J.K. Rowling has been a controversial person since the Harry Potter films came to an end. When the author began to share her transphobic views on Twitter, people rallied to support the trans community. At the same time, Rowling continued to share her views, which prompted a discussion of separating the art from the artist in the Harry Potter franchise.
Fortunately, those who appeared in the Wizarding World franchise managed to use their influence for good. These actors were able to make names for themselves while also slowly disassociating themselves from Rowling’s views. Although they may still get recognition for their Harry Potter roles, they were able to manage their fame and notoriety much better than Rowling.
5. David Tennant
David Tennant made his Harry Potter debut as Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. The actor was already notable (at least in the U.K.) prior to his Wizarding World role, but his success continued when he played the 10th Doctor in Doctor Who, played a leading role in Broadchurch, and was part of the Marvel series, Jessica Jones as Kilgrave.
In 2015, the actor received a Special Recognition Award during the 2015 National Television Awards in the U.K. for his work in entertainment. To this day, he’s still loved for his work, both in the Harry Potter franchise and beyond.
5. Robert Pattinson
Even if Robert Pattinson only had a minor role in the Harry Potter franchise, he still managed to find success and received a handful of leading roles post-Harry. He has done plenty in his acting career after his role as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Most notably, he starred as Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga, then appeared in other projects before receiving the role of Bruce Wayne in The Batman.
Alongside that, people loved him for his “unhinged” interview responses. One of his most notable interviews was in 2011 when he told the story on Today about a clown dying due to a car explosion. The Cut reported that a week later, Pattinson revealed that he made it all up when he was asked about the incident by a German journalist.
4. Tom Felton
Tom Felton is still beloved to this day as Draco Malfoy to the point where people either ship themselves with him or with Harry Potter after the events of The Cursed Child. After his time with the franchise, he appeared in other projects, then later received a prominent role in the DC Universe on CW’s The Flash as Julian Albert.
The actor also became prominent on TikTok in 2022, where he recently announced that he released a book called Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard. It was a memoir of Felton’s time as a child star in the Harry Potter franchise and what life was like afterwards. Felton didn’t go hard when it came to Rowling’s transphobic messages. Rather, he seems impartial on the matter.
2. Daniel Radcliffe
Despite still being recognized as the boy who lived, Daniel Radcliffe was able to make a name for himself outside of the franchise he starred in. The actor played roles in other projects like Now You See Me 2, did some voiceover work for The Simpsons, Rick and Morty, and Bojack Horseman, and played Weird Al Yankovic in the biopic WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story
Regardless of what his next project will be, he’s still recognized for his role as that young wizarding boy. At least he’s a good sport whenever he’s asked about it. Alongside that, he continued to show support for the trans community, despite what Rowling thinks.
1. Emma Watson
Just like Radcliffe, Emma Watson‘s acting career blew up after the events of Harry Potter. What makes Watson an interesting case is that she wanted to call it quits early, based on what was revealed in the Harry Potter: Return to Hogwarts reunion special. Cast and crew members talked about how the young actress was “by herself,” and Watson admitted to feeling lonely at the time. In the end, she continued to play the role, and fans are grateful.
After it was revealed that Rowling has harmful views towards transgender people, Watson used her influence to combat the author’s transphobia. People already saw her as someone who has done more for feminism compared to the aforementioned author.
All these actors managed to use the influence that they’ve received thanks to their involvement in the Harry Potter franchise and were able to make a name for themselves. But it’s not just that. Unlike Rowling who continues to spread harmful messages towards the trans community, these actors continue to use their influence to show support or attempted to separate themselves from Rowling as much as possible. In the end, their actions and beliefs are not tied to Rowling’s hateful rhetoric.