After HBO first announced Nick Frost in the role of Hagrid in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot, I nearly lost my mind. I mean, the casting couldn’t be more perfect. The Shaun of the Dead actor was literally born to play the lovable half-giant with a heart the size of a hippogriff. FYI, even Frost manifested the role. But now, on a recent note, he literally proved why he’s worthy of donning the pink umbrella.
Nick Frost called out J.K. Rowling’s controversial views on trans rights after he was forced to switch off his comments following backlash from the trans community for accepting the role in her franchise. Frost made it crystal clear that he doesn’t agree with her, and honestly, that takes some serious Gryffindor courage. As someone who grew up loving Hagrid for being kind and brave, I think we just found the perfect real-life version.
Nick Frost separated his views from J.K. Rowling’s controversial opinions
Did you know Nick Frost “manifested” his Hagrid casting by writing down the character’s name “5,000 times”? I mean, the amount of dedication and commitment he showed, someone needs to tell him, “Yer a wizard, Nick!” But, I believe that real magic in Frost’s casting came not from a flying motorcycle or a pink umbrella—it came from his backbone.
After dropping the big casting news on Instagram, Nick Frost had to turn off comments because people were upset he took a role in something linked to J.K. Rowling, given her past anti-trans comments. But instead of just shutting himself from further backlash, Frost stood tall—half-giant style—and clarified, “I don’t agree with her.”
Well, that’s the kind of honesty even Veritaserum couldn’t force out of most celebrities. But according to his interview with The Observer newspaper, Nick Frost clarified that J.K. Rowling’s views don’t reflect his own. He further added that maybe instead of hoping the whole debate just disappears, it’s time we should talk about it and learn.
She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape, or form. I don’t know [whether the debate might overshadow the series] but maybe it shouldn’t blow over? We shouldn’t just hope it will go away, because it makes it easier. Maybe we should educate ourselves.
And that’s exactly why I think Nick Frost is the perfect Hagrid. Not just because he’s got the look or the lovable gruffness, but because of the values he carries. Hagrid was always the one who stood up for outcasts and misfits—half-giants, hippogriffs, even misunderstood spiders. He didn’t care what people thought; he cared about what was right. And that’s exactly what Frost did here.
Robbie Coltrane and Tom Felton refused to turn their backs on the author
Now, while Nick Frost was busy showing some Gryffindor guts, the OG Harry Potter fam took a more Slytherin route—loyal, but slippery.
Let’s start with Tom Felton, aka Draco “my father will hear about this” Malfoy. He’s been pretty diplomatic about J.K. Rowling since 2022. While most of his young castmates were calling out the author, and even facing Rowling’s wrath on X, Felton has been dodging the controversies like a bludger.
Even on a recent note, in the wake of his casting in the Harry Potter Broadway play, Tom Felton was asked by Variety, whether J.K. Rowling’s views “impact you at all or impact your work in the world of Harry Potter at all”. To which, the actor walking the red carpet at the Tony Awards, noted that it doesn’t impact him.
No, I can’t say it does. I’m not really that attuned to it. 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.
Well, not just him, even the original Hagrid actor, late legend Robbie Coltrane outright defended J. K. Rowling in 2020, saying people were too easily offended. During his interview with the Radio Times (via The Independent), Coltrane called the backlash a product of the “Twitter generation” and basically said, “get over it.”
I don’t think what she said was offensive really. I don’t know why but there’s a whole Twitter generation of people who hang around waiting to be offended. They wouldn’t have won the war, would they? That’s me talking like a grumpy old man, but you just think, ‘Oh, get over yourself. Wise up, stand up straight, and carry on’.
It’s wild how two Hagrids can be so different. One defended the creator, the other defended the people her words hurt. And while everyone’s allowed their opinion (as even Frost said), it’s refreshing to see someone step into Hagrid’s boots and actually live up to his spirit. Not just in appearance or gruff charm, but in values too.
Harry Potter films are currently streaming in the US on HBO Max.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
