Nick Frost Reveals Why He Can Clash With J.Ok. Rowling Over Trans Rights & Still Play Hagrid In HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Series

Nick Frost, the person selected to play Hagrid in HBO‘s hotly expected Harry Potter collection, has stated he does now not agree “in any way” with J.Ok. Rowling over the problem of trans rights.

The Shaun of the Dead big name is making ready to begin filming Harry Potter this summer time, however isn’t involved by way of the chance that the lavish collection may well be overshadowed by way of Rowling’s strident perspectives on gender problems.

In an interview with The Observer newspaper, Frost stated he “manifested” his Hagrid casting — first printed by way of Deadline — by way of writing the identify of the nature down 5,000 instances.

After touchdown the position, he shared the inside track together with his million fans on Instagram, however later needed to disable feedback at the put up after receiving complaint from trans-rights advocates.

Questioned in regards to the backlash and the way his perspectives evaluate with Rowling, he defined: “She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form.”

Asked if the controversy might overshadow HBO’s collection, Frost added: “But maybe it shouldn’t blow over? We shouldn’t just hope it will go away, because it makes it easier. Maybe we should educate ourselves.”

Frost isn’t the one Harry Potter forged member who has perspectives that conflict with the ones of the franchise’s author. Paapa Essiedu, set to play Severus Snape within the HBO collection, used to be considered one of greater than 400 actors to signal a petition calling for the United Kingdom leisure trade to offer protection to the trans group.

Following the open letter in May, Rowling stated she would now not hearth actors who disagree along with her. “I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series, and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did,” she wrote on X/Twitter. “I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.”

Deadline printed any other key Harry Potter casting over the weekend: Tony and Olivier Award winner Bertie Carvel (The Crown) has been tapped to play Cornelius Fudge.