JK Rowling will be in charge of casting for the forthcoming Harry Potter TV series.
It was reported this month that the author’s characters are being given fresh life more than a decade after the renowned film trilogy ended.
HBO Max revealed in April that they had commissioned the first-ever TV adaptation of the Hogwarts-set novel series, which they described as a ‘faithful interpretation.’
The streamer is now looking for the next Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, who played Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Grainger in the films, respectively.
According to reports, they will receive assistance from the character’s creator, who also serves as executive producer on the show.
According to the Daily Mail, Rowling will have the last say on who portrays Harry Potter and will ‘personally approve’ other crucial roles in the TV series.
Rowling’s involvement in the series, however, has sparked backlash, with some fans planning to boycott the series over her views about the trans community and women’s rights.
The author responded to the calls to switch off the series with a sarcasm-laden tweet, calling it ‘dreadful news, which I feel duty bound to share.’
‘Activists in my mentions are trying to organise yet another boycott of my work, this time of the Harry Potter TV show,’ she wrote on Twitter.
‘As forewarned is forearmed, I’ve taken the precaution of laying in a large stock of champagne.’
Previously, executives from the upcoming Harry Potter film said that questions regarding Rowling’s gender beliefs were ‘not something we’re going to go into.’
Casey Bloys, the chairman and CEO of HBO and Max programming, was questioned if Rowling’s views on gender may have an impact on the capacity to select performers.
Declining to comment, Casey said according to Variety: ‘No, I don’t think this is the forum. That’s a very online conversation, very nuanced and complicated and not something we’re going to get into.
‘Our priority is what’s on the screen, Obviously, the Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That’s our priority — what’s on screen.’
The author, who also writes under the pen name Robert Galbraith for her Strike novels, reportedly stated that she ‘doesn’t care’ about ‘ruining her legacy’ in the eyes of former followers.
‘I do not walk around my house thinking about my legacy, what a pompous way to live your life walking around thinking about what my legacy will be. Whatever. I’ll be dead. I care about now. I care about the living,’ she said podcast The Witch Trials of JK Rowling.
Source My Celebrity Life.
