A play criticising Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s views on gender is struggling to find actresses to play female roles, The Telegraph reports.
“This project has encountered resistance at every stage, but we were particularly surprised at how difficult it was to find female cast members,” says creative producer Barry Church Woods. He told the media.
“It’s a well-paid job that meets industry standards and the script is excellent,” he added.
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Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has been the subject of much debate regarding gender since she made headlines a few years ago when she spoke out about gender issues. (Reuters)
The play’s initial working title was “TERF [trans exclusionary radical feminist] The original caption read “C—,” but was apparently changed to “TERF.” The story focuses on a “fictional intervention” orchestrated on Rowling’s behalf by the three stars of the Harry Potter films: Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe.
It has been reported that 90 actresses have turned down the female role so far, but several male roles have already been filled, including those for Grint and Radcliffe.
“There are suggestions the actress has ideological reservations about the play or is worried about the potential backlash,” The Telegraph speculated.
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From left: Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter series. (Warner Bros.)
Since Rowling emerged as a voice for biological women and single-gender spaces, Radcliffe, Watson and Grint have each been outspoken about Rowling’s views on transgender issues.
Watson argued that “transgender people are who they say they are.” X Post This comes after Rowling made headlines in 2020 when she criticized an article that referred to “people who menstruate” and encouraged readers to use the term instead of “women.”
“I want my transgender followers to know that I, and so many others around the world, see, respect and love you for who you are,” Watson wrote at the time.
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According to The Independent, Radcliffe wrote an essay for The Trevor Project to show his support for the transgender community and apologise for any “pain” Rowling’s comments may have caused.
In a statement obtained by Fox News at the time, Grint offered his own opinion, saying, “I firmly support the transgender community and echo the views expressed by many of my peers: transgender women are women. Transgender men are men.”
The Telegraph reported in its report that the play was written by Hollywood screenwriter Joshua Kaplan, who identifies as queer.
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