Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in all eight films of the franchise, has compared author JK Rowling to ‘an auntie’ over controversial views that saw her branded a TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist).
The author has been vilified and branded transphobic for her staunch belief in biological sex, and Rupert compared his relationship with the writer to that of an aunt who he still has a bond with, even though he doesn’t share her opinions.
He told The Times magazine: ‘I liken JK Rowling to an auntie. I don’t necessarily agree with everything my auntie says, but she’s still my auntie. It’s a tricky one.’
Last year, the 56-year-old came under fire for a series of tweets that were deemed to be ‘anti-trans’, with a number of stars, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson and Rupert himself standing with the trans community.
Amid the intense criticism, Rowling denied she was transphobic and explained that, despite her support of trans people, she feels that an inability to speak about biological sex denies people the experience to describe their ‘lived reality’.
After Percy Weasley actor Chris Rankin denounced her comments as ‘damaging’ in December, Rowling attempted to clarify her views once more, as she explained she’d never felt there were ‘only two genders’, but doubled down on her views on sex over gender identity when it came to ‘decisions on safeguarding, provision of services, sporting categories and other areas where women and girls currently have legal rights and protections’.
‘Using the words ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ interchangeably obscures the central issue of this debate,’ she added.
In January, following the popular Harry Potter 20th anniversary reunion, Luna Lovegood star Evanna Lynch shut down the suggestion that the author had been snubbed from the special, and insisted the cast had ‘respect’ for Rowling.
Speaking to GB News, Evanna said: ‘I’ve talked to all the cast, they all have great respect for her even if they don’t agree with her beliefs. I really strongly disagree with the narrative that there’s a rift.’
The 30-year-old continued: ‘She has her beliefs and she’s doing her thing. We all have strong beliefs and it’s been a very difficult conversation.
‘I want there to be healing and I don’t want us to keep fighting, so I reject that narrative that there’s been a cold shoulder.’
Rowling was featured in the reunion special in archive video clips only, but Lynch suggested it was because she was ‘busy writing books’.
‘I don’t think that was about the conversations that have been had about more controversial issues,’ she added.
Elsewhere in the Times magazine interview, Rupert admitted he still finds it ‘very hard’ to ‘detach’ himself from Ron having played Harry Potter’s best friend for 10 years.
The 33-year-old actor explained: ‘I measure my life in Harry Potter movies. They’re so ingrained in me. I find it very hard to detach myself from being Ron – we merged into the same person. I can’t believe it started 20 years ago. It definitely sculpted who I am.
‘I mentally closed the door on it even though I’m constantly faced with it – there’s the play, the theme park and it’s always on TV.’
He also shared that he doesn’t see co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson ‘as much as you’d expect’, sharing that it made the recent reunion ‘very nostalgic’.
Rupert was just 11 years old when he started working on the movie series and admitted it made him feel a ‘disconnect’ with his friends because he ‘suddenly left such a crucial part of my schooling’ – but he has no regrets.
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‘At that time, we didn’t know it was going to be eight films and what a sacrifice that would be. Going back to school for exams was the weirdest thing. I’d been in this very adult working environment. It was a very different way of growing up. But there are no regrets,’ he said.
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