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Released on January 1st, 2022 on Max, theHarry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwartsreunion special saw the franchise’s lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, followed by Tom Felton and others. However, fans stickingly noticed the absence of theHarry Potterseries’ author, J.K. Rowling from the event.
Despite being invited, as the sole creator of the Wizarding World, J.K. Rowling declined the invitation, and her refusal sparked chaos and speculation. Fans started assuming that Rowling avoided the event because of the massive backlash she faced for her anti-trans views. However, the author later clarified the reason behind her conspicuous absence fromHarry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts.
J.K. Rowling’s Absence from theHarry PotterReunion Sparked Controversies
When HBO in collaboration with Warner Bros. came up withHarry Potterreunion –Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, it turned out to be a momentous event for fans of the franchise worldwide. Featuring the iconic leadsDaniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, andEmma Watson, alongside Tom Felton andother fan-favorite actors, the reunion special became a cherished experience for all.
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However, while the veteran principal cast members, the four directors of the film series, and producer David Heyman appeared on the anniversary special, fans noticed one person’s absence from the event. It was none other than the renowned author of theHarry PotterseriesJ.K. Rowling. Although the author was featured through a 30-second clip from archival footage of interviews, Rowling didn’t show up in real-time.
Despite being invited, as J.K. Rowling declined the invitation, her absence fromHarry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwartssparked controversies. Witnessing her sole presence in the reunion special through a 30-second clip from 2019, fans were quick to speculate the reasons behind her absence. As chaos spread like wildfire, netizens began assuming that perhaps her absence had something to do with themassive backlash that she faced for voicing her sentimentsagainst the trans community.
Rowling Explained Why She Denied Being a Part of theHarry PotterReunion
As speculations and controversies started overflowing, J.K. Rowling was seemingly forced to address her absence fromHarry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts. The author, therefore, came out clean on why she actually denied the invitation while speaking with Graham Norton onVirgin Radio UK, archived byThe Rowling Library. The author debunked viewers’ presumption of her absence from the event.
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“I was asked to be on that. I decided I didn’t want to do it. I thought it was about the films more than the books, quite rightly, that was what the anniversary was about. No one said ‘don’t’. I was asked to do it and I decided not to.”
Clarifying that she was actually invited to the reunion event, J.K. Rowling admitted to denying the invitation. The author explained how her decision was solely based on what she had assumed the reunion might be about. Rowling claimed that while she expected the event to be more about the books, they were actually focused on the films. Therefore, she denied participation.
Further, according toEW, it was J.K. Rowling’s team who “determined the archived comments from the writer were adequate”. Meanwhile, although Rowling skipped the anniversary special, she later made a rare public appearance at the red carpet premiere of theHarry Potterspinoff film,Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwartsis available on Max.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3218
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
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Daniel RadcliffeEmma WatsonJ.K. RowlingRupert grint
