J.K. Rowling explains why she 'won't sack' new Snape actor after he signs trans rights petition

J.K. Rowling has broken her silence after the new Snape actor in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series, Paapa Essiedu, signed a petition supporting transgender rights in the UK.

The petition comes amid a recent controversial Supreme Court ruling which found that gender is based on biological sex for legal definitions, a decision which has been strongly criticised by LGBTQIA+ activists.

Paapa Essiedu was one of a number of high profile actors to sign, alongside Nicola Coughlan, Eddie Redmayne, Bella Ramsey, Charlotte Ritchie, Katie Leung, and James Norton.

Emma Watson was one of the most well-known names to sign, continuing her support for the transgender community.

The open letter amassed 400 signatures from the entertainment industry, calling for the film industry to be on the ‘right side of history’, slamming the court ruling as divisive and harmful for transgender and non-binary people.

Leung, who played Cho Chang, was among multiple Harry Potter stars to sign (Dave Benett via Getty Images)

This led many to question whether J.K. Rowling would call on Essiedu to be fired. Rowling has celebrated the Supreme Court ruling, as well as getting into high profile spats with transgender activists.

Amongst these includes Rowling repeatedly misgendering India Willoughby, Britain’s first transgender newsreader on national television, saying that Willoughby, a trans woman, was ‘cosplaying a misogynistic male fantasy of what a woman is'.

Despite this, Rowling has claimed she will not move to try and remove Essiedu from the upcoming HBO reboot, where he will play Severus Snape.

The author of the best-selling book series in history said on X: “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.”

J.K. Rowling has hit out at the letter, but says she will not step in regarding Essiedu's support of it (Euan Cherry via Getty Images)

Despite this, Rowling has also yesterday hit out at other Harry Potter stars who have come out in support of the transgender community.

The author has long faced a split with the three actors who led the mega-successful film series, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.

All three have expressed support for the Transgender community, with Emma Watson making a rare social media post amid the discussion following the Supreme Court ruling.

Watson posted a quote from Matt Haig to her Instagram Story, saying: "To the person who said they like me best when I am not ranting about politics: I like me best when I am not ignoring fascism."

Emma Watson posted the following (Instagram/Emma Watson)

This led to Rowling’s tirade on X in which she said: “I often wonder whether the signatories of such letters have to quieten their consciences before publicly boosting a movement intent on removing women's and girls' rights, which bullies gay people who admit openly they don't want opposite sex partners, and campaigns for the continued sterilisation of vulnerable and troubled kids.”

She went on to say that ‘signatories of these sorts of letters are motivated by fear’.

Criticism of Rowling by high profile names has increased in recent times, with Pedro Pascal calling the author a ‘heinous loser’.