Harry Potter Actor Tom Felton Says Rowling’s Views Don’t Impact Him

Tom Felton, who portrayed schoolyard bully Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, has said he’s “not attuned” to discussion around JK Rowling’s view on transgender people.

The 37-year-old was recently cast to reprise his role as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway this November.

While appearing at the 2025 Tony Awards on Sunday, Felton was asked by a Variety reporter about the “controversy” around Rowling’s views.

“I’m not really that attuned to it,” he replied.

“The only thing I always remind myself is that I have been lucky enough to travel the world. Here I am in New York, and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter. She’s responsible for that, so I’m incredibly grateful.”

His answer mirrors one he gave to The Times in 2022, when he said that “no one has single-handedly done more for bringing joy to so many different generations” than Rowling.

Felton’s response stands in stark contrast to that of his former cast mates, many of who have made a point to express their support for transgender people in light of Rowling’s views.

“Transgender women are women,” Daniel Radcliffe said in 2020.

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

Rowling’s long legacy of transphobia

Felton’s comments have inspired backlash, with former fans expressing disappointment at his attitude, and pointing out his inability to move on from a series that wrapped more than a decade ago.

“Fuck Tom Felton for his spinelessness, but also fuck that journalist for calling JK Rowling’s transphobia a ‘Twitterverse controversy.’ What a disgusting way to refer to the violent hatred that she’s spewing towards the trans community, who she wants to eliminate from this earth,” said one X user.

Rowling’s position on transgender people has forever tarnished the legacy of Harry Potter, with fans boycotting the franchise and any associated IP since her anti-trans views came to light in 2020. She recently announced a fund to support individuals and organisations facing legal action for “protecting their sex-based rights,” which she is financing from her own fortune. Her net worth reportedly sits at £820 million, equivilant to than $1 billion AUD.

The author frequently contributes her own money towards anti-trans groups, previously donating tens of thousands of pounds to For Women Scotland. The donation helped fund a legal case on the 2010 Equality Act’s definition of a woman and sex, resulting in the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year defining women as based on their biological sex assigned at birth.

Felton’s role in the Cursed Child will see him make a return to playing Malfoy, 19 years after the events of the final Harry Potter novel, published in 2007.