"Harry Potter" actress Evanna Lynch condemned cancel culture and defended J.K. Rowling’s political views during a recent interview with U.K. outlet, The Telegraph.
Lynch, who played character Luna Lovegood in several of the films in Rowling’s wizarding universe, spoke to the outlet about politics, including her perspective on the dangers of cancel culture and offered a defense of Rowling’s controversial views.
Lynch explained that she grew up near the border of Northern Ireland, an area heavily shaped by the conflict that occurred during the latter half of the 20th century. The actress noted that a recent experience learning about a cast mates’ different views on the "Troubles" –as those in the U.K. refer to the conflict – helped her to realize the true nature of cancel culture.
She claimed that a similar kind of division that existed between those wanting Northern Ireland free and those wanting it to be with the U.K. is affecting society-at-large today.
She said, "I’d had this nice chat with one of the cast – he was so friendly. And then when it got to his turn to share about himself, he said he was a unionist, Protestant, and that he would have seen some of the political figures on the republican side as the devil. I immediately had this sense of ‘Ahh! I thought you were one of us!’"
She added, "I was sort of holding on to this righteous republican angle, but I live in London. I’m enjoying the benefits of the British Empire, I love my life here, so I think it was right that I’ve been challenged."
Tying the experience to modern cancel culture, Lynch explained, "During the height of the Troubles, the way of dealing with it was to kind of shut down people who disagree with you. And I do see a parallel in today’s whole cancel culture thing. I just don’t feel comfortable with this idea that if you don’t like what people are saying, you silence them."
She then offered a chilling prediction of where cancel culture will go next, saying, "I do think the next step is violence, really. I think it’s a similar mindset."
The topic of cancel culture turned to talk of Rowling, who has been the victim of efforts to have her canceled for expressing that womanhood is tied to biological sex.
After "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe denounced Rowling, Lynch provided a somewhat more nuanced take on the author on social media, writing, "I won’t be helping to marginalize trans women and men further. I think it’s irresponsible to discuss such a delicate topic over Twitter through fragmented thoughts and I wish Jo wouldn’t … That said, as a friend and admirer of Jo I can’t forget what a generous and loving person she is."
The fact that Lynch maintained friendly feelings towards Rowling earned her backlash from activists determined to brand Rowling as a "transphobe." Meanwhile, the media had lumped her in with the actors admonishing the author. Lynch eventually deleted her Twitter account due to the social media fury over the Rowling tweets.
However, Lynch told The Telegraph that her past judgment of Rowling, though it was less condemning than her colleagues’ views, was still too one-sided.
She said, "I was very naive when I was dragged into that conversation. I didn’t even know there were two sides. I had a view of, like, good and bad. I do have compassion for both sides of the argument. I know what it was like to be a teenager who hated my body so much I wanted to crawl out of my skin, so I have great compassion for trans people and I don’t want to add to their pain."
Lynch defended Rowling’s views, saying, "I do also think it’s important that JK Rowling has been amplifying the voices of detransitioners. I had this impulse to go, ‘Let’s all just stop talking about it’, and I think probably I’m a bit braver now about having uncomfortable conversations."
