Harry Potter actor Sean Biggerstaff has publicly criticised author JK Rowling for her views on transgender rights, calling her an “obsessed billionaire” and “bigoted” in a series of posts on social media.
Rowling, 59, has become a polarising figure for her stance on gender identity.
Most recently, she praised a UK Supreme Court ruling that stated the term “woman” in the 2010 Equality Act refers only to biological females. The author reportedly helped fund For Women Scotland, the group that brought the case to court.
The decision sparked backlash and protests across the country, with Biggerstaff joining the chorus of critics.
The Scottish actor, who played Oliver Wood in three Harry Potter films, voiced his opposition online, aligning himself with former co-stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint - each of whom have previously distanced themselves from Rowling’s views.
Biggerstaff, who continues to engage with fans of the franchise through conventions, last appeared in the wizarding world with a cameo in The Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
But he made clear his disapproval of Rowling, particularly after she celebrated the ruling aboard her £113 million superyacht, posting a photo smoking a cigar.
When some mistook the cigar for “a blunt”, Rowling responded on social media saying it was “objectively, provably and demonstratively a cigar.”
Biggerstaff replied with a sharp comment on X, formerly Twitter: “Bigotry rots the wit.”
He also reposted a tweet comparing Rowling’s pose to controversial influencer Andrew Tate, which read: “lol, huffing on a cigar now? Is she Andrew Tate?”
In another response, Rowling had shared a photo of For Women Scotland directors Susan Smith and Marion Calder celebrating the court decision, captioned with “don’t f**k with Scottish women.”
The actor hit back: “The majority of Scottish women, who don’t agree with these d**kheads, aren’t being bankrolled by an obsessed billionaire.”
Biggerstaff also defended Radcliffe, Watson and Grint after a social media user labelled them “disloyal bags of s**t” for disagreeing with Rowling.
“You don’t have to wonder [how they’re doing],” he wrote. “You know what they’re doing – leading happy and successful lives, having not driven their families away with their hateful obsessions.”
When another user claimed Rowling was being unfairly “cast out” and “smeared,” Biggerstaff dismissed the idea, writing: “Christ, if that’s what being cast out looks like I’ll take some,” referring to her estimated £1 billion fortune.
The film star also expressed wider support for the trans community and criticised those backing the ruling, accusing them of using “concern for sex-based rights as cover for entirely reactionary politics.”
“Today is just a torrent of people being wilfully simple-minded. A performance of pragmatism to cloak their instinctive distaste for the Other,” he added.
The clash underscores ongoing tensions around Rowling’s public comments and the legacy of the Harry Potter franchise, which continues to evolve as a new TV adaptation is in the works.
HBO this week confirmed that Janet McTeer, John Lithgow, Nick Frost and Paapa Essiedu are among the big names set to play some of the leading characters in the project.
