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Harry Potter Dudley Actor Comments On J.K. Rowling Controversy: “I Can Only Speak For Myself”


Harry Melling, famously known for portraying Harry Potter’s cousin Dudley Dursley in the franchise, speaks about the author J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans controversy. Many Harry Potter co-stars have already given their stand on the issue, and while there was a mix between generations on who is right, who is wrong, Melling shares his.

Recently speaking with The Independent, Melling opens up on J.K. Rowling’s controversy, stating his stance of not agreeing with her anti-beliefs towards the LGBTQ+ community, while not condemning the author of her rights. Check out Melling’s full comment below:

“I can only speak for myself,” Melling says, “And what I feel, to me, is very simple, which is that transgender women are women and transgender men are men. Every single person has the right to choose who they are and to identify themselves as what’s true to themselves.”

Harry Melling as Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter franchise
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Harry Melling as Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter franchise

The The Devil All The Time actor continues on to say that he isn’t the rightful spokesperson on the subject, really, but still holds firm on his statement that everybody has the right to choose their own opinions.

“I don’t want to join the debate of pointing fingers and saying, “That’s right, that’s wrong,” because I don’t think I’m the correct spokesperson for that. But I do believe that everybody has the right to choose.”

Other Harry Potter cast members who disagreed with Rowling’s stance were Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), and Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them). Radcliffe had come up with the most appropriate response on why he had to speak on the issue and it is because that he had met many Potterheads who identify themselves with the series, noting the importance of the franchise to them, noting that his stance as a cast member is crucial in a long childhood-beloved series.

However, opposite actors such as Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort) and Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) begged to disagree, with Fiennes calling out the fan backlash as “disgusting” and “appalling” while Carter believes that her co-stars “should let her have her opinions.”

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