Celebrity Archives - Page 5 of 18

Chris Hemsworth Finds Sobering Health Revelation during ‘Limitless’ Filming

Music Observer Staff on November 21, 2022

Chris Hemsworth shares a look at a pivotal moment in his health documentary Limitless that almost didn’t make the final cut.

Hemsworth, also known as Thor, underwent a series of physical exams and screenings while filming the show for National Geographic. The series follows him joining forces with scientists and medical professionals.

Additionally, these episodes aim to reduce stress, improve performance and slow the aging process.

During Episode 5, doctors determined through Hemsworth’s blood tests that he had two copies of the APOE4 gene. This makes him genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease.

“I was offered a version of the episode where we didn’t talk about it. And for the exact reason you are mentioning now, I thought, ‘No, look, if this is a motivator for people to take better care of themselves and also understand that there are steps you can take – then fantastic,” Hemsworth stated.

“My concern was I just didn’t want to manipulate it and overdramatize it. And make it into some sort of hokey grab at empathy or whatever for entertainment.”

According to Hemsworth, the original plan for the episode was for his test results to be revealed on camera. But they didn’t go through with the plan due to what they found.

“Peter Attia, who is the longevity doctor in that episode, and overseeing a lot of the show, called [show creator] Darren [Aronofsky] and said, ‘I don’t want to tell him this on camera. We need to have an off-side conversation. And see if he even wants this to be in the show,’” Hemsworth stated.

“It was pretty shocking because he called me up, and he told me.”

Likely Happen

While not a firm diagnosis, the gene suggests that Hemsworth may be “eight to ten times” more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease in the future.

“The show, which initially was an exploration of longevity and, of course, should be fun, became even more relevant and important for me. Even more poignant than I ever thought it would be,” he said.

“It was a really good catalyst to dive into everything I needed to be doing in either the prevention front or the management front or however you want to classify it. It’s not a pre-deterministic gene, but it is a strong indication.”

Although the diagnosis doesn’t come as a surprise for Hemsworth, it was still a quietening discovery. The actor’s grandfather is currently suffering from the disease.

“Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death in the hope that we’ll somehow avoid it. We all have this belief that we’ll figure it out,” he stated.

“Then to all of a sudden be told some big indicators are actually pointing to this as the route which is going to happen. The reality of it sinks in. Your own mortality.”

What Hemsworth Found

In a September interview with EW, Hemsworth revealed that he’s found a newfound appreciation for the mental and physical beauty of the human body. This is due to his experience while filming Limitless.

“It was one extreme after another – a series of scientific experiments where I was the guinea pig,” he stated.

“I was just in awe of the individuals I was working with who did this day to day. But also, I gained a beautiful understanding and appreciation for how incredible the human body and mind is, and what potential we all have.”

Limitless is now available to watch on Disney+.

Photo: Scoopwhoop

‘Harry Potter’ Actor Ralph Fiennes Wants to Play Voldemort Again

Music Observer Staff on November 21, 2022

Ralph Fiennes has played several villains throughout his career. However, fans only remember one thing about him: He Who Must Not Be Named.

In an interview at the premiere of New York horror comedy The Menu, the actor said he would play Lord Voldemort again. This is the case when Warner Bros. or J.K. Rowling created another installment in the Harry Potter film series.

“No question about it,” Fiennes said in an interview with Variety.

Fiennes’ comments come after Warner Bros. Discovery executive David Zaslav revealed that he intends to do more Potter projects with Rowling. Recently, the author has been accused of her transphobic comments.

“We’re going to have a real focus on franchises,” Zaslav stated. “We haven’t had a Superman movie in 13 years. We haven’t done a Harry Potter movie in 15 years.”

According to Zaslav, DC’s movies and the Potter series have come a long way over the past few decades.

Controversial Comments

Despite Rowling’s controversy, Fiennes expressed support for the author. He also described the “verbal abuse” she received as “appalling.”

“J.K. Rowling has written these great books about empowerment, about young children finding themselves as human beings,” he shared with The New York Times. “It’s about how you become a better, stronger, more morally centered human being. The verbal abuse directed at her is disgusting; it’s appalling.”

He added: “I can understand a viewpoint that might be angry at what she says about women, but it’s not some obscene, uber-right-wing fascist.

“It’s just a woman saying, ‘I’m a woman, and I feel I’m a woman. And I want to be able to say that I’m a woman.’ And I understand where she’s coming from. Even though I’m not a woman.”

