Fiennes has slammed the abuse Rowling has received (Picture: Getty/AFP)
Harry Potter star and Oscar nominee Ralph Fiennes has hit out at the ‘verbal abuse’ author JK Rowling has received, labelling it ‘disgusting’ and ‘appalling’.
Fiennes, who plays villain Lord Voldemort in the hugely successful film franchise based on Rowling’s books, was addressing the fierce criticism she has faced in response to opinions she has voiced on trans people.
Over the past few years, Rowling has become embroiled in controversies after being accused of transphobia, with the author previously denying that she is transphobic.
In 2020, the writer received backlash after criticising an article that referred to ‘people who menstruate’, responding to it at the time by stating: ‘I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?’
Fans have continued to criticise her following a series of tweets which saw her defend her belief in biological sex, and some Harry Potter stars – including leading trio Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint – spoke out in support of the trans community.
One recent online interaction saw a fan ask Rowling how she slept at night, ‘knowing you’ve lost a whole audience from buying your books’.
The actor also said he ‘understood’ where Rowling was coming from, as well as why people might be upset by her comments on women (Picture: Araya Doheny/Getty Images)
The writer simply replied: ‘I read my most recent royalty cheques and find the pain goes away pretty quickly.’
Referring to the condemnation she has faced online, which has included death threats, Fiennes defended her in a new interview.
‘The verbal abuse directed at her is disgusting, it’s appalling,’ he told The New York Times. ‘I mean, I can understand a viewpoint that might be angry at what she says about women. But it’s not some obscene, über-right-wing fascist.
‘It’s just a woman saying, “I’m a woman and I feel I’m a woman and I want to be able to say that I’m a woman.” And I understand where she’s coming from. Even though I’m not a woman.’
Fiennes, pictured with Rowling in 2007, also praised her ‘great books about empowerment’ (Picture: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images)
(L-R) Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, J K Rowling, Rupert Grint and Timothy Spall at the World Premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Picture: Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
He added: ‘JK Rowling has written these great books about empowerment, about young children finding themselves as human beings. It’s about how you become a better, stronger, more morally centered human being.’
Other stars linked to the Harry Potter franchise have also supported her, including Hagrid actor Robbie Coltrane, who died in September aged 72.
When paying tribute to him in a recent radio interview, Miriam Margolyes also agreed with Coltrane that she would ‘absolutely not put her to one side’.
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‘I think that’s just silly. Let’s talk it through,’ she said on BBC Radio 4, while admitting it was ‘a difficult area, as a gay woman’ and that she wanted everybody ‘to do what they want’.
Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the films, recently swerved a question on the row, admitting he was ‘out of the loop with the specifics’ but praising Rowling as someone ‘that continues to bring so many people together’ through her writing.
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The Lord Voldemort actor said he ‘understood’ why people might be angry at what she says.
