After struggling to explain her views on gender identity, British author J.K. Rowling has revealed that she's a survivor of domestic violence.

Gravitas: J.K. Rowling details 'scars of abuse'

<p>Actor Rupert Grint is the latest member of the `Harry Potter` family to respond to<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jk-rowlings-tweet-about-people-who-menstruate-slammed-by-followers-called-transphobic-304137"> JK Rowling`s recent comments</a> on transgender individuals.<br />
<br />
According to Fox News, last weekend, the 54-year-old author, posted a tweet mocking an article that made reference to "people who menstruate," urging writers to use the term "woman."<br />
<br />
The statement annoyed many fans, who condemned the comments as transphobic, to which she responded on Twitter.<br />
Rowling wrote, "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."</p>

<h3><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jk-rowling-reveals-past-abuse-and-defends-right-to-speak-on-trans-issues-305455">JK Rowling reveals past abuse and defends right to speak on trans issues</a></h3>

<p>Fans also condemned her second statement, prompting her to pen an essay on the matter, attempting to explain her perspective.</p>

<p>Now, Grint, one of the stars of the `Harry Potter` film franchise, has spoken out himself.The actor said in a statement obtained by The Sunday 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. We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment."<br />
<br />
Grint joined his `Harry Potter' co-actors <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/daniel-radcliffe-reacts-to-jk-rowlings-controversial-tweet-says-transgender-women-are-women-304478">Daniel Radcliffe </a>and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/emma-watson-comments-on-jk-rowlings-controversial-tweet-trans-people-are-who-they-say-they-are-305016">Emma Watson</a> in supporting transgender individuals after Rowling`s statements.<br />
<br />
Radcliffe, wrote in an essay published online,"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."</p>

<p>Watson, too, shared a tweet and wrote, "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."<br />
<br />
Similarly, Eddie Redmayne, who has starred in the `Harry Potter` spin-off franchise `Fantastic Beasts,` also penned by Rowling, said he disagreed with the writer`s point of view.<br />
<br />
The 38-year-old actor said, "As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand. I disagree with Jo`s comments."</p>


Actor Rupert Grint is the latest member of the `Harry Potter` family to respond to JK Rowling`s recent comments on transgender individuals. According to Fox News, last weekend, the 54-year-old author, posted a tweet mocking an article that made reference to "people who menstruate," urging writers to use the term "woman.

Actor Rupert Grint is the latest member of the `Harry Potter` family to respond to JK Rowling`s recent comments on transgender individuals. According to Fox News, last weekend, the 54-year-old author, posted a tweet mocking an article that made reference to "people who menstruate," urging writers to use the term "woman." The statement annoyed many fans, who condemned the comments as transphobic, to which she responded on Twitter. Rowling wrote, "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." JK Rowling reveals past abuse and defends right to speak on trans issues Fans also condemned her second statement, prompting her to pen an essay on the matter, attempting to explain her perspective. Now, Grint, one of the stars of the `Harry Potter` film franchise, has spoken out himself.The actor said in a statement obtained by The Sunday 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. We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment." Grint joined his `Harry Potter' co-actors Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in supporting transgender individuals after Rowling`s statements. Radcliffe, wrote in an essay published online,"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." Watson, too, shared a tweet and wrote, "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." Similarly, Eddie Redmayne, who has starred in the `Harry Potter` spin-off franchise `Fantastic Beasts,` also penned by Rowling, said he disagreed with the writer`s point of view. The 38-year-old actor said, "As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand. I disagree with Jo`s comments."

Rupert Grint on JK Rowling's gender comments: 'Trans women are women. Trans men are men'

<p>Author JK Rowling has defended her right to speak about trans issues without fear of abuse in an essay published on her website in which she revealed painful details from her past.</p>

<p>The Harry Potter creator has long been criticised by trans activists who have accused her of transphobia over her comments on social media, including a Twitter post on Saturday in which she criticised the use of the phrase "people who menstruate" in an article referring to girls, women and gender non-binary persons.</p>

<p>"I know it's time to explain myself on an issue surrounded by toxicity," Rowling wrote in a 3,600 word essay.</p>

<p>Rowling said she believed most trans people posed zero threat to others, were vulnerable and deserved protection. But she gave examples of where she thought demands by trans activists were dangerous to women.</p>

<p>"When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he's a woman ... then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside."</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-jk-rowling-details-scars-of-abuse-305489/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>In the essay, Rowling said she was a survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault and that the trauma of those experiences informed some of her feelings about women's rights. She also said she has wondered whether she might have sought to transition to being a man had she been born 30 years later.</p>

