Miriam Margolyes Defends JK Rowling Despite Disagreements Over Trans Issues

Miriam Margolyes, the actress famous for playing Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films, recently spoke out about JK Rowling’s controversial stance on trans issues. While Margolyes believes that Rowling is ‘wrong about some things,’ she also expressed her disapproval of the harsh treatment Rowling has received. Margolyes noted that it’s fair to criticize Rowling, but she argued that the backlash against the author has been ‘unkind’ and that Rowling’s absence from certain Harry Potter celebrations, like the 25th anniversary TV reunion, was unjust. Although Margolyes herself is supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, including being openly gay, she called for kindness and inclusivity in discussions surrounding trans issues. Margolyes also praised Rowling’s writing, particularly her crime novels under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, emphasizing that Rowling’s contribution to the Harry Potter series should not be forgotten. Margolyes further expressed her opposition to artificial intelligence, calling it ‘a very bad thing’ and noting that Charles Dickens would not approve of it either.