Previously, he also came in Rowling’s defense, dubbing the hatred for the Potter author “irrational.”

In 2020, many widely criticized Rowling when she posted a tweet about gender identity and biological sex. But, she said, “erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.”

GLAAD and many other LGBTQ+ organizations and allies said her remarks were inaccurate and cruel.

Moreover, Harry Potter actors Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson voiced their stand against Rowling. The two said transgender women are women.

Fiennes: Villain Character

Fiennes has won multiple awards, including a Tony Award, a BAFTA Award, two Academy Award nominations, and an Emmy Award.

He debuted in the film industry in Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights (1992) as Heathcliff. Moreover, his portrayal of Nazi criminal Amon Goth in 1993’s Schindler’s List gained him Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Ultimately, he bagged the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Additionally, in 1996’s The English Patient role, Count Almasy earned him the second Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. It also brought nominations for BAFTA and Golden Globe.

Films Fiennes starred in:

1990s

Quiz Show (1994)

The End of the Affair (1999)

2000s

Maid in Manhattan (2002)

The Constant Gardener (2005)

In Bruges (2008)

The Duchess (2008)

The Hurt Locker (2009)

2010s

Clash of the Titans (2010)

Great Expectations (2012)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

A Bigger Splash (2015)

Hail, Caesar! (2016)

2020s

The King’s Man (2021)

The Menu (2022)

Andrew Garfield Shares Brotherhood with Fellow Spidey

Music Observer Staff on November 21, 2022

Almost a year has passed since the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home. The film broke pandemic box office records and became the most renowned film in 2021.

However, in the latest interview, Andrew Garfield said there was a breezy feel to the film’s actual production. Actually, he said starring alongside Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland felt less like a superhero hit and more like shooting an experimental short film with his dear friends.

Garfield sat down with GQ UK for its Men of the Year release. There, he shared the “beautiful” memory of filming No Way Home with his fellow Spidey.

“I got to treat it like a short film about Spider-Man with buddies,” Garfield said in the interview with GQ.

“The pressure was off me. It was all on Tom’s shoulders. Like, it’s his trilogy. And me and Tobey were there to provide support and have as good a time as possible, actually, and be as inventive, imaginative, and kind of dumb as possible.”

The second Spidey continued that when he first discovered the prospect of No Way Home, he had doubts about how his version could fit into the trio.

“Y’know, between the three of us, I was like, ‘Oh, s—, this is going to be interesting,” Garfield elaborated.

“You have three people who feel real ownership over this character. But it was really, like, brotherhood first, I think. And I think that comes through in what we shot.”

Spidey Role

A decade has passed since Garfield swung the screen as Peter Parker in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man. Afterward, he reprised the role in 2014’s sequel. However, the studio ultimately pulled out a plan for a third film.

In the sit-down with GQ, Garfield revealed that he thought his Spidey time was on its end ahead of reading the No Way Home script.

“I don’t know if I had an expectation of doing more,” he stated. “I was very open to it being whatever it was meant to be. But there was an undone feeling. Like, ‘What was that experience about? And how do I close that circle in my living room on my own?’

“And I was doing that – and then it was like that classic thing when you’re getting over a relationship, and you’re first starting to really feel free and untethered from that thing – the person knows to call the hour after the first good night’s sleep you’ve had.”

No Way Home premiered in theaters in December 2021 and garnered an eye-popping $1.9 billion globally. Furthermore, it earned a title as the sixth all-time highest-grossing film.

Garfield Accolades

Garfield has bagged numerous accolades throughout his career until now. It includes a Tony Award, a BAFTA TV, and a Golden Globe Award.

Time even included the 39-year-old actor in its roster of 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.

Garfield – born in Los Angeles and raised in Epsom – started to embark on his journey when he trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. His career began on the UK stage and in TV productions.

Furthermore, the actor had his feature film debut in Lions for Lambs (2007).

But he is most renowned for his role as Spidey.

Dua Lipa Repulses Speculation on World Cup Involvement

Music Observer Staff on November 14, 2022

The 2022 FIFA World Cup doesn’t involve Dua Lipa.

The award-winning artist shuts down rumors that the World Cup asked her to sing at the opening ceremony in Qatar.

Furthermore, Lipa urged Qatar to carry out its human rights vows after reported abuse against migrant laborers and other human rights violations.

“There is currently a lot of speculation that I will be performing at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar,” she captioned an Instagram story. “I will not be performing, and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiations to perform.”

