Nick Frost has appeared to take action after reportedly facing backlash over the Harry Potter TV series.
The actor and comedian, 53, has officially been announced as the new Hagrid, taking over from the late Robbie Coltrane who starred in the original films.
Frost joins John Lithgow, who has now been confirmed as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall.
Luke Thallon will also be playing Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse will be Squib caretaker Argus Filch.
Taking to Instagram to share the news yesterday with a selfie holding up the first of JK Rowling’s books, Frost wrote: ‘You’re a wizard, Harry!!!
‘Thank you for trusting me with such a loyal, gentle and courageous half-giant like Rubeus Hagrid. Robbie, I promise I won’t let you down.’
The comments on his post have been turned off, with some people now speculating Frost was receiving backlash over the announcement.
Who’s in the confirmed cast list for the Harry Potter TV series so far?
At this point, the officially confirmed cast members set to star in the Harry Potter TV reboot are…
Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch
John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall
Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid
Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell
He is however facing backlash on recent Instagram posts for which the comments are turned on for.
One, written by @secondaactbakeshop, reads: ‘This is so sad, are you just going to keep turning off comments and deleting posts to avoid legitimate criticism from your fans? If you do this HP show, you will have to answer for JK and excuse her comments for the rest of your career. Is that what you want?’
@maliceblack said: ‘Wow I see you’ve not allowed comments on your Harry Potter announcement, I wonder why?! So utterly disappointed in you, why would you have anything to do with JK Rowling and her trans hate? Urgh so sad I thought you were a cool person but apparently not.’
‘The fact you’ve turned comments off on the previous post shows you know exactly why taking that role is a poor decision. You’ve lost the respect of millions, and I’m so disappointed in one of my favourite actors of all time. I thought you were better than this,’ @jsphmcr added.
The Harry Potter TV series has been mired in controversy, with some fans saying they plan to boycott the TV series after Rowling’s comments about the trans community.
The author, 59, has been criticised heavily for expressing views that have been deemed by some to be transphobic.
Several members of the Harry Potter movie cast have been critical of Rowling’s views on trans people including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, while others like Miriam Margolyes and Ralph Fiennes have defended her.
What did JK Rowling say?
In 2020, Rowling expressed her views on an article which referred to ‘people who menstruate’, questioning why the term ‘women’ was not used.
She then went on: ‘If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.
‘The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women—i.e., to male violence—‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences—is a nonsense.
‘I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.’
Her comments led to a wave of backlash with people branding the writer transphobic and explaining that it’s not just cis-gender women who menstruate, while many who were once fans of Rowling’s work saying they’d now distanced themselves from the author.
Meanwhile Radcliffe shared in a statement: ‘ feel compelled to say something at this moment. Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.’
He added: ‘It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm.’
Watson shared on X: ‘Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are. I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you, and love you for who you are.’
And Grint told The Times: ‘I firmly stand with the trans community and echo the sentiments expressed by many of my peers. Trans women are women. Trans men are men.’
Stars including Bonnie Wright and Evanna Lynch have also spoken out in support of the transgender community.
Comments have also been turned off on the main Harry Potter page’s Instagram post announcing the casting news, while Essiedu’s Instagram comments are limited after he’s had to deal with vile racism.
But fans have taken to X to share their thoughts, with @WizardingNews alleging: ‘Actor Nick Frost is currently getting destroyed on his Instagram for willingly joining the cast of JK Rowling’s new Harry Potter TV show reboot & tacitly supporting her irredeemable bigotry. It’s so bad he disabled comments on a post holding up a Harry Potter book. Not great…’
‘Honestly, I am shocked by him. I genuinely had more faith in him,’ X user Sam replied.
Larissa said: ‘His own fault, seems he values quick money higher than human rights or destroying his career.’
@Steeeeeeevens also claimed: ‘Lmao nick frost turned off the comments on his Instagram post about doing the new Harry Potter show. Sorry, man, those are the lumps you gotta take when you decide to do the terf show.’
@CounsellingSam elsewhere wrote: ‘Why would you want to tank your career by associating with the World’s Biggest Transphobe, JK ROWLING?’
Frost has previously held roles in Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World’s End and leant his voice to Ice Age, Phineas and Ferb, and Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob.
He is also set to star in the upcoming film How To Train Your Dragon.
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Further casting details have yet to be announced, though it’s been said Cillian Murphy would make a convincing Voldemort, taking over from Ralph Fiennes, who famously portrayed the evil wizard in all eight films.
Earlier this year, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav addressed the future of the Harry Potter TV show, revealing the intention for it to air for a whole decade.
‘When we launch Harry Potter in a year, a little over a year, we’ll have 10 consecutive years of Harry Potter, and be able to amortize that globally, around the world,’ he said, according to sports media outlet Awful Announcing.
The drama is expected to launch in 2026 or 2027.
Metro has approached Nick Frost’s reps for comment.
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