HBO’s Harry Potter Reboot Casts Star Who Delivered a Scathing Public Rebuke of J.K. Rowling

The new Harry Potter series is still a couple years out, but the conversation around it is already loud. Not just because HBO is rebooting the whole thing, but because one of the new cast members is politely making it clear he and J.K. Rowling are not on the same page.

Nick Frost, your new Hagrid, draws a line

Nick Frost, who is playing Hagrid in HBO's reboot, was asked about Rowling's views in an interview with The Observer. He didn't hedge.

"She is allowed her opinion and I am allowed mine, they just do not align in any way, shape or form."

He also kept it respectful, basically saying everyone is entitled to their opinion, while making it clear his differs from hers, especially on trans rights. It is the kind of answer actors in this franchise have been giving for years now.

This has happened before, repeatedly

When Potter news heats up, so does the ongoing divide between some of the actors and the author. Quick refresher on the biggest moments since 2020:

• Daniel Radcliffe wrote an essay with The Trevor Project in 2020 saying, plainly, that transgender women are women. He stressed he was speaking as a person, not as Harry Potter on behalf of the films.
• Emma Watson posted on X on June 10, 2020 in support of trans people living as who they say they are. Short, clear, widely shared.
• Rupert Grint told The Times he firmly supports the trans community.
• Eddie Redmayne (from the Fantastic Beasts side of the universe) told Variety he disagreed with Rowling's comments, affirmed trans women are women, trans men are men, and that non-binary identities are valid, while asking for more respectful dialogue.
• Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley) used X on June 10, 2020 to back trans fans and say the Wizarding World belongs to everyone, adding that trans women are women.

Put together, it is a pattern: gratitude for the world Rowling created, paired with public distance from some of her views. Frost's comments slide right into that timeline.

So what is Rowling actually doing on the HBO series?

Rowling is an executive producer on the reboot, through her company Brontë Film and TV. HBO CEO Casey Bloys said at a press event in November 2024 that she was very involved in selecting the writer and director. He also said her personal views have not influenced casting, hiring writers, or production staffing.

Rowling herself posted on X in June 2025 that she had read the first two episodes and thought they were, in her words, all-caps enthusiastic. She also made a point of saying she did not write the scripts, but has worked closely with the show's writers. Translation: she has oversight and a voice, but the day-to-day creative choices sit with HBO and the appointed creative team.

For anyone wondering about timing: the series is expected in 2027 and will stream on HBO and HBO Max. The studio line is that this version stays faithful to the books, which explains why Rowling's involvement is visible even if she is not typing the scripts herself.

Short version: the reboot is moving ahead with Rowling in the executive-producer seat, HBO steering the creative ship, and at least one new star making it crystal clear where he stands. Expect more of this conversation as the cast fills out and cameras roll.