Harry Potter legend Warwick Davis responds to controversy around JK Rowling’s views ahead of new TV series adaptation

Harry Potter star Warwick Davis has addressed the "backlash" against author JK Rowling for her views on transgender rights as he returns to the franchise for the HBO series.

Davis, who played Filius Flitwick in the Potter films, will reprise his role as the charms professor for the upcoming series. Rowling serves as an executive producer on the series, with HBO boss Casey Bloys previously confirming she is "very, very involved".

Speaking to the Press Association, Davis said of the author: "I'm not really privy to a lot of the backlash.

"I will just say though, I’m a person of difference but it would be nice if everyone could accept people who are different in this world for who they are, not for what they are."

Rowling has faced backlash in some quarters due to her views on transgender rights. In 2020, she published a lengthy statement detailing her stance on sex and gender debates – the essay was criticised and disputed by LGBTQ+ charities including Stonewall.

Rowling has also shared her views on social media, including in a 2024 post on X (formerly Twitter), in which she insisted that “there are no trans kids” and opposed the idea that a child can be “born in the wrong body”.

In May 2025, Rowling set up the JK Rowling Women’s Fund, which describes itself as offering legal funding support to “individuals and organisations fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights”.

Harry Potter actors including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, have distanced themselves from Rowling's views and have issued statements supporting the transgender community. Others, including Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter and Jim Broadbent, have defended the author from the criticism she has received.

As part of a 10-year plan, each of the Harry Potter books will now be turned into one season of television, with young star Dominic McLaughlin taking on the role of the titular 11-year-old Boy Who Lived as he navigates Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The first season is set for release in December, with season 2 already in production.

The Harry Potter TV series will be available to watch on HBO Max from 25 December 2026.

Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.