Lipa stated that she would be “cheering England on from afar.” Additionally, she hoped to visit Qatar “when it has fulfilled all of its human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host” the international soccer contest.

The competition starts on November 20.

Meanwhile, the football association has asked BTS’ Jung Kook to sing at the opening ceremony, a statement from the band said. Furthermore, the South Korean artist will star in the World Cup soundtrack.

The competition’s organizers have experienced backlash over reports of corruption and abuse against migrant laborers from Africa and Asia.

FIFA employed these workers to build new stadiums for the competition in the country. Furthermore, the allegations include nationality-based discrimination, exposure to dangerous workplace conditions, and unpaid wages that led to deaths, USA Today said.

Qatar Controversy

The association chose Qatar as the venue for the 2022 World Cup in 2010. And it marked the first time a Middle Eastern country hosted the event. However, international pressure over human rights violations urged the nation to implement labor reforms.

However, allegations continue to persist that abuses weren’t alleviating. This urged activists and officials to push for the tournament’s boycott.

FIFA encouraged World Cup teams to “focus on” the sport instead of the controversy.

On the other hand, Lipa’s home team voiced out their take on the matter.

“We have always spoken about issues we think should be talked about, particularly the ones we feel we can affect,” said England’s manager Gareth Southgate.

He added: “Contrary to one or two observations in the last few weeks, we have spoken in the same way other nations have spoken about this tournament, the human rights challenges.

“We’ve been very clear on our standpoint on that.”

FIFA World Cup

FIFA, or Federation Internationale de Football Association, is a governing body of football, beach football, and futsal.

It is an international contest among national associations from Belgium, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Currently, the association has 211 memberships.

To enter the competition, the members must be under one of the six regional confederations in the world. This includes Africa, Asia, Europe, North and Central America and the Caribbean, Oceania, and South America.

Johnny Depp Ultimately Walks in Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty Vol. 4 Show

Music Observer Staff on November 14, 2022

The long-awaited appearance of Johnny Depp in Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty Vol. 4 has finally arrived on Wednesday on Amazon Prime.

Media previously claimed Depp was involved. And it is indeed true.

Last Thursday, EW said Depp would join celebrities attending the 4th annual fashion-centric presentation. Celebrities such as Simu Liu, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Taraji P. Henson, Taylour Paige, Winston Duke, and more were in attendance.

The actor appeared about 20 minutes into the show, which premiered this week on Prime Video.

He emerges from behind a tree in a long, loose-fitting jacket with black trousers, then smirks at the camera in a V-neck sweater with various chains. He also appears on Outkast’s beat for his 2001 “So Fresh, So Clean.”

Depp’s center time is 40 seconds. He then makes his way through a group of dancers. But the details were duly remembered by the crowd.

Years and Years singer Ollie Alexander posted a tweet following rumors that Depp would be joining the show. News reported that he will no longer be wearing pieces from Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty line following the actor’s engagement.

Defamation Suit

Depp won a defamation suit against his ex-wife Heard. The latter had previously written in a Washington Post op-ed that she was a survivor of domestic violence.

While she did not specifically mention Depp, his lawyers debated that the piece resulted in considerable damage to Depp’s career and reputation.

A jury massively favored Depp. In addition, they had discovered Heard’s intention and malicious acts to defame her ex. As a result, the actor received over a $10 million grant.

On the other hand, Heard reiterated abuse from Depp. After the verdict, she moved to hire new lawyers to appeal it.

Meanwhile, Depp’s lawyers are battling to appeal Heard’s counterclaim. But Heard won following a jury’s decision that Depp defamed her via his attorney when he referred to her abuse claims as a “hoax.”

Savage Limelight

The appearance during the Savage X Fenty Vol. 4 is one of Depp’s most famous comebacks to the spotlight after his victory over Heard.

Previously, he appeared at the MTV Video Music Awards 2022 in August. Afterward, Heard’s sister Whitney Henriquez dubbed MTV “disgusting.”

The Savage X Fenty show is currently available for streaming on Prime Video.

Born John Christopher Depp, the actor has received multiple nominations and snags from different award shows. It includes a Golden Glove Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and nominations for three Academy Awards and two for BAFTA.

Furthermore, the award-winning musician has had his share of film appearances.

He debuted his feature film in 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street, a horror movie. He then rose to fame on the TV series 21 Jump Street (1987 – 1990).

