Harry Potter Star Urges People to "Give More Grace to" J.K.Rowling
As J.K. Rowling continues to receive criticism for her beliefs about transgender people, more Harry Potter cast members continue to weigh in on the controversy.
Evanna Lynch, an Irish actress best known for portraying Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter film series, has finally addressed the controversy surrounding author and franchise creator J.K. Rowling.
Lynch first appeared in the Harry Potter series in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) as the quirky Luna Lovegood, and was immediately embraced by fans. She reprised the role in future installments of the saga.
In 2020, the actress had to delete her Twitter after commenting on the Rowling controversy, saying that it was irresponsible to discuss such a sensitive issue as transgender rights on Twitter and that she wished Rowling wouldn't do so.
But she also said that, as a "friend and admirer of Jo's," she couldn't forget what a generous and loving person she is, receiving a serious backlash.
In a new interview with The Telegraph, Evanna shed light on her relationship with Rowling. It seems that they first connected before the Harry Potter movies.
The actress was 11 and living with anorexia, and eventually wrote a letter to Rowling and received "incredible, wise letters" in response.
Lynch said she was very naïve when she originally commented on the controversy in 2020.
"I didn't even know there were two sides. I had a view of, like, good and bad. I do have compassion for both sides of the argument. I know what it was like to be a teenager who hated my body so much I wanted to crawl out of my skin, so I have great compassion for trans people and I don't want to add to their pain," she noted.
The actress also said she was surprised by the amount of backlash against the author.
"I just felt that her character has always been to advocate for the most vulnerable members of society. The problem is that there's a disagreement over who's the most vulnerable. I do wish people would just give her more grace and listen to her," Lynch said.
Evanna highlighted that she would love to work on Harry Potter projects again, saying that the books "formed" her and J.K. Rowling "[inspires her] still."