Shaun of the Dead actor Nick Frost has disabled comments on a post celebrating his casting in HBO’s Harry Potter series, after fans reacted with upset over his involvement.

HBO announced yesterday (14 April) that the 53-year-old British actor, known for Hot Fuzz and The World’s End, will star as half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in its TV adaptation of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter novels.

While mega fans of Rowling’s wizarding world have praised HBO’s casting team for lining up Frost as Hagrid, others have taken aim at Frost and his fellow future Harry Potter stars over their involvement in a series being executively produced by Rowling.

JK Rowling has repeatedly made her ‘gender-critical’ views on the transgender community clear, while she was recently criticised by asexual campaigners for branding International Asexuality Day “fake oppression” day.

Comments have now been disabled on his celebration post after fans pointed out that he would be working on a Rowling project.

Still, those disappointed in the star’s decision to be involved in Rowling’s work have begun flooding the comment sections on his other posts, with one reading: “You always were an artist I highly admired. Please think again if you want to get involved with that woman, you might lose a lot of fans with that decision.”

  • jpreston2005@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    15
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    3 days ago

    being a jk rowling fan*

    We’re all still allowed to like Harry Potter, just like we’re still allowed to dance to Michael Jackson songs

    • Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      3 days ago

      A vast majority of people on lemmy can’t separate the art from the artists (or the people who enjoy the art while acknowledging the shittiness of the artists)

      • Rogue@feddit.uk
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        edit-2
        3 days ago

        Indeed.

        For many of us Harry Potter was a significant part of our childhoods. It’s a great story with a satisfying ending. There was incredible excitement for each book, and the films weren’t bad either.

        The world is already miserable enough I’m not willing to expunge something that has brought me joy.

        We absolutely should denounce JK Rowling and her abhorrent statements. I have no idea why people continue to give her a platform. She’s one of the names on my filter list because I refuse to let her vile thoughts be given any of my attention.

        • OccultIconoclast@reddthat.comOP
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          2 days ago

          It’s a great story

          Is your favourite part the defence of slavery, the racist names, the Jewish caricatures, the belittling of women, or the arc about how rape babies are evil?

      • jpreston2005@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        2 days ago

        financially supporting someone who is actively dismantling our government at the whim of an increasingly authoritarian traitor is quite a bit different then enjoying a michael jackson song when it comes on the radio, or re-reading/watching harry potter.

        • iheartneopets@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          2 days ago

          But it isn’t when it comes to Harry Potter. The reason I made the comparison is that JK Rowling is also a billionaire using her wealth to influence legislation against trans people. They are more similar than they are different. Buying Harry Potter stuff puts money directly into her pockets to further her TERF goals.

          Michael Jackson is a bit more gray.

          • jpreston2005@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            1 day ago

            I mean, don’t buy new HP stuff, you can find it used literally everywhere (or just sail the high seas). I just said it’s OK to enjoy it, not give that cunt more money.

            Shit, man, I still refuse to eat chik filet.

            • iheartneopets@lemm.ee
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              1 day ago

              Okay, but maybe specify that next time. The masses won’t buy used stuff unless prompted, and a blanket statement of ‘it’s okay to like Harry Potter’ without any nuance attached is just gonna give people permission to feel comfortable buying merch, games, Lego, other branded shit which goes directly to her pocket book.

      • domdanial@reddthat.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        2 days ago

        If you like and want to buy a Tesla for reasons other than supporting Musk or his companies, I’d hear the argument. But there are better choices in vehicles for every reason I can think of, and expensive luxury electric vehicles can be had without it being a Tesla.

    • SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      3 days ago

      100%. I still enjoy reading Asimov and Heinlein despite them being bigots. I just don’t support the behavior and call it out for being bad when I see it.