'Harry Potter' Phenom Evanna Lynch Opens Up About J.K. Rowling's Controversies

In an interview with The Telegraph, Lynch addressed the Harry Potter creator’s views on the transgender community, which have been sparking debate since 2020 after she tweeted what appeared to be discriminatory opinions.

In her conversation with the outlet, Lynch came to Rowling’s defense, saying, “I just felt that her character has always been to advocate for the most vulnerable members of society.”

“The problem is that there’s a disagreement over who’s the most vulnerable,” she added. “I do wish people would just give her more grace and listen to her.”

When the controversy first exploded in 2020, the Irish actress had also weighed in by expressing support for Rowling.

She now says she “was very naïve” back then.

“I didn’t even know there were two sides. I had a view of, like, good and bad. I do have compassion for both sides of the argument,” she continued.

As someone who had dealt with anorexia in the past and landed the role of Luna Lovegood with a lot of encouragement from Rowling, she said she was an empathetic person.

She had “great compassion for trans people” and didn’t “want to add to their pain.”

However, she also believed that what Rowling was doing “has been amplifying the voices of detransitioners,” which she thought was important, too.

The world-renowned author received backlash three years ago after she criticized an article that used the phrase “people who menstruate.”

In reaction to the article, she tweeted, “’People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”

Many denounced her remarks at the time, including the three lead stars of Harry Potter: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.

Radcliffe had penned an open letter published on the Trevor Project website, in which he asserted that “transgender women are women.”

He added, “Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.”

Lynch, however, had defended and heaped praises on Rowling in a since-deleted tweet, although she also cautioned against discussing such a sensitive issue on social media.

A few other Harry Potter stars had weighed in on the debate as well, issuing statements that were sympathetic to the controversial author.

Helena Bonham Carter, who played Bellatrix Lestrange, denounced the backlash against Rowling and felt that she’d been harassed.

Ralph Fiennes, who played Lord Voldemort, had similar sentiments. He believed that the fallout had been abusive and reprehensible.

Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, had a more neutral stance. He felt that anyone could do whatever they wanted as long as they weren’t hurting others.

Back then, Warner Bros., which produced the Harry Potter movies, had declared its commitment to diversity and inclusivity but did not directly condemn Rowling’s statements.