<p>She said she had received abuse for her views including being told she was "literally killing people with your hate." She said she refused to "bow down to a movement that I believe is doing demonstrable harm in seeking to erode 'woman' as a political and biological class."<br />
Rowling said she understood why trans activists consider the use of phrases like "people who menstruate" as a way of including trans women but said it was demeaning to many women.</p>

<p>"For those of us who've had degrading slurs spat at us by violent men, it's not neutral, it's hostile and alienating."</p>

<p>Rowling has drawn criticism from the LGBT community and actors including Eddie Redmayne and Daniel Radcliffe, who feature in the Harry Potter films, for her views.<br />
But she won support from some in the trans community, including Israeli pop singer Dana International.</p>

<p>"Sometimes the community goes to unnecessary wars with people who are totally with us," the Israeli artist said on Instagram.</p>


Author JK Rowling has defended her right to speak about trans issues without fear of abuse in an essay published on her website in which she revealed painful details from her past.

Author JK Rowling has defended her right to speak about trans issues without fear of abuse in an essay published on her website in which she revealed painful details from her past. The Harry Potter creator has long been criticised by trans activists who have accused her of transphobia over her comments on social media, including a Twitter post on Saturday in which she criticised the use of the phrase "people who menstruate" in an article referring to girls, women and gender non-binary persons. "I know it's time to explain myself on an issue surrounded by toxicity," Rowling wrote in a 3,600 word essay. Rowling said she believed most trans people posed zero threat to others, were vulnerable and deserved protection. But she gave examples of where she thought demands by trans activists were dangerous to women. "When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he's a woman ... then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside." In the essay, Rowling said she was a survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault and that the trauma of those experiences informed some of her feelings about women's rights. She also said she has wondered whether she might have sought to transition to being a man had she been born 30 years later. She said she had received abuse for her views including being told she was "literally killing people with your hate." She said she refused to "bow down to a movement that I believe is doing demonstrable harm in seeking to erode 'woman' as a political and biological class." Rowling said she understood why trans activists consider the use of phrases like "people who menstruate" as a way of including trans women but said it was demeaning to many women. "For those of us who've had degrading slurs spat at us by violent men, it's not neutral, it's hostile and alienating." Rowling has drawn criticism from the LGBT community and actors including Eddie Redmayne and Daniel Radcliffe, who feature in the Harry Potter films, for her views. But she won support from some in the trans community, including Israeli pop singer Dana International. "Sometimes the community goes to unnecessary wars with people who are totally with us," the Israeli artist said on Instagram.

JK Rowling reveals past abuse and defends right to speak on trans issues

<p>Domestic abuse campaigners on Friday expressed outrage at a front-page story in Britain's The Sun tabloid where the ex-husband of "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling defended hitting her.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jk-rowlings-tweet-about-people-who-menstruate-slammed-by-followers-called-transphobic-304137"><strong>Also read: JK Rowling's tweet about 'people who menstruate' slammed by followers, called transphobic</strong></a><br />
<br />
Rowling revealed this week that she suffered domestic abuse in her first marriage and a "serious sexual assault" in her twenties.</p>

<p>The Sun carried an interview on Friday with the British author's first husband, Jorge Arantes, under the front-page headline: "I slapped JK and I'm not sorry."</p>

<p>It said that when asked about her comments, he said: "I slapped Joanne -- but there was not sustained abuse. I'm not sorry for slapping her."</p>

<p>Jane Keeper, director of operations at domestic abuse charity Refuge, said the headline "is as irresponsible as it is disappointing".</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">THE SUN: I slapped JK and I’m not sorry <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TomorrowsPapersToday?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TomorrowsPapersToday</a> <a href="https://t.co/7FRk8n65g2">pic.twitter.com/7FRk8n65g2</a></p>
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) <a href="https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1271201178781712388?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>"What this has done is give national media coverage to a perpetrator of domestic abuse to attempt to justify his actions," she said.</p>

<p>She said the headline was particularly "shocking" given the timing, with calls to Refuge's abuse helpline increasing by 66 per cent during the coronavirus lockdown.</p>

<p>"What sort of message does this front page send to survivors? That their abuser will be given national media headlines to justify their actions? That their abuse is legitimate? That it doesn't matter?" she asked.</p>

<p>Scottish Women's Aid, a charity in Scotland where Rowling now lives, said the front page was "repulsive".</p>

<p>"Hundreds of thousands of women and children in Scotland who are living with, or have survived, the terror and trauma of domestic abuse just got a virtual slap by The Sun. For-profit," it said.</p>

<p>For decades, victims of abuse have chosen not to speak out because the community around them "would minimise their pain and betrayal and use their words against them", it said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Their abuser would use the platform to shame and blame them. And nothing would change. Today The Sun is that abuser," it said.</p>

<p>In a statement, The Sun said it was "disgusted" by the comments made by Rowling's ex-husband and noted it had branded him "sick" in its coverage.</p>

<p>"It was certainly not our intention to 'enable' or 'glorify' domestic abuse, our intention was to expose a perpetrator's total lack of remorse. Our sympathies are always with the victims," it said.</p>

<p>Rowling revealed her abuse in a lengthy blog post in which she sought to explain her comments about transgender women, which have sparked controversy.</p>

<p>She has emphasised the importance of biological sex and expressed concern about women-only spaces, but has been accused of being transphobic and faced intense abuse on social media.</p>


Domestic abuse campaigners on Friday expressed outrage at a front-page story in Britain's The Sun tabloid where the ex-husband of "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling defended hitting her.