During the 1990s, Depp starred in independent films with unconventional filmmakers. It included 1990’s Cry-Baby, 1993’s What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Benny and Joon, 1995’s Dead Man, 1997’s Donnie Brasco, and 1998’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

In addition, his most commercially successful franchise is the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, in which he played Captain Jack Sparrow.

Other films that earned him critical success are 2000’s Chocolat, 2004’s Finding Neverland, and 2009’s Public Enemies.

Photo: EW

Andrew Morton Compliments Princess Diana Portrayal on ‘The Crown’

Music Observer Staff on November 14, 2022

Princess Diana biographer Andrew Morton said he was “breathless” at Elizabeth Debicki’s performance as a member of the British royal family in the recently released fifth season of The Crown.

Morton collaborated with the Princess on the writing of Diana: Her True Story, which was published in July 1992. The book exposed Diana’s misery in her marriage to the incredulous Prince Charles. Moreover, it details her struggles with bulimia and her times of loneliness and depression.

Although Morton dismissed speculation at the time that Diana helped write Diana: Her True Story, the book became a publishing sensation. The industry has also translated it into her 29 languages, reportedly selling 5 million copies worldwide.

His work effectively marked the end of the royal marriage. Then, in December 1992, Prime Minister John Major announced that the two had split.

The latest season of the hit Netflix series features Morton and Diana’s team-up in the book.

“It left me breathless, and it took me back all those years,” Morton said on Friday’s episode of Good Morning America. “I mean, I don’t say this very often, but I was shaken.”

During the writing of Diana: Her True Story, Morton sent a question to the Princess through her friend Dr. James Colthurst. Diana then recorded her responses to her author’s questions.

In an interview with GMA, Morton explained that he was unaware of Diana’s desperate mental state when he began writing the book.

“What I didn’t realize at the time was her sense of isolation, her sense of despair inside the royal system,” he stated.

Morton Published Another Book

Merely months after the royal highness’ death, Morton released a new installment of the book, Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words, in October 1997.

This time, the author clarified the primary source of the original book was Diana herself. Furthermore, the new book contained edited transcripts of her recorded replies to his queries.

Morton served as a consultant on the fifth season of The Crown. Moreover, Andrew Steele (Outlander) portrays him on the show.

“The scriptwriters had asked me all kinds of questions like, what was the color of the wallpaper in my daughter’s bedroom. Because that’s where I had an office for a time,” he shared with GMA.

Previously, the author complimented Emma Corrin’s depiction of Diana in the fourth season of The Crown. He said it was the most realistic he had seen so far.

“I found the buildup to the wedding very affecting. As there was a slowly unfolding realization on both sides that they were heading toward an unwanted and unhappy outcome, namely the royal wedding,” Morton stated.

“It reminded me of what a close friend of Diana’s said about the whole wretched mess when I was searching Diana: Her True Story. ‘I am sorry for the tragedy of it all. My heart bleeds for the whole misunderstanding. But it bleeds most for Diana.'”

The Crown’s fifth season is currently available on Netflix.

Selena Gomez Says She Named Her New Kidney After Fred Armisen

Music Observer Staff on November 14, 2022

Selena Gomez goes everywhere with Fred Armisen, literally.

The Disney alum underwent a kidney transplant in 2017. In recent times, she shared that she named her new organ “Fred” in her tribute to the Saturday Night Live star.

“I named it after Fred Armisen because I love Portlandia,” Gomez said in an interview with Rolling Stone. (Portlandia is Armisen and Carrie Brownstein’s sketch comedy series. “I’ve never met him. But I’m secretly hoping he finds that out just because I want him to be like, ‘That’s weird.'”

When EW asked Armisen’s comment on the tribute, he did not immediately respond.

After being diagnosed with lupus in 2015, the actress revealed she had a kidney transplant. This procedure occurs as a result of complications from the disease.

Recovery was not easy either. Francia Raisa, a fellow actress, donated the kidney. After surgery, the organ kicked in on its own, damaging one of Ms. Gomez’s arteries.

Selena on Her Condition

Then the “Lose You to Love Me” singer underwent another six-hour surgery to cure the frightening situation.

“They had to take her into emergency surgery and get the vein from her leg and build a new artery to keep my kidney in place,” Raisa said in an interview with W Magazine over the health concern in 2018.

“She could have died.”

Gomez said a donated kidney usually lasts around 30 years.

“Which is fine,” she shared with Rolling Stone. “I might like, ‘Peace out,’ anyway.”

