Eddie Redmayne J.K. Rowling
[Photos via Eddie Redmayne/Warner Bros., J.K. Rowling/John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com via Wikimedia Commons]

Eddie Redmayne weighs in on J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans controversy

Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne is further weighing in on the controversy surrounding Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

Rowling has recently come under fire after sharing a series of anti-trans comments. Now, Redmayne has revealed that reached out to the author about the ongoing situation.

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Rowling has been in hot water over the past year due to her controversial comments about the transgender community. Back in December, Rowling faced massive backlash for tweeting in support of Maya Forstater who lost her job for misgendering trans people.

Following this, she then began following and liking a number of anti-trans accounts and sentiments including “self-professed transphobe” Magdalen Berns on Twitter. Then, back in June, she shared an article titled Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate with a caption mocking the phrase “people who menstruate.”

As well, Rowling returned her 2019 Kennedy Human Rights award after Kerry Kennedy denounced the author’s transgender comments.

More recently, the synopsis for her new book Troubled Blood was brought to the attention of onlookers. The book follows a private detective named Cormoran Strike as he investigates a cisgender male serial killer who wears women’s clothing to kill female victims.

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Given Rowling’s recent claims, the plot of Troubled Blood angered many. As the Telegraph says in a review of the book, “one wonders what critics of Rowling’s stance on trans issues will make of a book whose moral seems to be: never trust a man in a dress.”

For Redmayne, he initially distanced himself from Rowling and her anti-trans comments back in June.

“As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand,” he said. “I disagree with Jo’s comments. Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid.”

Now, Redmayne is further weighing in on the situation. The Oscar-winning actor tells the Daily Mail that he actually wrote Rowling a private letter and that he is shocked by the “vitriol” Rowling has faced on social media.

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In the interview, he describes the backlash against the Harry Potter author as “absolutely disgusting.” However, he eventually goes on to clarify his comments, saying that the abuse trans people face is “equally disgusting.”

“Similarly, there continues to be a hideous torrent of abuse towards trans people online and out in the world that is devastating.”

Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are among the Harry Potter stars to speak up in support of the trans community. As well, Daniel Radcliffe previously stated “transgender women are women.”

However, Hagrid actor Robbie Coltrane defended Rowling earlier this month.

“I don’t think what she said was offensive really,” Coltrane said. “I don’t know why but there’s a whole Twitter generation of people who hang around waiting to be offended. They wouldn’t have won the war, would they? That’s me talking like a grumpy old man, but you just think, ‘Oh, get over yourself. Wise up, stand up straight and carry on.’”

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Production for the third Fantastic Beasts film has resumed after the coronavirus pandemic caused delays. The plot is anticipated to focus on the complex relationship between Grindelwald, played by Johnny Depp, and Jude Law’s Dumbledore. Rowling confirmed back in June 2019 that she had started writing the script for Fantastic Beasts 3.

Earlier this month, we also learned that a possible Dumbledore spinoff starring Law may be in the works at HBO Max.

What are your thoughts on Eddie Redmayne’s comments? Let us know in the comments below.