Domestic abuse campaigners on Friday expressed outrage at a front-page story in Britain's The Sun tabloid where the ex-husband of "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling defended hitting her. Also read: JK Rowling's tweet about 'people who menstruate' slammed by followers, called transphobic Rowling revealed this week that she suffered domestic abuse in her first marriage and a "serious sexual assault" in her twenties. The Sun carried an interview on Friday with the British author's first husband, Jorge Arantes, under the front-page headline: "I slapped JK and I'm not sorry." It said that when asked about her comments, he said: "I slapped Joanne -- but there was not sustained abuse. I'm not sorry for slapping her." Jane Keeper, director of operations at domestic abuse charity Refuge, said the headline "is as irresponsible as it is disappointing". THE SUN: I slapped JK and I’m not sorry #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/7FRk8n65g2 — Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) June 11, 2020 × "What this has done is give national media coverage to a perpetrator of domestic abuse to attempt to justify his actions," she said. She said the headline was particularly "shocking" given the timing, with calls to Refuge's abuse helpline increasing by 66 per cent during the coronavirus lockdown. "What sort of message does this front page send to survivors? That their abuser will be given national media headlines to justify their actions? That their abuse is legitimate? That it doesn't matter?" she asked. Scottish Women's Aid, a charity in Scotland where Rowling now lives, said the front page was "repulsive". "Hundreds of thousands of women and children in Scotland who are living with, or have survived, the terror and trauma of domestic abuse just got a virtual slap by The Sun. For-profit," it said. For decades, victims of abuse have chosen not to speak out because the community around them "would minimise their pain and betrayal and use their words against them", it said. "Their abuser would use the platform to shame and blame them. And nothing would change. Today The Sun is that abuser," it said. In a statement, The Sun said it was "disgusted" by the comments made by Rowling's ex-husband and noted it had branded him "sick" in its coverage. "It was certainly not our intention to 'enable' or 'glorify' domestic abuse, our intention was to expose a perpetrator's total lack of remorse. Our sympathies are always with the victims," it said. Rowling revealed her abuse in a lengthy blog post in which she sought to explain her comments about transgender women, which have sparked controversy. She has emphasised the importance of biological sex and expressed concern about women-only spaces, but has been accused of being transphobic and faced intense abuse on social media.

'I'm not sorry': Outrage over UK story by JK Rowling's ex-husband 'justifying' abuse

JK Rowling's ex-husband has been pictured for the first time since the Harry Potter author broke her silence over her domestic abuse. Watch report.

JK Rowling details 'scars of abuse' | Harry Potter author

<p>JK Rowling's<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jk-rowlings-tweet-about-people-who-menstruate-slammed-by-followers-called-transphobic-304137"> tweet over an article about 'people who menstruate' </a>has been a point of discussion this past week with most calling the author 'transphobic'.&nbsp; A day after her tweet went viral, 'Harry Potter' star <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/daniel-radcliffe-reacts-to-jk-rowlings-controversial-tweet-says-transgender-women-are-women-304478">Daniel Radcliffe </a>had weighed in and spoken in support of the transgender community. Now, his co-star from the film, actress Emma Watson too has weighed in on the controversy.<br />
<br />
In a series of tweets, Watson has shown support to the community and said, "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," the 30-year-old actress wrote.<br />
<br />
"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."<br />
<br />
Watson then added she donates to a pair of charities -- Mermaids and Mama Cash -- that support transgender individuals.<br />
<br />
"Happy #PRIDE2020," she concluded. "Sending love x."</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I donate to <a href="https://twitter.com/Mermaids_Gender?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mermaids_Gender</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/mamacash?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mamacash</a>. If you can, perhaps you’ll feel inclined to do the same. ❤️</p>
— Emma Watson (@EmmaWatson) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmaWatson/status/1270828191880486915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Agreeing with Radcliffe and Watson, Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne too spoke out in support of the transgender community. Redmayne who is part of the 'Fantastic Beasts' films written by Rowling- disagreed with her and said, "Respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative, and over the years I have been trying to constantly educate myself,” Redmayne told Variety. “This is an ongoing process. As someone who has worked with both JK Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand. I disagree with Jo’s comments."</p>

<p>Rowling on Wednesday<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jk-rowling-defends-her-right-to-speak-on-trans-issues-in-powerful-essay-reveals-details-of-her-abusive-past-304985"> tried to defend her tweets and wrote a powerful essay </a>about her troubled past where she was subjected to domestic abuse and reasoned as to why she spoke in favour of women.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


JK Rowling's tweet over an article about 'people who menstruate' has been a point of discussion this past week with most calling the author 'transphobic'. A day after her tweet went viral, 'Harry Potter' star Daniel Radcliffe had weighed in and spoken in support of the transgender community.

