Actor Katherine Parkinson, who will play Molly Weasley in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series, is the latest cast member to be asked about her stance on the ongoing debate surrounding author J.K. Rowling, who’s also an executive producer on the new show.
Parkinson, who will take on the role filled by Julie Walters in the Harry Potter films, is currently best known for the hit British sitcom The IT Crowd (2006 – 2013). She’s one of 22 confirmed actors in the lineup, which includes Nick Frost (Rubeus Hagrid), John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore), Paapa Essiedu (Severus Snape), and Paul Whitehouse (Argus Filch).
Katherine Parkinson will play Molly Weasley in HBO’s #HarryPotter series.
The project has garnered plenty of controversy since it was first announced, in part because it’s a reboot of a beloved film series, but largely because of its association with J.K. Rowling, who has come under fire repeatedly over the years due to her divisive gender-critical views.
Now, an attempt has been made to bring Parkinson into the heated debate, but she said she’s not interested in taking sides or adding to the conversation.
In an interview with RadioTimes.com, she was asked if the heat surrounding Rowling gave her any doubts about joining the upcoming series, to which she replied, “I don’t want to add to that debate at all. I’m just delighted to be joining the magical world of Harry Potter.
Comparisons to Tom Felton’s Comments Are Inevitable
Parkinson’s response will likely be compared to comments made by actor Tom Felton, who will reprise his role as Draco Malfoy in the Broadway version of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. When asked in June whether Rowling’s views affect him, said, “I can’t say it does. I’m not really that attuned to it.”
He added, “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.”
Credit: Warner Bros.
Molly Weasley Won’t Be in Seasons 1 Through 3 Much
However, Parkinson did reveal in the interview that her character Molly Weasley “isn’t in it [the new series] that much” until Season 4.
“So, as far as I can tell, because it’s very important to me to work as little as possible – always has been – I’m not going to be terribly needed for it,” she continued.
She added that, as the Harry Potter series will be filmed at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, Watford, she won’t be a “long way away” from the shooting locations of her other current projects. “I’m hoping I’ll be very free to do whatever I want,” she said.
Credit: Inside the Magic
Harry Potter TV Series Cast
In addition to Parkinson, Lithgow, Frost, Whitehouse, and Essiedu, the Harry Potter TV series also stars Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall), Luke Thallon (Quirinus Quirrell), Louise Brealey (Madam Rolanda Hooch), Anton Lesser (Garrick Ollivander), Johnny Flynn (Lucius Malfoy), Bel Powley (Petunia Dursley), Daniel Rigby (Vernon Dursley), and Bertie Carvel (Cornelius Fudge).
The younger cast includes Dominic McLaughlin (Harry Potter), Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley), Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger), Leo Early (Seamus Finnigan), Alessia Leoni (Parvati Patil), Sienna Moosah (Lavender Brown), Lox Pratt (Draco Malfoy), Rory Wilmot (Neville Longbottom), and Amos Kitson (Dudley Dursley).
There’s no release date for the Harry Potter TV series.
Credit: Warner Bros.
