As of late, there’s been much discussion about the release of the Epstein files, millions of documents detailing the illegal exploits of late financier and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. One batch of docs was released in December 2025, and another three million were just divulged on January 30th. Several notable celebrities have been named in this set of files but not for criminal activity. Among those mentioned was Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who was named in connection to Epstein’s alleged attempt to attend an event.
The incident in question reportedly took place sometime in April 2018, at which point Jeffrey Epstein apparently tried to attend a Broadway opening party for the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. According to Deadline, Epstein was reportedly sent tickets by the producers yet, when he arrived for the celebration, he was reportedly turned away at the door. After this purported development was revealed, many took to social media to criticize Rowling.
Upon learning of Jeffrey Epstein being invited to the Cursed Child party, some social media users opined that the reason he received the tickets was because J.K. Rowling herself invited him. Rowling caught wind of those accusations, and she took to X to issue a response. The outspoken writer who birthed the Harry Potter movies and books didn’t mince words when addressing the speculation surrounding her:
This is beyond silly. Neither I, nor anybody on my team, ever met, communicated with or invited Jeffrey Epstein to anything.
According to the files, it was publicist Peggy Siegal – a longtime associate of Epstein’s – who reportedly tried to get him an invite to the show. Siegel reportedly reached out to Colin Callender, the head of Playground Entertainment, and without explicitly naming Epstein, she said “a very important friend” wanted to see the show. Callender said he could help get the person in, and he put Siegal in touch with another Playground employee. While conversing with that other team member, Siegal allegedly named Epstein.
Callender has since spoken to Deadline and claimed not only that he didn’t know Epstein was the person Siegal was referring to but that he was also not one of the 1,600 people on the official guest list. Epstein did ultimately receive tickets, though they were the wrong passes, leading to him being turned away. After Siegal learned about this, she was reportedly upset and asked for a formal apology, though Callender said neither he nor any of his colleagues obliged.
When it comes to J.K. Rowling, this entire situation comes as the writer continues to receive backlash for her views on transgender rights. The last few years have seen Rowling double down on her stance, and her comments have reportedly strained her relationships with Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and other Wizarding World alums. All the while, Rowling retains a creative role within the franchise, as she’s currently an EP on the upcoming Harry Potter TV series.
As for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, it's now in production again as part of an ongoing North American tour. The most recent leg of that stint has even seen franchise OG Tom Felton reprise his role as Draco Malfoy. As that show goes on and the upcoming TV series continues to film, it remains unclear whether J.K. Rowling will speak further about being mentioned within the Epstein files.