JK Rowling's tweet over an article about 'people who menstruate' has been a point of discussion this past week with most calling the author 'transphobic'. A day after her tweet went viral, 'Harry Potter' star Daniel Radcliffe had weighed in and spoken in support of the transgender community. Now, his co-star from the film, actress Emma Watson too has weighed in on the controversy. In a series of tweets, Watson has shown support to the community and said, "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," the 30-year-old actress wrote. "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." Watson then added she donates to a pair of charities -- Mermaids and Mama Cash -- that support transgender individuals. "Happy #PRIDE2020," she concluded. "Sending love x." I donate to @Mermaids_Gender and @mamacash. If you can, perhaps you’ll feel inclined to do the same. ❤️ — Emma Watson (@EmmaWatson) June 10, 2020 × Agreeing with Radcliffe and Watson, Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne too spoke out in support of the transgender community. Redmayne who is part of the 'Fantastic Beasts' films written by Rowling- disagreed with her and said, "Respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative, and over the years I have been trying to constantly educate myself,” Redmayne told Variety. “This is an ongoing process. As someone who has worked with both JK Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand. I disagree with Jo’s comments." Rowling on Wednesday tried to defend her tweets and wrote a powerful essay about her troubled past where she was subjected to domestic abuse and reasoned as to why she spoke in favour of women.

Emma Watson comments on JK Rowling's controversial tweet: Trans people are who they say they are

<p>Author JK Rowling controversial tweet on 'people who menstruate' drew a lot of criticism for the author with many terming her transphobic. She has been targetted by trans activists and the criticism at times has taken the form of abusive language and threats of violence.</p>

<p>Now, defending her right to speak about trans issues without the fear of abuse, Rowling has opened up about her abusive past in a powerful essay. The author has explained the complex reasons for her interest in the subject and has revealed details of her past.<br />
<br />
In a 3,600-word essay, published on her website, the writer explained in detail her research and beliefs on trans issues, and the concerns she has about how women`s rights and some young people`s lives were being impacted by some forms of trans activism.<br />
<br />
She also revealed that she has wondered whether she might have sought to transition to being a man had she been born 30 years later.<br />
<br />
The 'Harry Potter' author also revealed that she has been a survivor of domestic abuse and of sexual assault and that's why feels deeply for millions of women in similar situation.</p>

<p>"That assault happened at a time and in a space where I was vulnerable, and a man capitalised on an opportunity. I couldn't shut out those memories and I was finding it hard to contain my anger and disappointment about the way I believe my government is playing fast and loose with womens and girls' safety.'<br />
'I've been in the public eye now for over twenty years and have never talked publicly about being a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor,' she wrote.</p>

<p>"I haven’t written this essay in the hope that anybody will get out a violin for me, not even a teeny-weeny one," she wrote in the conclusion to her piece, describing herself as "extraordinarily fortunate".<br />
<br />
"I’ve only mentioned my past because, like every other human being on this planet, I have a complex back-story, which shapes my fears, my interests and my opinions. I never forget that inner complexity when I’m creating a fictional character and I certainly never forget it when it comes to trans people.<br />
<br />
"All I’m asking – all I want – is for similar empathy, similar understanding, to be extended to the many millions of women whose sole crime is wanting their concerns to be heard without receiving threats and abuse," the author wrote.</p>

<p>Last weekend, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jk-rowlings-tweet-about-people-who-menstruate-slammed-by-followers-called-transphobic-304137">Rowling faced severe backlash on Twitter </a>after she criticised an opinion piece that used the phrase "people who menstruate" and posited that discussion of gender identity invalidates biological sex.</p>

<p>Days after JK Rowling's tweet went viral, actor <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/daniel-radcliffe-reacts-to-jk-rowlings-controversial-tweet-says-transgender-women-are-women-304478">Daniel Radcliffe,</a> who played Harry Potter in the screen adaptation of the book, weighed in on Rowling's comments and said that it was time to acknowledge the issues faced by the transgender community.</p>

<p>"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," Radcliffe said in an essay.</p>


Author JK Rowling controversial tweet on 'people who menstruate' drew a lot of criticism for the author with many terming her transphobic. She has been targetted by trans activists and the criticism at times has taken the form of abusive language and threats of violence.