But the Disney alum said she understands that the difficulty she’s experienced so far in life made her stronger.

“I just constantly remind myself that there’s a reason I’m here,” she stated. “It sounds really cheesy when I say it sometimes. But I truly don’t know how else I’d be here, simply based on the medical stuff and balances in my head and conversations I’d had with myself [that were] really dark.”

Mental Health Journey

Gomez recently released a documentary in honor of World Mental Health Day. The doc is titled Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me and chronicles her personal journey.

“Just be who you are, Selena,” Selena says at the film’s start. “No one cares about what you’re doing. It’s about who I am, being okay with where I am. I am grateful to be alive.”

The 30-year-old singer-songwriter has been open about her mental health challenges. In 2020, she revealed that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

For most of her life, Selena has been in the limelight. That became a primary reason behind her mental health issues growing up.

“My whole life since I was a kid, I’ve been working,” she says in tears on a clip of My Mind & Me. “I don’t want to be, like, super famous. But I do know that if I’m here, I have to use that for good.”

As everyone may know, Selena began her career in the children’s television series Barney & Friends. Then, she earned the spotlight by appearing in Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place as Alex Russo.

Furthermore, she has established a career in the music industry. She released some of the most highly-esteemed songs in the industry.

Rebel Wilson Hails a Baby Girl

Music Observer Staff on November 14, 2022

Rebel Wilson hailed a “beautiful miracle” into the world.

In the Instagram post, the Pitch Perfect star revealed that she had birthed her first child – a baby girl she named Royce Lillian – through a surrogate on Monday.

“Beyond proud to announce the birth of my first child, Royce Lillian, born this past week via surrogate,” she said.

“I can’t even describe the love I have for her. She’s a beautiful miracle! I am forever grateful to everyone who has been involved (you know who you are). This has been years in the making. But particularly wanted to thank my gorgeous surrogate who carried her and birthed her with such grace and care.

“Thank you for helping me start my own family. It’s an amazing gift. The BEST gift!!”

Wilson has been going out with Ramona Agruma – a fashion and jewelry designer – since June. Furthermore, she recently ended speculation that they were engaged.

“I thought I was searching for a Disney Prince. But maybe what I really needed all this time was a Disney Princess #loveislove,” Wilson stated in an Instagram post revealing their relationship.

Year of Health

The actress said in an interview with PEOPLE in May that the “year of health” she started in 2020 was because she wanted to be a mom.

Additionally, Wilson said she went to her fertility doctor in 2019. And the doctor told her she’d have a better opportunity of getting her eggs if she turned to a healthier lifestyle and lost weight.

“He looked up and down and said, ‘You’d do much better if you were healthier,’” she said.

“I was taken aback. I thought, ‘Oh God, this guy’s so rude.’ He was right. And I was carrying around a lot of excess weight. It’s almost like I didn’t think of my own needs. I thought of a future child’s needs that really inspired me to get healthier.”

Rebel-ious Career Success

Born Rebel Melanie Elizabeth Wilson, the 42-year-old actor, graduated from the Australian Theatre for Young People in 2003.

Later, he comedian started portraying Toula in Pizza – an SBS comedy series. Later, she appeared in the sketch comedy series The Wedge.

In 2012, she portrayed roles in comedy movies What to Expect When You’re Expecting, Bachelorette, and Struck by Lightning,. Those films earned her a title as one of the “Top Ten Comics to Watch for 2013” of Variety.

Notably, her most iconic role is Fat Amy in the Pitch Perfect film series (2012 – 2017). She bagged awards and nominations for the film, including the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress and an MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance.

Photo: Yimg

Miss Grand International 2020 Candidates Open Doors on Special Day

Music Observer Staff on November 7, 2022

Miss Argentina and Miss Puerto Rico are currently married: a couple of Missus.

In an Instagram post, beauty queens Mariana Varela and Fabiola Valentin shared that they had already gotten married. Notably, Varela represented Argentina while Valentin ran for Puerto Rico in the Miss Grand International 2020 pageant.

Therefore, the joint post on IG marked the first time the couple has made their relationship public.

Then, 26-year-old Varela and 22-year-old Valentin walked down the aisle to a courthouse in San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 28, according to their joint Instagram post.

They wrote: “After choosing to keep our relationship private, we opened the doors to them on a special day.”

The two posted a number of candid photos of them together, including the proposal at home, which she did with the “Marry Me?” Balloons. Additionally, they spent some time outside the courthouse after their wedding.

