J.K. Rowling reportedly declined an offer to appear in the Harry Potter reunion. The upcoming reunion, officially billed as Return to Hogwarts, debuts on HBO Max on New Year's Day and commemorates the 20th anniversary of the release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. A slew of cast mates from all eight films are slated to makes appearances, most notably Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, who portrayed the saga's Golden Trio of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley.
Other stars scheduled to make appearances during the reunion special are Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Felton, Robbie Coltran, Ralph Fiennes, Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton, James and Oliver Phelps, Bonnie Wright, Matthew Lewis, and Evanna Lynch, just to name a few. Noticeably absent from the guest list is J.K. Rowling, the creator of the Wizarding World and author of the massively popular Harry Potter books that defined a generation. It has been assumed that the author's controversial comments on trans issues were the reason for her exemption from the reunion.
However, that previous assumption now appears to be incorrect, as EW reports that an invitation was extended to the Harry Potter author to participate in the reunion, but Rowling and her team decided to decline the offer, determining that her appearance through archival footage would be adequate. Sources close to the situation say Rowling's statements about trans people and the ensuing controversy was not a factor in the decision.
This is quite a surprising development in the J.K. Rowling controversy for those who have been following the situation closely. It was previously presumed that Warner Bros. and HBO Max simply opted to exclude Rowling to avoid any backlash associated with the author's comments, which many consider to be anti-trans. If this reporting is correct, the Harry Potter reunion was completely willing to include Rowling, though it was her side who turned them down.
Regardless which side made the decision, it's probably for the best that Rowling won't be appearing during the reunion. The Harry Potter author is now a polarizing figure, and her involvement would have risked overshadowing an event aimed at remembering the franchise's fondest memories. Other than writing the books that inspired them, Rowling actually didn't have much of a hand in crafting the actual films, so her absence won't be glaring. Plus, there will be appearances from plenty of Harry Potter stars to keep fans occupied.
Source: EW