Author JK Rowling controversial tweet on 'people who menstruate' drew a lot of criticism for the author with many terming her transphobic. She has been targetted by trans activists and the criticism at times has taken the form of abusive language and threats of violence. Now, defending her right to speak about trans issues without the fear of abuse, Rowling has opened up about her abusive past in a powerful essay. The author has explained the complex reasons for her interest in the subject and has revealed details of her past. In a 3,600-word essay, published on her website, the writer explained in detail her research and beliefs on trans issues, and the concerns she has about how women`s rights and some young people`s lives were being impacted by some forms of trans activism. She also revealed that she has wondered whether she might have sought to transition to being a man had she been born 30 years later. The 'Harry Potter' author also revealed that she has been a survivor of domestic abuse and of sexual assault and that's why feels deeply for millions of women in similar situation. "That assault happened at a time and in a space where I was vulnerable, and a man capitalised on an opportunity. I couldn't shut out those memories and I was finding it hard to contain my anger and disappointment about the way I believe my government is playing fast and loose with womens and girls' safety.' 'I've been in the public eye now for over twenty years and have never talked publicly about being a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor,' she wrote. "I haven’t written this essay in the hope that anybody will get out a violin for me, not even a teeny-weeny one," she wrote in the conclusion to her piece, describing herself as "extraordinarily fortunate". "I’ve only mentioned my past because, like every other human being on this planet, I have a complex back-story, which shapes my fears, my interests and my opinions. I never forget that inner complexity when I’m creating a fictional character and I certainly never forget it when it comes to trans people. "All I’m asking – all I want – is for similar empathy, similar understanding, to be extended to the many millions of women whose sole crime is wanting their concerns to be heard without receiving threats and abuse," the author wrote. Last weekend, Rowling faced severe backlash on Twitter after she criticised an opinion piece that used the phrase "people who menstruate" and posited that discussion of gender identity invalidates biological sex. Days after JK Rowling's tweet went viral, actor Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter in the screen adaptation of the book, weighed in on Rowling's comments and said that it was time to acknowledge the issues faced by the transgender community. "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," Radcliffe said in an essay.

JK Rowling defends her right to speak on trans issues in powerful essay, reveals details of her abusive past

<p>Here are the top 5 Hollywood news stories of the day:</p>

<p><strong>Grammy Awards organizers tighten conflict of interest rules, say show to go ahead in January</strong></p>

<p>The next Grammy Awards show would go ahead as planned in January 2021, despite the coronavirus epidemic. &nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/grammy-awards-organizers-tighten-conflict-of-interest-rules-say-show-to-go-ahead-in-january-305003">Read more.</a></p>

<p><strong>Coachella, Stagecoach music festivals cancelled for 2020 on virus concerns</strong></p>

<p>Coachella, one of the biggest music festivals in the world that brings half a million fans to an open-air site in Indio, east of Los Angeles, was initially scheduled for April. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/coachella-stagecoach-music-festivals-cancelled-for-2020-on-virus-concerns-304968">Read more.</a></p>

<p><strong>Ruby Rose's character won't be killed off, says 'Batwoman' showrunner</strong></p>

<p>'Batwoman' made TV history in the 2019-20 season as the first scripted live-action TV series to feature a lesbian superhero at the top of the call sheet. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/ruby-roses-character-wont-be-killed-off-says-batwoman-showrunner-305002">Read more.</a></p>

<p><strong>Emma Watson comments on JK Rowling's controversial tweet: Trans people are who they say they are</strong></p>

<p>JK Rowling's tweet over an article about 'people who menstruate' has been a point of discussion this past week with most calling the author 'transphobic'. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/emma-watson-comments-on-jk-rowlings-controversial-tweet-trans-people-are-who-they-say-they-are-305016">Read more.</a></p>

<p><strong>'Selma' filmmaker Ava DuVernay joins The Academy’s Board of Governors</strong></p>

<p>Interestingly, keeping diversity in mind, The Academy has increased the number of women and people of color on the board. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/selma-filmmaker-ava-duvernay-joins-the-academys-board-of-governors-305033">Read more.</a></p>


Here are the top 5 Hollywood news stories of the day: Grammy Awards organizers tighten conflict of interest rules, say show to go ahead in January The next Grammy Awards show would go ahead as planned in January 2021, despite the coronavirus epidemic.

