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Telegraph
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Stephen Fry embodies everything wrong with our cultural elite
Another day, another celebrity dunks on JK Rowling. Stephen Fry has joined the long list of Harry Potter beneficiaries like Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Ratcliffe to turn on Rowling for her views on biological sex. During a podcast recording for The Show People, Fry told the audience that Rowling 'seems to be a lost cause for us' because she 'says things that are inflammatory and contemptuous, mocking and add to a terribly distressing time for trans people'. He also claimed that Rowling had 'been radicalised by terfs'. If she can be bothered to read about Fry's sniping, Rowling won't be surprised. Back in 2022, Fry made headlines for complaining on a different podcast that he had 'trans friends and intersex friends who are deeply upset by her', but insisted she was still a friend. During that recording, Fry asked Rowling to 'retreat', along with trans activists, to 'consider that it is possible for trans people to live full, accepted lives, according to their terms, in society, and for women to have all the rights and dignities that they demand'. The gender wars are not some dinner party discomfort: Fry's misunderstanding of the fundamental differences in this political battle shows that you can be good at television quizzes but have no sense at all. Rowling seems to live rent-free in the heads of many celebrities who have leeched off her writing talent. Perhaps Fry's decision to come clean with his bitchiness this time was prompted by the Supreme Court ruling that insisted the definition of woman be biological rather than fantastical. Perhaps it was Rowling's celebration of the ruling with champagne and cigars that ticked off Fry – some men find it very hard to watch women enjoy a victory. On the one hand, who cares what Stephen Fry thinks? His desire for Rowling to shut up rather than cause discomfort to his friendship circle is laughable in its bourgeois pomposity. He should also know better than to criticise someone for voicing an unpopular opinion – he himself was almost done by the cancel culture mob for allegedly making about jokes about women shagging and Muslim terrorists at the Marylebone Cricket Club in 2023. Perhaps, like many celebrities, Fry just likes being popular with the woke kids. He's certainly pretty cowardly for someone who fancies himself as the twenty-first-century Oscar Wilde. But, on the other hand, Fry's denunciation of Rowling as someone who 'wakes up' to 'kick a hornet's nest of transphobia' needs contesting. Speaking to The Show People Podcast, Fry said 'to scream 'transphobe' at anybody who does not buy into every single aspect of that particular person's trans views is so self harming. It does not get the thing done. You have to let people love you'. This is the transphobia Fry thinks Rowling is guilty of – not showing 'love'. She's not polite enough. This is what so much of trans activists' complaints boil down to – a demand for love and attention. This from a side who fail to show anything like love for the women they oppose. It's OK if Fry and his acolytes don't like women with opinions of their own – we don't want their 'love'. We demand our freedom, respect and dignity when defending and organising our own spaces, resources and identity. Hate us for it if you like. Rowling, perhaps more than most, is used to men objecting to her speaking her mind. Thankfully, though, it won't stop her.
The Guardian
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Tom Felton expresses support for JK Rowling despite controversy over her views on trans issues
Tom Felton has expressed support for the Harry Potter author JK Rowling, saying he is 'not really attuned' to the controversy over Rowling's gender-critical views. Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the successful series of Harry Potter films, was asked directly about his position on the controversy by Variety at the Tony awards ceremony on Sunday. Felton said: 'I can't say it [impacts me], I'm not really that attuned to it.' He added: 'I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter. She's responsible for that, so I'm incredibly grateful.' This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. Felton, who will play Malfoy in the Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, has previously made similar statements supportive of Rowling, telling the Times in 2022 that 'no one has single-handedly done more for bringing joy to so many different generations'. His attitude appears to be in contrast to those of his Potter franchise co-stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them star Eddie Redmayne, each of whom have made critical statements distancing themselves from Rowling since controversy erupted in 2020 after Rowling posted an online statement detailing her experience of sexual assault and criticising proposed changes to gender recognition laws. Pedro Pascal recently called Rowling a 'heinous loser' while Paapa Essiedu, who has been cast as Severus Snape in a forthcoming Harry Potter TV series, was among the 1,500 entertainment industry figures who signed an open letter opposing the UK supreme court's April ruling on the Equality Act.
Geek Feed
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Feed
No, You Don't Have to be Worried about Tom Felton for Reprising Draco Malfoy for Broadway
Ever since the Harry Potter movies had ended, main stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have distanced themselves from the franchise, taking on different roles in all kinds of projects. There are some that are still clinging to the fame of their Potter days, and a lot seem to think that Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) is one of those actors. The announcement that he would be reprising the part of an older Draco for The Cursed Child on Broadway was met with some criticism about how he's still holding on to the past: he has maybe the most depressing career of all time — oscar (@_onthewayjay) June 5, 2025 Admittedly, I was kind of on the same boat when the announcement was made, but there were a lot of fans in the comments defending Felton and saying that he's actually been consistently working ever since the franchise ended. @FrancisConnor had pointed out: ' Went to his wiki expecting like 4 roles outside of Harry Potter and no he's just been consistently working since like 2000 what r u talking about.' And yeah, they have a point. After Deathly Hallows Part II , Felton has pretty much been steadily working in multiple projects over the years, even having an appearance in The CW's Flash series. But no doubt, one of his most memorable roles of all time was being witness to this: If you have to be worried about something, it's probably this: Quick reminder on Draco Malfoy actor Tom Felton from the Harry Potter movies: — Wizarding News™ (@wizardingnews) June 5, 2025 Felton will only be in Cursed Child for a limited engagement and will start his 19-week run on Nov. 11.
