HBO Max is going ahead with the Harry Potter show, along with JKR as producer. At yesterday’s press event, a reporter asked HBO boss Casey Bloys about the whole “JKR is a violent transphobe” elephant in the room.
“No, I don’t think this is the forum. That’s a very online conversation…”
Find more of this said “conversation” after the jump!
“… 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.”
Riiiight. And one that doesn’t effect him!
One sassy reporter also had the good sense to ask if “finding talent willing to be in the show is gonna be a problem.” Biiiith! Obviously, no. Just ask the Right! Maybe you’ll notice a shift in bigger, blonder hair amongst the cast though.
hope it dies a quick and expensive death
Good. Hooray for her.
Bigger question: Why is this even remotely necessary? The franchise has played out. Jo Transphobe and the culture in general need simply need to stop devouring their own vomit.
You all trying to change the bible (harry potter books). The original books didn’t even have any trans characters. People these days are so pressed. It’s not ALWAYS about being inclusive. Just let them produce a good show.
Exactly!!
Hating trans, drag queens or anything queer won’t get you cancelled, it’s becoming popular to hate it now. It’s going to get worse. Look at the drop in revenue of companies supporting gay and trans rights.
The far right are winning. Our rights are being taken from us and the sleepy old cunt Democrat in the White House is just snoozing on the job.
It is possible to be supportive of trans rights while also thinking that it should not be up to kids to undergo medical interventions to adopt a form that society recognizes, rather, society should recognize all gender expressions within whichever biological form. To be clear, my four year old grandson who likes his hair long and the silky feel of the leopard print loungers his mum bought should not cause an “ah ha” moment in his parents concluding —a nd then raising — him as trans. His grandad was that kid, no one’s biz, but bi, and a friend of trans folks whose transition in their expression was from one sex to the other, not to be confused with those whose gender presentation challenges societal norms that are extremely varied among cultures. But confusion does, indeed, reign with remarkably binary judgement from many whose ostensibly value is non-binary. Well, I was young once, too.
WHAT!??
I’m not really sure what point your point is here? It’s silly to suggest that kids can just choose to undergo ‘medical interventions’ In most jurisdictions, typically the parents/guardians + doctors/specialists (sometimes even the courts) etc. are involved in the decision in some way.
Likewise, it’s ridiculous to suggest that parents are going to raise their kid as ‘trans’ because the child likes dressing up or having long hair. No one just whips you into surgery the second you start experimenting with your ‘gender expression’ as you put it. LOL.
“It’s an online conversation” means it’s a complaint on from an amplified minuscule minority on Twitter.
Lmao get over it you just don’t like that she won’t bow down and take all the shit you throw at her.
What “shit”? Calling her out on her heartless lack of empathy?
Does rich lady boot taste that good?
There will be some talent that will refuse, particularly if they stick to the choice they made for the movies where the cast had to be from the UK. If they broaden it to all potential actors, it won’t be that much of a problem to find someone. It’s still popular enough.
Also, it’s absurd to complain about Executive Producer. Often that is a meaningless title that someone gets and if you look at the credits on anything – movies, series, etc., anywhere from 5-10 and sometimes 10-20 people can have some form of producer credit. The person listed as just PRODUCER (and apparently they are trying for the guy who produced all the Potter films) does a lot of the actual work.
But EP is often given to people like Stephen King, even if all he did was collect a check for the recent THE STAND series on CBS, or the original version on ABC years ago. Or for Anne Rice (or her family) for the LESTAT and other stuff on AMC today. They are using the work of these people so they usually get a credit – and yes she will make money, but she’d make the money either way, it’s her IP, just licensed to Warner Brothers/HBO.
I disagree with her takes but it’s silly to bitch about her title or the company’s obligation to pay her for adapting her material.
Now, if the cast still ends up significantly white and no one is openly gay, and some of the other problems are still there when this starts coming out in 2025 or so, versus how Netflix adapted The Sandmen, then yes – definitely complain.
So “silly to bitch” when transphobic, legitimate to complain when gay people or people of color are excluded.
How many actors had no problem working for Hallmark until they stopped landing gigs there, then it was suddenly a conscious break in support of LGBTQ people. Follow the money. We’re a vapid consumer culture. If we couldn’t give up fried chicken for gay rights we won’t give up a wizard IP for trans rights. Though I do think the rhetorical strategy of associating Rowling with transphobia has worked. We’ll see if that has any lasting consequences.
Nerp