Harry Potter TV series star Johnny Flynn reveals why he took Lucius Malfoy role and how he differs to Jason Isaacs

Johnny Flynn has opened up about why he took on a role in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series.

The actor is set to play Lucius Malfoy in HBO’s new adaptation of JK Rowling’s novels – a role previously played in the films by Jason Isaacs.

Several cast members have received backlash for accepting roles in the show, due to its association with Rowling, who has faced backlash in some quarters due to her views on transgender rights.

Asked about the topic in a new interview with Radio Times, Flynn said: “Of course I have feelings about that, but I want to talk about the gratitude I feel at being able to do what I do.”

The actor added that he took on the role to please his children, and because of his love of the books.

“I came into it from the perspective of being a fan. I was around 10 or 11 when the first book came out. By the time the last was published I was graduating from drama school and hiding it behind a book of poetry to look cool.”

Speaking about Malfoy, he added. “He was one of those kids bullied in his school, and he’s now turned into the bully, so he doesn’t know another way.

“That’s how I want to play him, because I know those people quite well. On the one hand, they were the people that bullied me, they were the abusers, but at some point, they were the abused. So, nobody’s outright good or bad in the world.”

In 2020, Rowling published a lengthy statement detailing her stance on sex and gender debates – the essay was criticised and disputed by LGBTQ+ charities including Stonewall.

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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.

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

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Authors

Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.