Keira Knightley Was ‘Not Aware’ of J.K. Rowling Boycott Before Joining ‘Harry Potter: The Full Cast Audio Editions’: ‘I Hope That We Can All Find Respect’

In a recent interview with Decider, Keira Knightley said that prior to joining the voice cast of Audible’s “Harry Potter: The Full Cast Audio Editions” as Professor Umbridge, she was “not aware” of the fan boycott of all things “Harry Potter” over J.K. Rowling‘s statements about the transgender community.

“You know, I think we’re all living in a period of time right now where we’re all going to have to figure out how to live together, aren’t we?” Knightley said. “And we’ve all got very different opinions. I hope that we can all find respect.”

Backlash toward Rowling started in 2020 after the author posted several tweets and a 3,600-word essay that many interpreted as transphobic. In the weeks following, “Harry Potter” stars Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint all posted statements on social media in defense of the trans community.

Watson further elaborated on her relationship with Rowling during a recent episode of “On Purpose With Jay Shetty.” The host asked Watson for her thoughts on Rowling’s comments that she would “never forgive” Watson for her views and that the “Harry Potter” movies are now ruined because of Watson and her co-stars.

“I really don’t believe that by having had that experience and holding the love and support and views that I have, mean that I can’t and don’t treasure Jo and the person that I had personal experiences with,” Watson said. “I will never believe that one negates the other and that my experience of that person, I don’t get to keep and cherish. To come back to our earlier thing — I just don’t think these things are either or. I think it’s my deepest wish that I hope people who don’t agree with my opinion will love me, and I hope I can keep loving people who I don’t necessarily share the same opinion with.”

Shortly after, Rowling took to X to slam Watson as “ignorant” and having “little experience of real life.” She wrote, “I’m not owed eternal agreement from any actor who once played a character I created. The idea is as ludicrous as me checking with the boss I had when I was 21 for what opinions I should hold these days. Emma Watson and her co-stars have every right to embrace gender identity ideology. Such beliefs are legally protected, and I wouldn’t want to see any of them threatened with loss of work, or violence, or death, because of them.”