According to Deadline, Irish actress Nicola Coughlan (Briderton, Derry Girls) has spoken out against HBO’s Harry Potter reboot series, stating, “Keep your new Harry Potter lads. Wouldn’t touch it with a 10ft pole.” This comes after Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling celebrated a UK court’s ruling that the “definition of a woman is based on biological sex, not gender” on social media.

Rowling is well known for her anti-trans sentiments, and self-identifies as a TERF or Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist. A TERF is defined as “a person whose views on gender identity are considered hostile to transgender people, or who opposes social and political policies designed to be inclusive of transgender people.”

According to Deadline, Coughlan is one of many actors who have spoken out against her ideology. Emma Watson (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Perks of Being a Wallflower) stated, “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned.” Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Kill Your Darlings) echoed these sentiments on social media, stating, “Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people.”

Coughlan went on to write, “To see an already marginalised community being further attacked and attacked in law is really stomach-churning and disgusting, and to see people celebrate it is more stomach-churning and disgusting,” she said via Deadline.

Rowling posted a picture of herself smoking a cigar in celebration of the court ruling.

I love it when a plan comes together.#SupremeCourt #WomensRights pic.twitter.com/agOkWmhPgb

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 16, 2025

Rowling’s outspoken views against the trans community have created rifts among both those associated with the Harry Potter franchise and ardent fans of the wizarding world. In response to Coughlan’s criticism, Deadline reports Rowling responded to a social media post asking, “What actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you?” Rowling wrote in response, “Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible,” along with three laughing emojis.