Here are the top 5 Hollywood news stories of the day: Grammy Awards organizers tighten conflict of interest rules, say show to go ahead in January The next Grammy Awards show would go ahead as planned in January 2021, despite the coronavirus epidemic. Read more. Coachella, Stagecoach music festivals cancelled for 2020 on virus concerns Coachella, one of the biggest music festivals in the world that brings half a million fans to an open-air site in Indio, east of Los Angeles, was initially scheduled for April. Read more. Ruby Rose's character won't be killed off, says 'Batwoman' showrunner 'Batwoman' made TV history in the 2019-20 season as the first scripted live-action TV series to feature a lesbian superhero at the top of the call sheet. Read more. Emma Watson comments on JK Rowling's controversial tweet: Trans people are who they say they are JK Rowling's tweet over an article about 'people who menstruate' has been a point of discussion this past week with most calling the author 'transphobic'. Read more. 'Selma' filmmaker Ava DuVernay joins The Academy’s Board of Governors Interestingly, keeping diversity in mind, The Academy has increased the number of women and people of color on the board. Read more.

Top 5 Hollywood news today: Emma Watson's comment on JK Rowling to Grammys new rules

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has once again tried to explain her views on gender identity amid backlash. Rowling has come under criticism for views that can be perceived as transphobic. Watch report.

Harry Potter author JK Rowling defends transgender comments

<p>Actor Daniel Radcliffe, who shot to fame for playing Harry Potter in the films based on JK Rowling's books, has now weighed in on the author's controversial tweet.<br />
<br />
Reacting on the same, Radcliffe said that "transgender women are women" and it has now become more important than ever to "not cause further harm" to the community.<br />
<br />
Over the weekend, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jk-rowlings-tweet-about-people-who-menstruate-slammed-by-followers-called-transphobic-304137">Rowling faced severe backlash on Twitter </a>after she criticised an opinion piece that used the phrase "people who menstruate" and posited that discussion of gender identity invalidates biological sex.<br />
<br />
Radcliffe penned his thoughts in an essay for the website of the Trevor Project, a non-profit dedicated to crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ community.<br />
<br />
The article that was published on Monday had the actor admitting that the essay may be used by the media as "in-fighting" between him and Rowling.<br />
<br />
While he was clear that the writer was "unquestionably responsible" for the course of his life, he felt the need to speak out.<br />
<br />
"As someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being. I feel compelled to say something at this moment."<br />
<br />
"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," Radcliffe added.<br />
<br />
The actor also highlighted that&nbsp; 78 per cent of transgender and nonbinary youth have reported that they have been discriminated against due to their gender identity.<br />
<br />
"It's clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm," he wrote.<br />
<br />
Following criticism over her tweet, Rowling had later tried to explain herself but that led to further criticism. "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," she wrote.</p>

<p>"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 — ie, to male violence — ''hate'' trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences — is a nonsense," she further said.<br />
<br />
Not only did her statement anger the LGBTQ community but avid fans of the 'Harry Potter' series admitted to have been let down by their favourite author.</p>

<p><br />
Radcliffe addressed to the fans and said "sorry"&nbsp; for the pain these comments have caused, hoping that those words won't too much "taint" the meaning of the Harry Potter books for them.<br />
<br />
"I really hope that you don't entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you.<br />
<br />
"If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything; if they taught you that strength is found in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred. And in my opinion nobody can touch that," he said.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Actor Daniel Radcliffe, who shot to fame for playing Harry Potter in the films based on JK Rowling's books, has now weighed in on the author's controversial tweet.

Actor Daniel Radcliffe, who shot to fame for playing Harry Potter in the films based on JK Rowling's books, has now weighed in on the author's controversial tweet. Reacting on the same, Radcliffe said that "transgender women are women" and it has now become more important than ever to "not cause further harm" to the community. Over the weekend, Rowling faced severe backlash on Twitter after she criticised an opinion piece that used the phrase "people who menstruate" and posited that discussion of gender identity invalidates biological sex. Radcliffe penned his thoughts in an essay for the website of the Trevor Project, a non-profit dedicated to crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ community. The article that was published on Monday had the actor admitting that the essay may be used by the media as "in-fighting" between him and Rowling. While he was clear that the writer was "unquestionably responsible" for the course of his life, he felt the need to speak out. "As someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being. I 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," Radcliffe added. The actor also highlighted that 78 per cent of transgender and nonbinary youth have reported that they have been discriminated against due to their gender identity. "It's clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm," he wrote. Following criticism over her tweet, Rowling had later tried to explain herself but that led to further criticism. "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," she wrote. "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 — ie, to male violence — ''hate'' trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences — is a nonsense," she further said. Not only did her statement anger the LGBTQ community but avid fans of the 'Harry Potter' series admitted to have been let down by their favourite author. Radcliffe addressed to the fans and said "sorry" for the pain these comments have caused, hoping that those words won't too much "taint" the meaning of the Harry Potter books for them. "I really hope that you don't entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you. "If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything; if they taught you that strength is found in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred. And in my opinion nobody can touch that," he said.

