Harry Potter’s Villains Defend J.K. Rowling While The Heroes Throw Women Under The Bus

In a Rowling plotline-worthy twist, the actors behind the franchise’s most feared villains, including Draco Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, and even Voldemort himself, have emerged as the only ones brave enough to defend the woman who created their careers. Meanwhile, the so-called "heroes" of the saga, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, have spent the past few years sprinting away from Rowling at the first sign of controversy, spouting vague platitudes about “trans rights” while distancing themselves from the author who made them household names. Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, told Teen Vogue at the 78th Tony Awards in New York City that he remains “incredibly grateful” to J.K. Rowling and says the controversy “does not influence [his] work.” He added he’s “not really that attuned” to the online uproar and isn’t interested in joining the Twitter mob against her. Ralph Fiennes, the actor behind Voldemort, spoke with The Telegraph in March 2021, calling the “verbal abuse directed at her…disgusting, it’s appalling,” and adding, “I can’t understand the vitriol directed at her.” Helena Bonham Carter, Bellatrix Lestrange herself, told the Sunday Times in late November 2022, “It’s horrendous, a load of bollocks. I think she has been hounded, and its been taken to the extreme, the judgmentalism of people.” She emphasized Rowling’s right to have her opinions, especially considering her experiences with abuse . Meanwhile, in a recent show of solidarity, Jason Isaacs , who played the chilling Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father, is publicly backing Tom Felton’s decision to star in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on stage , a move some viewed as a betrayal of the Rowling boycott. Following Felton's announcement, Isaacs shared a celebratory note on Instagram with the clever caption: "What a birthday present. Can’t wait son - that’ll be me in the front row with something in my eye. X" Since Rowling first began speaking out in defense of women, particularly their right to single-sex spaces and the freedom to discuss sex-based rights, she’s faced an unrelenting storm of hatred. She’s been called a bigot, doxxed, threatened, and labeled everything from transphobic to fascist by prominent voices in media and entertainment. Activists protested outside her home. All for stating views that, not long ago, were mainstream feminist positions . Her concern is centered around safeguarding hard-won protections for women, especially vulnerable women in prisons, shelters, and sports. And instead of standing by her, many of the young actors who owe their entire careers to her creations chose moral cowardice over real courage . Maybe it’s because those characters have to understand the darker complexities of human nature and thus, they’re better equipped to resist nonsensical witch hunts. Because let’s not forget: without J.K. Rowling, there is no Harry, no Hogwarts, no billion-dollar franchise, and certainly no household names like Watson or Radcliffe. So yes, the irony is delicious. The actors who portrayed the so-called “bad guys” are showing the very virtues the franchise tried to teach: loyalty, truth, and courage in the face of public scorn. It turns out the real courage in the Harry Potter universe didn’t come from the Gryffindor common room. It came from the dungeons of Slytherin and the halls of Azkaban. Subscribe today to get unlimited access to all of Evie’s premium content.