On August 25, 2025, Christopher Columbus, the director behind the first two blockbuster Harry Potter films, stepped into the ongoing debate swirling around the franchise's creator, J.K. Rowling. In a candid interview with Variety, Columbus made it clear he does not share Rowling's controversial views on transgender rights, describing the situation as "very sad." His remarks come as the Harry Potter universe finds itself once again at the center of heated social and cultural conversations, with both fans and former cast members weighing in on the author's statements.
"I like to sometimes separate the artist from the art, I think that's important to do," Columbus told Variety. "It's unfortunate, what's happened. I certainly don't agree with what she's talking about. But it's just sad, it's very sad." His words echo the sentiments of many who have struggled to reconcile their love for the wizarding world with Rowling's increasingly polarizing public persona.
Rowling, who has described herself as a TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist), has faced mounting criticism for her repeated remarks about transgender people. In April 2025, she publicly celebrated a UK Supreme Court ruling that excluded transgender women from the legal definition of a woman under Britain's Equality Act, a move that drew sharp rebukes from LGBTQ+ advocates and many within her own fanbase. She has also questioned the use of hormones for gender transitions, further fueling the controversy. Despite these criticisms, Rowling has denied being transphobic, insisting that her views center on "women's sex-based rights."
These stances have not gone unnoticed by those closest to the Harry Potter franchise. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson—the trio who brought Harry, Ron, and Hermione to life—have all publicly distanced themselves from Rowling over her statements. According to Entertainment Weekly, Rowling has made her feelings on their criticism clear, stating she would not forgive them and telling them to "save their apologies." The growing rift between the author and the beloved cast has only added to the sense of sadness Columbus described.
The backlash has extended beyond social media and press statements. In May 2025, Rowling launched the J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund, a legal fund designed to support individuals and organizations "fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces." While the fund's website does not specifically mention transgender people, its intent has been widely interpreted as part of her ongoing campaign around gender and sex-based rights. In response, several bookstores in San Francisco made headlines by pulling Harry Potter books from their shelves, a symbolic protest against what they see as exclusionary rhetoric.
Meanwhile, the world of Harry Potter continues to expand, albeit under a cloud of controversy. Production is already underway on a new HBO television series, with Rowling serving as executive producer. The series is expected to run for a decade, with each season adapting one of the seven original books. Yet, as Variety reported, HBO's Casey Bloys was quick to address concerns about Rowling's influence, stating in May 2025 that the series "is not secretly being infused" with her views. "And she's entitled to those views," Bloys added. "And I think people are pretty clear that she's entitled to them."
Columbus, for his part, has no plans to return to Hogwarts. "No, I've done it, you saw my version. There's nothing left for me to do in the world of Potter," he told Variety. Still, he expressed a certain envy for the creative freedom that television offers. "The great thing about it is that with the first and second and third book, we wanted to do it all," he said, reflecting on the limitations he faced as a filmmaker. "We wanted to bring all of that onto the screen, and we didn't have the opportunity."
He pointed specifically to characters and scenes that never made it into his movies, like the mischievous ghost Peeves and a memorable moment when Harry and Hermione worry about being poisoned after drinking potions. "We could never get that incredible scene into the film, and I'm sure it'll be in the HBO series," Columbus noted. "So for me, it's an opportunity to bring all those scenes to life." His comments highlight the enduring appeal of Rowling's books—even as their author remains a divisive figure.
Columbus also shared a sense of nostalgia and "deja vu" after seeing recent photos of the new cast filming in London. "Because it was exactly where we were 20 years ago!" he explained. "We had to shoot it on a Sunday with Dan (Radcliffe) and Martin Bayfield, who stood in for Robbie Coltrane." The cyclical nature of the franchise, with new actors stepping into iconic roles, seems to underscore both the timelessness and the turbulence that now define the Harry Potter phenomenon.
Rowling's history of engaging in public debates about gender and sex-based rights dates back several years. In 2019, she drew attention for supporting Maya Forstater, a tax expert who lost her job at the Centre for Global Development after tweeting that transgender people cannot change their biological sex. This incident marked a turning point, with Rowling increasingly positioning herself as a defender of "sex-based rights," even as critics accused her of excluding and harming transgender individuals.
The controversy has not only affected Rowling's public image but also cast a long shadow over new Harry Potter projects. Upcoming audiobooks and the HBO series have faced scrutiny, with fans and advocacy groups watching closely for any sign that Rowling's views might seep into new adaptations. HBO, for its part, has maintained that the series will focus on faithfully adapting the books, not on advancing any particular ideology.
As the debate rages on, the Harry Potter universe stands at a crossroads. For many, the magic of the books and films remains undimmed, a source of comfort and inspiration. For others, the shadow of the author's views has made it difficult to engage with the franchise as they once did. Columbus's remarks, marked by sadness and a desire to separate art from artist, capture the complexity of the moment. The story of Harry Potter, it seems, is no longer just about wizards and witches—it's also about the real-world struggles over identity, inclusion, and the power of words.
In the end, the wizarding world continues to enchant and provoke in equal measure, its future as uncertain as the outcome of any spell cast in the halls of Hogwarts.
