Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne has spoken out against J.K. Rowling’s recent tweets which have been criticized for being transphobic and harmful to the transgender community.
Speaking with Variety, Redmayne made clear his opposition to the Harry Potter author’s recent comments which have sparked outrage in both the transgender community and the Wizarding World fandom. The actor previously received an Oscar nomination in 2015 for his role as a transgender woman in The Danish Girl.
“Respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative, and over the years I have been trying to constantly educate myself. This is an ongoing process. 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. I disagree with Jo’s comments. Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid. I would never want to speak on behalf of the community but I do know that my dear transgender friends and colleagues are tired of this constant questioning of their identities, which all too often results in violence and abuse. They simply want to live their lives peacefully, and it’s time to let them do so.”
Redmayne is not the first actor from the Harry Potter franchise to speak out against Rowling as Daniel Radcliffe published an essay condemning Rowlings tweets in The Trevor Project, a non-profit which provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention for the LGBTQ community. Cho Chang actress Katie Leung also reacted to Rowling’s tweets, directing fans to donate to the black trans community.
Rowling has drawn criticism and sparked outrage in the LGBTQ community since last December when she expressed support for Maya Forester, a tax specialist who lost her job for transphobic tweets. The Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts writer has since doubled down on her position, expressing her beliefs towards biological sex which has resulted in the author being labeled a TERF, a.k.a. Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist.
As for Redmayne himself, the actor is set to return as Newt Scamander for a third installment in the Fantastic Beasts franchise. The project was originally expected to begin filming this past March but was delayed out of caution due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It remains unclear as to when the project will be able to begin filming as a large portion of the project will shoot on-location in Brazil.
Here is the official synopsis for the most recent entry in the film franchise, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald:
At the end of the first film, the powerful dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander. But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise wizards and witches up to rule over all non-magical beings.
In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.
Directed by David Yates from a script written by J. K. Rowling, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Jude Law, and Johnny Depp.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is now available on Digital HD, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray, and DVD. Stay tuned for the latest news on Eddie Redmayne, J.K. Rowling, and the future of the Wizarding World franchise as we learn it! You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content in the future!
Source: Variety
