The Harry Potter actress Helena Bonham Carter has gone up to defend J.K. Rowling as the author continues to stir up controversy. Despite having founded one of the most adored fantasy franchises ever, Rowling has been embroiled in controversy for the past few years after being criticized for a string of tweets and comments that were perceived as transphobic.
The best-selling author has received death threats in addition to other forms of backlash. Since then, Rowling has remained mostly steadfast in her convictions, and several Harry Potter actors have offered their perspectives.
Helena Bonham Carter discussed the criticism directed at J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, in a recent interview with The Times. The actress who plays Bellatrix Lestrange defended Rowling against those criticizing her, calling their comments “horrendous” and “a load of bollocks.” see Carter’s comments below:
I think she has been hounded. It’s been taken to the extreme, the judgmentalism of people. She’s allowed her opinion, particularly if she’s suffered abuse. Everybody carries their own history of trauma and forms their opinions from that trauma, and you have to respect where people come from and their pain. You don’t all have to agree on everything — that would be insane and boring. She’s not meaning it aggressively, she’s just saying something out of her own experience. Personally I feel [my costars] should let her have her opinions, but I think they’re very aware of protecting their own fan base and their generation.