Bel Powley, who is set to portray Petunia Dursley in HBO’s forthcoming Harry Potter television adaptation, has publicly opposed JK Rowling’s stance on gender issues.
The 34-year-old actress is best known for her breakout role in the 2015 indie film The Diary of a Teenage Girl.
Ms Powley told The Telegraph: “I strongly disagree with JK Rowling’s views on gender. I think that the trans community deserve safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance.”
However, the actress stressed that her opposition to the author’s position has not diminished her affection for the source material.
JK Rowling is serving as an executive producer on HBO’s new Harry Potter series
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PA“But I love Harry Potter,” she said. “I grew up with the books. I am from that first generation of readers and, again, I love magic and spookiness.”
Ms Powley becomes the latest member of the HBO cast to distance herself from Ms Rowling, who serves as executive producer on the series.
Her co-star John Lithgow, cast as Albus Dumbledore, revealed earlier this year he had contemplated walking away from the production following criticism of his involvement.
The American actor ultimately chose to remain, telling The New Yorker Radio Hour: “The reasons to do it were much, much stronger than the reasons to protest against what Ms Rowling has done and said.
Bel Powley is set to portray Petunia Dursley in HBO’s forthcoming Harry Potter adaptation
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“I do disagree with much of it, much of it I think has been twisted and misrepresented, and she has doubled down on it at her own cost.”
Mr Lithgow has also called Ms Rowling’s views “ironic and inexplicable,” whilst arguing that the books themselves are “clearly on the side of the angels, against intolerance and bigotry.”
Nick Frost, taking on the role of Hagrid, has similarly made his position clear.
He told The Observer that Ms Rowling is entitled to her opinion but that their views “don’t align in any way, shape or form,” adding that the controversy “shouldn’t blow over” and that people ought to educate themselves on the matter.
John Lithgow has been cast as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the new adaptation
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Paapa Essiedu, who plays Severus Snape, demonstrated his support for trans rights by signing an open letter alongside more than 400 figures from the UK entertainment industry.
The letter called for action to protect trans people following the 2025 Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman.
Ms Rowling subsequently stated she would not have dismissed him for doing so, even had she possessed the authority.
Mr Essiedu has also disclosed receiving racist abuse and death threats since his casting was announced.
The HBO adaptation is planned to span seven seasons, each covering one of the original novels.
Its debut season, based on Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is scheduled to premiere on Christmas Day, and the show has already secured a renewal for a second series adapting The Chamber of Secrets.
Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton lead the cast as Harry, Ron and Hermione, with Janet McTeer also starring as Minerva McGonagall. Mark Mylod, known for his work on Succession, is directing, whilst Francesca Gardiner serves as showrunner.
The original film series’ stars have also weighed in on the debate, with Daniel Radcliffe previously expressing that the rift between himself and Ms Rowling over the issue left him “really sad.”
Emma Watson has also had a highly publicised falling-out with Rowling over the issue, having first distanced herself from the author’s gender-critical views in 2020.
The Hermione Granger actress publicly expressed support for transgender people after Rowling spoke out about biological sex and single-sex spaces.
However, Ms Watson appeared to extend an olive branch to the author in September 2025, saying she still “treasures” Ms Rowling and could not erase the positive impact the writer had on her life despite their disagreement.
Ms Rowling subsequently rejected the overture in a strongly worded response on X, accusing Ms Watson of being “ignorant of how ignorant she is”.
The author argued that Ms Watson’s wealth and fame had insulated her from some of the issues surrounding women’s rights and single-sex spaces, and said her feelings towards the actress had changed after Ms Watson publicly criticised her while she was facing intense backlash over her views.