In 2020, the newlyweds met as they walked to their respective countries during the Miss Grand International pageant. Organizers flocked to congratulate Varela and Valentin on Instagram.

“Congratulations to both of you,” they said. “MGIO always support ‘LOVE’ without boundaries.”

The couple’s colleagues during the contest, such as Miss Grand International 2020 title holder, Abena Akuaba, sent their greetings. In addition, Akuaba is the first black woman to receive the crown.

“MGI brought together a beautiful union,” Akuaba said in the comments of the pair’s post.

Miss Grand International Started the Romance

Varela made it to the top 10 at the Miss Grand International 2020. To note, she’s a model for several campaigns. Furthermore, she has participated in various initiatives that counter gender violence.

Meanwhile, Valentin also ended up in the top 10 of the Miss Grand International 2020. In addition, she has served in several modeling agencies, like one headquartered in Miami.

Miss Grand International started its runoff in 2013. Here is the list of winners and venues of the show:

2013: Miss Grand Puerto Rico 2013 Janelle Chaparro, 22 (Puerto Rico)

2014: Miss Grand Cuba 2014 Lees Garcia, 27 (Cuba)

2015: Miss Grand Dominican Republic 2015 Anea Garcia, 20 (Dominican Republic)

Miss Grand Australia 2015 Claire Elizabeth Parker, 24 (Australia)

2016: Puteri Indonesia Perdamaian 2016 Ariska Putri Pertiwi, 21 (Indonesia)

2017: Miss Grand Peru 2017 Maria Jose Lora, 27 (Peru)

2018: Miss Grand Paraguay 2018 Clara Sosa, 24 (Paraguay)

2019: El Concurso by Osmel Sousa 2018 Valentina Figuera, 19 (Venezuela)

2020: Miss Grand United States of America 2020 Abena Appiah, 27 (United States)

2021: Miss Grand Vietnam 2021 Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, 23 (Vietnam)

2022: Miss Grand Brazil 2022 Isabella Menin, 25 (Brazil)

‘Harry Potter’ Star Daniel Radcliffe Opposes J.K. Rowling’s Remarks on Trans People

Music Observer Staff on November 7, 2022

The Chosen One explains why he decided to speak out against Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s comment. The author, in particular, made controversial remarks regarding transgender individuals.

As many know, Daniel Radcliffe played Harry Potter in the film adaptation of Rowling’s highly esteemed book series.

In a June 2020 interview with The Trevor Project, Radcliffe disagreed with the author’s statement on trans issues. However, Rowling is always sharing her opinions on social media and in published articles these days.

Radcliffe told IndieWire he released the statement because he felt he had to say something to Harry Potter fans above all else.

“Transgender women are women,” he wrote.

“Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo [Rowling] or I.”

Radcliffe added to his statement: “Particularly since finishing Potter, I’ve met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter on that. And so, seeing them hurt on that day, I was like.

“I wanted them to know that not everybody in the franchise felt that way. And that was really important.”

Harry Against Voldemort

The actor went on to say that if he hadn’t said anything about it, he wouldn’t have felt comfortable.

“It was really important as I’ve worked with the Trevor Project for more than ten years. And so I don’t think I would’ve been able to look myself in the mirror had I not said anything,” he said. “But it’s not mine to guess what’s going on in someone else’s head.”

Radcliffe initially entered the Trevor Project’s Circle of Hope in 2009. The program is a community of huge donors who play a vital role in the organization’s financial figurehead.

The Trevor Project is a national leader offering crisis mediation and suicide prevention services to the LGBTQ community.

The actor’s statements come after another Potter star came to Rowling’s defense, telling The New York Times that “the verbal abuse” on the author was “disgusting” and “appalling.”

Ralph Fiennes, who portrays Voldemort, said: “I mean, I can understand a viewpoint that might be angry at what she says about women.

“But it’s not some obscene, uber-right-wing fascist. It’s just a woman saying, ‘I’m a woman. And I feel I’m a woman, and I want to be able to say I’m a woman.’ And I understand where she’s coming from. Even though I’m not a woman.”

Harry Potter: 7 Books, 8 Films

Harry Potter spans seven books and eight films. Warner Bros. produced and distributed the film series.

Here are the film titles:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)

Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Goblet of Fire (2005)

Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010)

Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011)

The film series stars Radcliffe, Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), and Rupert Grint (Ronald Weasley).

Photo: The Daily Beast