Daniel Radcliffe reacts to JK Rowling's controversial tweet, says 'transgender women are women'

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is facing hefty backlash after she posted a series of tweets about transgender people.

J.K. Rowling’s tweets on LGBTQ community sparks outrage

<p>Is JK Rowling transphobic? The internet seems to think so due to a tweet that the author shared on Sunday that created an uproar on the social media platform.<br />
<br />
The writer shared an article and raised an objection to how the headline was worded.&nbsp; The headline of the article written for Devex read, 'Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate.'<br />
<br />
"'People who menstruate.' I'm sure there used to be a word for those people," Rowling tweeted Saturday evening. "Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?"</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?<br />
<br />
Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate <a href="https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA">https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA</a></p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269382518362509313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Soon after Rowling tweeted the article, several people were quick to criticize her. Several stated that her tweet not only overlooked the trans-woman and those who identify as non-binary but also attempted to define a woman as a person who has menstrual period.<br />
<br />
Several pointed out to the author that many people who identify as women, such as transgender women and women who have gone through menopause, may not get their periods, while some people who do not identify as women may still menstruate, such as transgender men and some who identify as non-binary.<br />
<br />
"I know you know this because you have been told over and over and over again, but transgender men can menstruate," tweeted a follower. "Non-binary people menstruate. I, a 37-year old woman with a uterus, have not menstruated in a decade. Women are not defined by their periods."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I know you know this because you have been told over and over and over again, but transgender men can menstruate. Non-binary people menstruate. I, a 37-year old woman with a uterus, have not menstruated in a decade.<br />
<br />
Women are not defined by their periods.</p>
— Aleen 🚀 (@Aleen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Aleen/status/1269394953299361793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>"What happens when women enter menopause? What about women who had hysterectomies? Who don't menstruate because of hormonal issues? Are they not women?" another user shot back at the author. "Nothing you say stops trans women from being women."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What happens when women enter menopause? What about women who had hysterectomies? Women who don't menstruate because of hormonal issues? Are they not women?<br />
<br />
Nothing you say stops trans women from being women.</p>
— findom earle (@coherentstates) <a href="https://twitter.com/coherentstates/status/1269400490472812545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Having faced severe criticism, Rowling later tried to salvage the situation and posted an additional series of tweets on Saturday night trying to defend and explain her now-viral tweet.<br />
<br />
"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," Rowling tweeted. "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 — ie, to male violence — 'hate' trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences — is a nonsense."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">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.</p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269407862234775552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>While Rowling attempted to clear the air with her stance, the post led to further criticism as many took issue with her framing of trans and non-binary-inclusive language as "erasing the concept of sex."<br />
<br />
"JK Rowling continues to align herself with an ideology which willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans. In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people," tweeted a GLAAD. The organization also encouraged its followers to direct their "rightful anger" into "something positive" and donate to various organizations that support the black transgender community.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">JK Rowling continues to align herself with an ideology which willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans. In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people.</p>
— GLAAD (@glaad) <a href="https://twitter.com/glaad/status/1269420662889857024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Trans women are women. Trans Black people &amp; trans non-Black people are discriminated against every single day," tweeted Jonathan Van Ness of the Netflix show 'Queer Eye.' "They're dying. We're fighting for Black people &amp; trans people and you're doing this?"<br />
<br />
Interestingly, this isn't the first time that the author who wrote The Harry Potter Series, has been drawn to controversy for her comments on the transgender community.<br />
<br />
In December, Rowling tweeted support for researcher Maya Forstater, who lost her job due to transphobic tweets, after she lost a court case against her former employer.<br />
<br />
"Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who'll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real? #IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill," Rowling tweeted at the time.</p>


Is JK Rowling transphobic? The internet seems to think so due to a tweet that the author shared on Sunday that created an uproar on the social media platform. The writer shared an article and raised an objection to how the headline was worded.

