Watching the casting of HBO’s forthcoming Harry Potter TV show has been a grueling experience. “Oh no, not John Lithgow!” we all cried. “Peter Serafinowicz, what are you doing?!” “Warwick Davis!” And so on. So it’s with quite some delight that I bring to you the unimprovable response of Black Mirror director Ally Pankiw (via The Hollywood Reporter) when she was asked if she was interested on working on the show: “Absolutely fucking not!” And that inspired fellow director Kate Herron (Loki, Sex Education) to join in, explaining that she’s had to tell the production “no” twice.
HBO’s decision to remake the already-filmed Harry Potter books in 2026 has been viewed with a fair few raised eyebrows, primarily because the books’ author, J.K. Rowling, has become the crowned queen of transphobic rhetoric and, with her billions, she’s provided huge amounts of financial support for anti-trans ideas and policies in the UK. But also, you know, those books are turning 20 years old next year, and they already made a bunch of pretty good movies. It’s an odd choice.
What’s been more galling is seeing so many big names willing to attach themselves to a project that’s inescapably going to further line the pockets of the billionaire who seems to spend most of her days inciting hate toward trans people. Of course, everyone who has said no is less likely to say so in public, so we do get a rather one-sided perspective of the entertainment industry appearing to be putting issues aside in favor of a nice big check.
So step forward Ally Pankiw, who posted an image of a conversation with her agent on her Instagram. “I have an instinct on the answer,” wrote her agent, “but I feel compelled to ask,” then tentatively adding, “Harry Potter? Hard no?”
“Absolutely fucking not! lol” replied Pankiw, before politely adding, “(But thank you for asking!)”
“Of course,” said the agent, “I assumed as much. (And agree).”
Pankiw then added a comment to her post. “It simply is this easy to say no to funding transphobia!”
Kate Herron then replied. “Yeah thank you exactly! Respect and love to you Ally.” The director then noted that she too has been pursued to be part of the project. “They’ve asked me twice and I’ve had to explain my answer is never gonna change from a no.”
THR points out that some people involved in the new Harry Potter production have spoken out against Rowling. Bel Powley, who is playing the ghastly Aunt Petunia Dursley, has said, “I strongly disagree with J.K. Rowling’s views on gender. I think the trans community deserve safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance.” Nick Frost, another name that was hugely disappointing to see involved as Hagrid, was slightly less forthright. “She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form.”
The TV show is due to start with eight episodes on HBO December 25 this year, although given the years-long gaps between HBO seasons it’ll be hard to see how it can avoid any new audience from aging out should it continue, let alone its young cast all being in their 30s by the time the series reaches the events of book four.
