Pedro Pascal and J.K. Rowling are in the midst of an online feud. (Photo by Leon Bennett/FilmMagic)
FilmMagic
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal are in the midst of an online feud, originally sparked by Rowling’s commentary on trans people.
What Happened Between Pedro Pascal And J.K. Rowling?
The feud between Pedro Pascal and J.K. Rowling was ignited by an X (Twitter) post from Rowling, in which she praises a U.K. Supreme Court judgment that ruled trans women should not be recognized as women.
Rowling reportedly donated £70,000 to For Scotland Women, the organization that brought the original suit to the Supreme Court.
In the wake of the Supreme Court judgement, the Harry Potter author posted a triumphant picture of herself on a yacht, brandishing a cigar, with the caption:
“I love it when a plan comes together.”
Rowling’s gloating tone sparked anger and disappointment across social media, with many commentators urging Harry Potter fans to boycott the franchise, including the upcoming HBO series, which is intended to reboot the story for a younger audience.
Pedro Pascal responded to an Instagram post by activist Tariq Ra’ouf, who highlighted Rowling’s role in the ruling.
In the comments under Ra’ouf’s post, Pascal described Rowling’s comments as “disgusting,” and described her actions as “heinous loser behavior.”
It should be noted that for Pascal, this issue is personal, as his sister, Lux, came out as transgender in 2021, and Pascal has supported her ever since.
In Pascal’s recent Vanity Fair cover, the Fantastic Four star opened up about his comments, reflecting on the potential impact of his words.
“The one thing that I would say I agonized over a little bit was just, ‘Am I helping?’” Pascal said. “I want to protect the people I love. But it goes beyond that. Bullies make me f**king sick.”
In the same piece, Pascal’s sister Javiera defended her brother’s comment, saying: “But it is heinous loser behavior. And he said that as the older brother to someone saying that our little sister doesn’t exist.”
On X, Rowling responded to Pascal’s words, reposting a Gayety quote framing Pascal as “shutting down” Rowling.
Rowling wrote, “Can’t say I feel very shut down, but keep at it, Pedro. God loves a trier.”
In the comments below Rowling’s post, a commentator compared Pascal to the late British comedian Bobby Ball, and Rowling responded with a laughing emoji.
Earlier this year, Pascal took to Instagram to share a quote that read, “A world without trans people has never existed and never will.”
Pascal added, “I can’t think of anything more vile and small and pathetic than terrorizing the smallest, most vulnerable community of people who want nothing from you, except the right to exist.”
The feud marks the latest controversy for Rowling, who has doubled down on her anti-trans commentary over the years, creating deep divisions within the Harry Potter fanbase.
Even wildly successful authors, it seems, are not immune to culture war fixations.
J.K. Rowling’s Controversies Are Casting A Shadow Over ‘Harry Potter’
For any Harry Potter fan, young or old, scrolling through Rowling’s X timeline is a somewhat sobering experience.
Rowling frequently posts acidic commentary about trans people, and very rarely about the upcoming Harry Potter series (oddly enough, Rowling still publishes crime fiction under her male pseudonym, Robert Galbraith).
Rowling’s anti-trans commentary is so repetitive that Elon Musk even took the time to remind her to post about other subjects, writing: “While I heartily agree with your points regarding sex/gender, may I suggest also posting interesting and positive content on other matters?”
The original Harry Potter trio, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, have all made public their support for transgender rights, directly contradicting Rowling’s fierce stance on gender identity.
Other stars from the film series, such as Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter, have defended Rowling.
Already, many of the new cast members for HBO’s Harry Potter series are making their own stances on trans rights clear, and controversy is surely on the horizon once the show arrives on streaming.
Nick Frost, who will play Hagrid, told The Observer that his views differ from Rowling’s, stating: “She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form.”
While the author of Harry Potter has made her views on gender identity very clear, fans of the series often highlight a memorable quote Rowling wrote for Albus Dumbledore, who had an interesting take on the nature of identity.
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
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