Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has become a rather controversial figure in recent years, with her views on the transgender community proving particularly problematic for many of her (now former) fans. Ultimately, some agree with the concerns she's expressed with trans people identifying as female, while others have dismissed the writer as transphobic.
Inevitably, everyone has an opinion on the matter, but key members of the Harry Potter cast - likely looking to avoid being tarred with the same brush - have mostly rejected Rowling's viewpoint.
Someone who is now standing up for her, though, is Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes.
"J.K. Rowling has written these great books about empowerment, about young children finding themselves as human beings," he said in a recent interview (via SFFGazette.com). "It’s about how you become a better, stronger, more morally centered human being. The verbal abuse directed at her is disgusting, it’s appalling."
"I mean, I can understand a viewpoint that might be angry at what she says about women," Fiennes continued. "But it’s not some obscene, über-right-wing fascist. It’s just a woman saying, ‘I’m a woman and I feel I’m a woman and I want to be able to say that I’m a woman.’ And I understand where she’s coming from. Even though I’m not a woman."
Rowling has indeed been subjected to a torrent of abuse and death threats since making her thoughts known, with one Twitter user telling the author she would be "next" following a Tweet which saw her comment on the attempted murder of fellow writer Salman Rushdie.
No matter where you fall in this debate, Fiennes concluded with an undeniably accurate take on cancel culture. "Righteous anger is righteous, but often it becomes kind of dumb because it can’t work its way through the gray areas. It has no nuance."
As of right now, it doesn't appear as if there are any plans for Fantastic Beasts 4 and, for the most part, Rowling seems to have taken a step back from the Harry Potter franchise (she won't be involved with the upcoming Hogwarts Legacy video game, for example).
Stay tuned to SFFGazette.com for the latest on future plans for the series.