Harry Potter stars sign open letter supporting trans rights despite J.K. Rowlings anti-woke stance

Several “Harry Potter” actors have signed an open letter pledging to stand in “solidarity” with the transgender community – even despite author J.K.Rowling’s outspoken and “anti-woke” stance against those individuals.The pledge, which has been signed by Eddie Redmayne, Paapa Essiedu and Katie Leung, comes after the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruled earlier this month that the terms “woman” and “sex” refer strictly to a biological woman and biological sex, per the Times of London.Redmayne, 43, starred in the “Harry Potter” spin-off prequel franchise “Fantastic Beasts,” while Essiedu, 34, is set to portray Severus Snape in HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” series.

Leung, 37, played Cho Chang in the original “Harry Potter” films.“We the undersigned film and television professionals stand in solidarity with the trans, nonbinary and intersex communities who have been impacted by the Supreme Court ruling on April 16,” the open letter read.“We believe the ruling undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary and intersex people living in the UK,” it continued.“Film and television are powerful tools for empathy and education, and we believe passionately in the ability of the screen to change hearts and minds.“This is our opportunity to be on the right side of history,” Redmayne, Essiedu, Leung and the more than 2,000 other signatories added.Other British actors who signed the open letter expressing support for the “trans, nonbinary and intersex communities” after the Supreme Court’s surprising ruling include “The Last of Us” star Bella Ramsey, “The Brutalist” actor Joe Alwyn and “Bridgerton” star Nicola Coughlan.Charlotte Ritchie, who appeared as a student in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” and Daisy Haggard, who voiced the Ministry of Magic elevator, also added their names to the pledge.The letter comes after Rowling, a longtime and outspoken critic of t...