A reporter at the Tony Awards tried to bait “Harry Potter” series star and actor Tom Felton into blasting franchise author J.K. Rowling, only for him to skillfully sidestep the issue and give a classy response.
Sunday saw the Tony Awards commence in New York City with stars like Felton making the walk and giving interviews to media members.
Felton — who became famous for his role in the series as Draco Malfoy — was asked one question in particular by a reporter about Rowling, as the bestselling author is never afraid to use her voice against transgender ideology and its erasure of women.
“Does the sort of Twitterverse controversy around J.K. Rowling’s views impact you at all or impact your work in the world at all?” the reporter asked Felton.
Although somewhat ambiguous, the question was clear enough given Rowling’s past comments. Recall in December when she stated gender surgeries on children were worse than lobotomies.
Tom Felton says the controversy around J.K. Rowling’s political views doesn’t impact him: “I’m not really that attuned to it…I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter. She’s responsible for that, so I’m incredibly grateful.” #TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/T7KSMNbFds
— Variety (@Variety) June 8, 2025
“I can’t say it does,” Felton told him. “I’m not really that attuned to it.”
“The only thing I always remind myself is that I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world — here I am in New York — and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter, and she’s responsible for that, so I’m incredibly grateful,” he said, refusing the lash out at Rowling.
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It was a great response that refused to give the media their viral moment. Felton declined to parrot some of the typical criticisms of Rowling for her refusal to concede and support transgender ideology.
Co-star Daniel Radcliffe’s poor relationship with Rowling has been very public after a split over the trans issue.
Radcliffe wrote via the Trevor Project in 2020, “Transgender women are women. 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.”
According to IGN in 2024, Radcliffe and Rowling have not spoken since 2020 after the author created a stir in saying she would not accept an apology from celebrities — in reference to Radcliffe and fellow star Emma Watson — who countenanced transgenderism.
“Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces,” she wrote via social media platform X.
Transgenderism or otherwise, celebrities are always met with groans and eyerolls when they weigh in on the current political or social landscape.
“Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning” star Tom Cruise showed his fellow celebrities how it’s done when asked about how President Donald Trump’s announcement of tariffs on filmmaking impacted production in May.
“We’d rather answer questions about the movie,” Cruise plainly said, ending the matter there.
Felton’s “just happy to be here” mentality is refreshing, to say the least. When you are a beloved, handsomely paid multimillionaire who appears on the big screen for your adoring fans, the last thing regular people want to hear from you is your take on current events.
Smile, wave, collect your paycheck, and move on.
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