J.K. Rowling is finally sharing what went into her decision to skip the “Harry Potter” anniversary reunion that aired on HBO Max, but insists it had nothing to do with her comments that many interpreted as transphobic.
“I wasn’t actually (excluded)” from the reunion, the 57-year-old author said on Virgin Radio UK’s “The Graham Norton Radio Show with Waitrose.”
While Rowling said she “was asked to be on that,” she opted against taking part in the special — which featured interviews with, among others, stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.
“I decided I didn’t want to do it. It was about the films more than the books, you know? Quite rightly,” said Rowling. “That was what the anniversary was about.”
Rowling told Norton she still has a rapport with actors in the franchise — albeit “some more than others” — even after they spoke out against her remarks.
“That was always the case. Some I knew better than others,” Rowling said.
While she said she’s “not sure any individual can,” as Norton put it, deescalate the conversation online, Rowling said: “I try and behave online as I would like others to behave. ... It can be a lot of fun and I do like the sort of pub argument aspect of it. That can be a fun thing to do. But there’s no doubt that social media is a gift for people who want to behave in a maligned way.”
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