The Sun
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Prison time to being drunk on set to explicit text rants – the dark side of being a Harry Potter child star
BAD SPELL Scroll to find out which HUGE star almost walked out of filming EXCITEMENT over the new Harry Potter TV series hit fever pitch this week, when the brand new fresh faced cast were revealed. The image mirrored that of the young actors who were unveiled in 2001 - but since the films came to an end in 2010, a dark side to being one of the child stars of the famous franchise has come to light. 8 8 8 Screen newcomer Dominic McLaughlin will take on the pivotal role of Harry Potter in the brand new TV shpw. Fellow newcomers Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout will be playing Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, respectively. Showrunner Franscesca Gardiner and lead director Mark Mylod said: 'After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen. The noughties movies saw a then unknown Daniel Radcliffe bag the role of Harry Potter. He was joined by fellow co-leads Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Ron and Hermione, who were also new to showbusiness. Here we take at some of the scandals that have plagued the original young cast of Harry Potter over the years. DRUNK ON SET Golden boy Daniel Radcliffe took on the huge starring role of Harry Potter when he was just ten. However, he previously revealed how he had been drunk on set - although he didn't disclose how old he was at the time, as he was 20 when filming ended. Daniel once revealed that while he never drank on set, his habit was bad enough to affect filming Harry Potter. Harry Potter star reveals the shocking amount they were paid on set of hit film franchise 'I can honestly say I never drank at work on Harry Potter,' he told The Telegraph in 2012. 'I went into work still drunk, but I never drank at work. "I can point to many scenes where I'm just gone. Dead behind the eyes.' Daniel, who has been sober since 2010, said that he attempted to stop drinking multiple times, and eventually sought help from friends. 'Ultimately, it was my own decision,' he said. 'Like I woke up one morning after a night going like, 'This is probably not good.'' 8 PRISON TIME Harry Potter star Jamie Waylett's life hit rock bottom when he found himself in prison for two years. After finding fame as Hogwarts bully Vincent Crabbe in the early films, his life took a dark turn. The former actor was jailed for his part in the London riots in August 2011. Jamie was found guilty of violent disorder and handling stolen goods at London's Wood Green Crown Court. Just 22-years-old at the time, he admitted swigging from a stolen bottle of Champagne that had looted as the riots were taking place. But Jamie was cleared of intending to destroy or damage property with a petrol canister he was pictured holding. Jamie's lawyer said at the time that her client had become a "withered actor by the age of 22". She went on: "Although he had the good fortune to be in the Harry Potter films, it turned out to be not so good fortune." Jamie was released from prison in 2014. THREATS TO QUIT Despite becoming a millionaire many times over for her role in Harry Potter and having an army of fans around the world, Emma Watson once revealed how she nearly didn't return to the franchise. The Hermione Granger actress revealed that when she was 16, she considered walking away because of the "horrible" filming schedule. In 2006, her contract with Warner Brothers came up for renewal while she was shooting the fifth film, The Order Of The Phoenix. Emma revealed how she "agonised" over signing it as it was for another five years, but eventually went ahead with it. LOW PAY FOR CHILD EXTRAS While lead actors Daniel, Emma and Rupert were raking in the big bucks, little could be said for the other child stars who appeared in the films. The famous movies required hundreds of kids as extras to play pupils at Hogwarts. However, one of these actors has spilled the beans on just how low their pay was. 8 Samantha Clinch appeared in the third and fourth movie, and recently took to TikTok to reveal how much she earnt. Addressing her followers, she said that they would do 12-hour filming days as an extra, starting in early in the morning. 'We would be called for breakfast to be in the holding area outside the set for 5am in the morning and then be leaving at rush hour, on the bus in heavy, heavy traffic," she recalled. The actress then dropped a huge bombshell about how much she was paid for these gruelling hours. 'Are you ready for how much we got paid?" she teased, before revealing they got £35 a day. 'That's £2.91 an hour," Samantha added. EXPLICIT TEXT RANT Back in 2018, The Sun exclusively revealed how Joshua Herdman blasted a Harry Potter super-fan as a 'loser' and a 'c***' in a nasty Instagram rant. The actor turned MMA fighter, who played Draco Malfoy's sidekick Goyle in the films, left the fan so upset he binned his beloved Boy Wizard boxset and vowed never to watch them again. It all kicked off after the fan - who went by Chris - asked Josh if he "used marijuana", in an Instagram chat, and the actor took offence. In the massages, that were seen by The Sun, the actor replied to the fan: 'Lol, big man! 'I'd love you to say that to my face. Absolute r****d mate, have [you] looked in the mirror recently?' The actor was contacted for his side of the story at the time the story was published. How to spot a rare Harry Potter book AS JK Rowling's popularity has rocketed, so has the value of the first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. If you think you might have one, then first look to see if Bloomsbury is listed as the publisher on the title page at the bottom. The copy should be a first edition - which will be noted within the first few pages. The latest date listed in the copyright information must by 1997. It should be credited to "Joanne Rowling" and not "J.K Rowling" and carry a print line that reads " 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" on the copyright page. There is a mistake on page 53 where '1 wand' appears twice in the list of school supplies Harry receives from Hogwarts, which was corrected in later print runs. For the other titles in the Harry Potter series, it is only the first hardback editions with the dust jacket that have any collectable value.
