J.K. Rowling Defended by Warner Bros. After Question About Her Is Banned at 'Harry Potter' Event

After a PR team stops an interviewer from asking Tom Felton a question about the author's absence from the 25th anniversary of 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' celebrations, the studio shows support to her.

Jun 30, 2022

AceShowbiz - J.K. Rowling has been defended by Warner Bros. after a question about her was blocked at a "Harry Potter" event. After a Sky News reporter was stopped from asking actor Tom Felton about her on the 25th anniversary of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", the "Harry Potter" writer found herself being supported by the studio.

34-year-old Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the "Harry Potter" films, stayed silent as a third-party publicist said off screen "next question please" when asked about Rowling's absence from the anniversary celebrations.

After being questioned on why the line of enquiry was cut short, the PR team said, "J.K. Rowling is not connected to Warner or Tom Felton, the team felt it was not relevant to the piece." Warner Bros., however, has hit out at the statement and told MailOnline on Wednesday, June 29, it was "wholly wrong."

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The studio added it was proud of working with "one of the world's most accomplished storytellers" on both the "Harry Potter" and "Fantastic Beasts" franchises in the last two decades.

Felton was being interviewed on camera in late June at the "Mandrakes and Magical Creatures" feature at Warner Brothers Studios when the incident happened. A Warner Bros Studio Tour London spokesperson told the MailOnline, "Warner Bros has enjoyed a creative, productive, and fulfilling partnership with JK Rowling for the past 20 years."

"She is one of the world's most accomplished storytellers, and we are proud to be the studio to bring her vision, characters, and stories to life now - and for decades to come," the rep added. "On Monday, a statement was issued by a third-party media agency that appeared contrary to this view. The statement was wholly wrong, and Warner Bros Studio Tour London regrets it happened as part of a media event that day."

J.K. Rowling has been under scrutiny over her position on women's rights and gender. She faced accusations of transphobia after she mocked an online article in June 2020 that used the words "people who menstruate" instead of "women." She later defended herself against the claims in an essay but has since been criticized by some.