J.K. Rowling Addresses Rumors She'll Fire Pro-Trans Actors From 'Harry Potter' Series

Author J.K. Rowling is making it clear that she has no plans to fire any actors from the new "Harry Potter" series.

Her statement came only days after "The Last Of Us" star Pedro Pascalcalled the author a "heinous loser" for her controversial position on trans rights.

Over on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the producer revealed that she does not have the authority to fire actors from the show.

"I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series, and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did," she wrote. "I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine."

"What a strange and novel concept that you have been trying to tell people for years," one fan commented.

Rowling replied, "Yes, it is indeed incredible that I wouldn't do the thing I've been saying for years nobody should be doing."

The news article headline contained a photograph of Paapa Essiedu, who has been cast as Potions Master Severus Snape. The role had been played by the late Alan Rickman in the original movie series.

Essiedu is only one of many celebrities who signed an open letter of solidarity with the trans community after the U.K. Supreme Court ruled that womanhood was defined by biological sex. Rowling celebrated the ruling, which prevents transgender women from being legally defined as women under the Equality Act.

Many fans have taken to social media to express concerns that Rowling’s controversial perspective will make its way to Hogwarts. However, Casey Bloys, the chairman and CEO of content at HBO and Max, denied that her perspective on trans rights would impact the new series.

"Harry Potter is not being secretly infused with anything," he said on The Town podcast. "And she's entitled to those views. And I think people are pretty clear that she's entitled to them."

John Lithgow, who has been cast as Albus Dumbledore in the new series, has also spoken out about Rowling’s controversial viewpoints and how a good friend tried to deter him from taking the role.

When speaking with the U.K.’s Sunday Times, Lithgow noted that his decision to accept the role of Dumbledore was one of the biggest of his career.

"It was a big decision because it’s probably the last major role I’ll play," he shared. "It’s an eight-year commitment, so I was just thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role."

However, things took a turn when he received a text message from “a very good friend who is the mother of a trans child.” This included a link to a Book Riot op-ed titled An Open Letter to John Lithgow: Please Walk Away from Harry Potter.

The actor admitted that he was “curious to talk to” Rowling about her stance and the criticism that came with it, but it was not going to deter him from taking on the role of a lifetime.

“I thought, 'Why is this a factor at all?' I wonder how J.K. Rowling has absorbed it,” he reflected. “I suppose at a certain point I’ll meet her, and I’m curious to talk to her.”

As The Blast previously reported, the “Harry Potter” author raised a glass and lit a cigar, seemingly mockingly celebrating the U.K. Supreme Court’s ruling against trans women.

Trans activist Tariq Ra'ouf slammed Rowling’s behavior as “awful and disgusting” and called for a boycott of anything associated with the Harry Potter brand.

“The Mandalorian” actor commented on Tariq’s video, calling it “heinous LOSER behavior.”