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
From a Jersey Royals ad to performing on the West End: How new Harry Potter stars got their big breaks
Twenty-five years ago three children filed into a room full of camera crews and sat at a table set up with microphones, glasses of water and bowls of sweets, to face the world's press. Mere muggles, they were about to be swept into a magical universe that would catapult them to global stardom and make them multi-millionaires. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint – then aged 11 – would go on to bring the magic of Hogwarts to life as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in the blockbuster film franchise of JK Rowling 's wizarding world. A lot has happened since that press conference in August 2000, when only four out of the seven Harry Potter books had been published. But it may be of particular interest to another trio of muggles, who are about to have their otherwise ordinary lives go up in smoke – as if by magic. This week Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout were unveiled as the children picked to play Harry, Hermione and Ron in the hotly anticipated TV adaptation of the series. Uncannily like their predecessors in both appearance (just look at that red hair) and, as the Mail has learned, experience and background, they were chosen from more than 32,000 children who sent in audition clips in the hope of landing roles in a series set to be every bit as popular – and lucrative – as the original. The rumour mill suggests the HBO show could cost a staggering £75million an episode to produce, although this week that was reported to be a slightly more modest £12million. But the investment is in line with expectations that it will bring in much, much more. No wonder then that there is speculation the three child actors could land themselves even bigger fortunes than the original stars, with estimates that they are being paid at least £1million per series to begin with, rising to £10million to £20million each by the end of the seventh season. For Radcliffe, Watson and Grint, their bank balances remain in astonishingly good shape, 14 years after they finished filming the last instalment. According to this year's Sunday Times Rich List, Radcliffe is estimated to be worth £100million, Watson more than £60million and Grint north of £40million. How far they have all come since that initial press conference. Back then, Watson was asked about how things might change. 'I don't want to change,' she declared, before confessing: 'So far it's sort of turned things upside down.' Given how superstardom took over their childhoods, that was an understatement. Our three new stars will doubtless have been cautioned about the exciting, but life-changing, whirlwind that lies ahead. HBO has certainly taken a different approach with announcing its cast, perhaps mindful that for the original three fame came with not only riches but pitfalls. Radcliffe, now 35, has been open about using alcohol as a coping mechanism in his teens. Watson, also 35, has spoken of going to therapy to help with the side-effects of fame. So, unlike their predecessors, McLaughlin, Stanton and Stout haven't yet been properly introduced to the public. Instead, the casting news was delivered in a brief press release and social media post from HBO, in which only their names were revealed. There was a single photo of the trio. No press conferences and no tricky questions. Yet while they might not have contended with such exposure before, these actors are already accustomed to success. Take Arabella Stanton, who recently turned 11 and is in the final year of primary school. She has already had a starring role as the eponymous schoolgirl lead in Matilda The Musical. Her West End debut was in September 2023, which she celebrated by standing next to a balloon creation bearing the words 'keep shining, you've got this'. Clearly cut out for stardom, one review of her performance gushed: 'I've seen many child actors in theatre, but Stanton is simply mesmerising... A star in the making, to say the least.' Arabella's parents Melanie and Dan are lawyers as, coincidentally, are the parents of Emma Watson. Her maternal grandfather is also a lawyer, while her paternal grandparents are both physiotherapists. The family live in a modern detached home near Woking in Surrey, and as well as performing, Arabella plays the clarinet, swims, plays hockey and enjoys skiing and horse-riding. There was a blanket no comment from organisations Arabella is involved with this week – she has one-on-one singing lessons, attends dance school and takes musical theatre classes at two institutions, as well as masterclasses with another company – indicating the HBO publicity machine is carefully managing the exposure of their new stars. Her father, meanwhile, very politely, declined to comment on his daughter's success. Playing Harry is Dominic McLaughlin, a Scottish schoolboy who has a similar stage school pedigree behind him. It's thought his parents are a lawyer and a doctor. Dominic's impressive CV includes an appearance opposite star Ralph Fiennes in Macbeth. He's also already chalked up his first movie role, in an upcoming Sky film titled Grow starring Alan Carr and Nick Frost. The Performance Academy Scotland, near Glasgow, where he trained for five years, shared the news of his success this week, writing: 'This one is MAGICAL! We said from the start that Dominic was the perfect Harry and we are thrilled for everyone else to see this soon too.' The least experienced of the trio is Alastair Stout, 11, whose most prominent role appears to have been in an advert for Albert Bartlett's Jersey Royal potatoes. He grew up in the Salford suburb of Worsley, where he is a long-standing student at the 3Two1 Theatre school.
