's full comment below:

"My dog takes up far too much time for me to go into such matters. I mean, the obvious things to say are that I’m pro-choice, pro-discussion, pro-human rights across the board, and pro-love. And anything that is not those things, I don’t really have much time for.”

“It is also a reminder that as much as Jo is the founder of [these] stories, she wasn’t part of the filmmaking process as much as some people might think. I think I only recall seeing her once or twice on set.”

"Honestly, with my friends, we all have differing opinions on various matters, and we celebrate our own choices. We certainly don’t take any pleasure in putting crosshairs on people that may have said things that we disagree with."

Can Harry Potter Continue Without Rowling?

Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

The next chapter of the Harry Potter saga is the Fantastic Beasts franchise, also based on material penned by Rowling. As Felton said, the spark of Harry Potter is Rowling's creation; but, the films, theme parks, and related content are such large projects it'd be a stretch to attribute the series' success to just one person, even Rowling. Rowling's partnership with Warner Bros' continues despite the negative attention the author has drawn, and the fact she continues to double down on her position to this day.

The creator of a massive franchise has not always stuck with the project for its extended life. Disney famously bought the Star Wars intellectual property from George Lucas for $4 billion dollars, and has turned a profit on the investment without his involvement. Like Star Wars, Harry Potter's reach has grown so broad, it would likely sustain itself without the original creator attached. More details of the making of Harry Potter are soon arriving, as Felton isn't the only former cast member with an upcoming memoir. Snape actor Alan Rickman's diaries will be posthumously released on October 18, and the text is reportedly loaded with interesting passages about Harry Potter that do not hold back.

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Source: The Independent