90 Actresses Decline Parts in Play Criticizing J.K. Rowling’s Views on Transgender Issues

Producers are having trouble filling female roles in a play that attacks famed author J.K. Rowling’s transgender stance, with some 90 actresses turning down the offer so far.

Creators of a play called “TERF” — which stands for Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist — said their play is a “well-paid gig meeting industry standards and the script is terrific,” but still nearly 100 aspiring actresses have said no thanks, Red State reported.

“This project has met some kind of resistance every step of the way, though I’ve been generally surprised by how difficult it has been for us to recruit the female cast in particular,” creative producer Barry Church-Woods told the Telegraph.

“I think it’s fair to say that a few things are coming into play in casting,” he added.

🎭 A play that criticises JK Rowling’s views on gender is struggling to cast women with 90 actresses so far rejecting parts.

Read more here ⬇️https://t.co/Iwmz1gaH4h pic.twitter.com/9MyPhj5ZZm

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 13, 2024

The production has cast the male roles but 90 actresses have turned down the parts of Rowling and Watson amid concerns over the play’s criticism of the famed author, the Telegraph suggested.

The fictional play includes an intervention by “Harry Potter” stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint against Rowling to get her to change her views. All three of the “Harry Potter” stars have publicly slammed the author over her support of biological women over trans-identifying males.

The play is expected to debut at the Edinburgh Fringe. A description of the production read, “Jo led a blessed life. Literary phenomenon. Cultural icon. And beloved. Completely beloved … until everything went to hell in a broombasket. Now, Jo’s surrogate children – Daniel, Rupert, and Emma – have had enough. It’s time for an intervention.”

“Except Jo isn’t in the mood for an intervention, especially not one organized by three A-list Judases,” it added. “But the battle lines have already been drawn. She might not have started this war, but she’ll end it – with a smile. When she learns the cost of victory, though, it could be too high for even her to pay…”

In 2020, Radcliffe wrote an essay for The Trevor Project and apologized for “the pain” Rowling’s comments may have caused transgenders, as The Daily Wire previously reported.

“Transgender women are women,”  the actor said at the time in the essay. “Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional healthcare associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo [Rowling] or [me].”

In a series of posts on X, Watson wrote, “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are. I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.”

Grint previously stated, “I firmly stand with the trans community and echo the sentiments expressed by many of my peers. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment.”

Amanda Harding contributed to this piece.

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