Keira Knightley has said she was unaware of the calls to boycott J.K. Rowling before joining the new audiobook versions of the Harry Potter series.
Speaking to Decider while promoting her new Netflix film The Woman in Cabin 10, in which she plays a Guardian reporter, Knightley was asked if she knew that some fans were urging a boycott of the franchise. She replied that she did not and expressed regret, saying that people today must learn how to live together despite having very different opinions. She added that she hopes everyone can find respect for one another.
“I was not aware of that, no. I’m very sorry. You know, I think we’re all living in a period of time right now where we’re all going to have to figure out how to live together, aren’t we? And we’ve all got very different opinions. I hope that we can all find respect.”
Knightley will voice Professor Dolores Umbridge in the Full-Cast Audio Editions of Harry Potter, joining a large cast that includes Cush Jumbo as the narrator, Hugh Laurie as Albus Dumbledore, and Riz Ahmed as Severus Snape.
The renewed calls to boycott Rowling’s work began after her reaction to a recent UK Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman. Rowling posted a photo of herself smoking a cigar in response to the decision, which sparked fresh controversy.
Despite the backlash, Rowling has said she does not want actor Paapa Essiedu removed from the upcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation after he signed an open letter criticizing the ruling.
Rowling also reignited tensions with Harry Potter film stars Emma Watson and others over trans rights, recently calling Watson “ignorant of how ignorant she is.”