Is JK Rowling transphobic? The internet seems to think so due to a tweet that the author shared on Sunday that created an uproar on the social media platform. The writer shared an article and raised an objection to how the headline was worded. The headline of the article written for Devex read, 'Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate.' "'People who menstruate.' I'm sure there used to be a word for those people," Rowling tweeted Saturday evening. "Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?" ‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud? Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020 × Soon after Rowling tweeted the article, several people were quick to criticize her. Several stated that her tweet not only overlooked the trans-woman and those who identify as non-binary but also attempted to define a woman as a person who has menstrual period. Several pointed out to the author that many people who identify as women, such as transgender women and women who have gone through menopause, may not get their periods, while some people who do not identify as women may still menstruate, such as transgender men and some who identify as non-binary. "I know you know this because you have been told over and over and over again, but transgender men can menstruate," tweeted a follower. "Non-binary people menstruate. I, a 37-year old woman with a uterus, have not menstruated in a decade. Women are not defined by their periods." I know you know this because you have been told over and over and over again, but transgender men can menstruate. Non-binary people menstruate. I, a 37-year old woman with a uterus, have not menstruated in a decade. Women are not defined by their periods. — Aleen 🚀 (@Aleen) June 6, 2020 × "What happens when women enter menopause? What about women who had hysterectomies? Who don't menstruate because of hormonal issues? Are they not women?" another user shot back at the author. "Nothing you say stops trans women from being women." What happens when women enter menopause? What about women who had hysterectomies? Women who don't menstruate because of hormonal issues? Are they not women? Nothing you say stops trans women from being women. — findom earle (@coherentstates) June 6, 2020 × Having faced severe criticism, Rowling later tried to salvage the situation and posted an additional series of tweets on Saturday night trying to defend and explain her now-viral tweet. "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," Rowling tweeted. "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 — ie, 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. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020 × While Rowling attempted to clear the air with her stance, the post led to further criticism as many took issue with her framing of trans and non-binary-inclusive language as "erasing the concept of sex." "JK Rowling continues to align herself with an ideology which willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans. In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people," tweeted a GLAAD. The organization also encouraged its followers to direct their "rightful anger" into "something positive" and donate to various organizations that support the black transgender community. JK Rowling continues to align herself with an ideology which willfully distorts facts about gender identity and people who are trans. In 2020, there is no excuse for targeting trans people. — GLAAD (@glaad) June 7, 2020 × "Trans women are women. Trans Black people & trans non-Black people are discriminated against every single day," tweeted Jonathan Van Ness of the Netflix show 'Queer Eye.' "They're dying. We're fighting for Black people & trans people and you're doing this?" Interestingly, this isn't the first time that the author who wrote The Harry Potter Series, has been drawn to controversy for her comments on the transgender community. In December, Rowling tweeted support for researcher Maya Forstater, who lost her job due to transphobic tweets, after she lost a court case against her former employer. "Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who'll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real? #IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill," Rowling tweeted at the time.

JK Rowling's tweet about 'people who menstruate' slammed by followers, called transphobic

The creator of Harry Potter JK Rowling is facing steep criticism over her remarks on transgender people. There was worldwide outrage over Ms. Rowling's comments over the weekend on an article that used the phrase "those who menstruate". Watch report.

WION Dispatch | Rowling's anti-trans tweet spark outrage | Offends LGBTQI community

<p>Top 5 Hollywood news includes 'Harry Potter' author JK Rowling getting slammed for her recent comments to Beyonce's graduation ceremony speech.</p>

<p>Read the top 5 here:</p>

<p><strong>JK Rowling's tweet about 'people who menstruate' slammed by followers, called transphobic</strong></p>

<p>Having faced severe criticism, Rowling later tried to salvage the situation and posted an additional series of tweets on Saturday night trying to defend and explain her now-viral tweet. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jk-rowlings-tweet-about-people-who-menstruate-slammed-by-followers-called-transphobic-304137">Read more.</a>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Beyonce decries bigotry in a powerful message to graduates</strong></p>

<p>The superstar artist was among a roster of A-listers to participate in YouTube's global virtual commencement ceremony 'Dear Class of 2020.' <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/beyonce-decries-bigotry-in-a-powerful-message-to-graduates-304111">Read more.&nbsp;</a></p>

<p><strong>No Time To Die: Daniel Craig to play father in James Bond film</strong></p>

<p>‘No Time To Die’ will be the 25th film from the franchise and was slated to release in April but was pushed to November due to the coronavirus outbreak. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/no-time-to-die-daniel-craig-to-play-father-in-james-bond-film-304183">Read more.</a>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Jennifer Aniston donates $1 Million to several charities over George Floyd's death</strong></p>

<p>George Floyd died on May 25 in Minneapolis, after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for over eight minutes. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jennifer-aniston-donates-1-million-to-several-charities-over-george-floyds-death-304219">Read more.&nbsp;</a></p>

<p><strong>Late music legend Prince wrote on 'intolerance' in a letter revealed by his estate on 62nd birthday</strong></p>

<p>The letter was revealed a day before his 62nd birthday on June 7. &nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/late-music-legend-prince-wrote-on-intolerance-in-a-letter-revealed-by-his-estate-on-62nd-birthday-304246">Read more.</a>&nbsp;</p>


Top 5 Hollywood news includes 'Harry Potter' author JK Rowling getting slammed for her recent comments to Beyonce's graduation ceremony speech. Read the top 5 here: JK Rowling's tweet about 'people who menstruate' slammed by followers, called transphobic Having faced severe criticism, Rowling later tried to salvage the situation and posted an additional series of tweets on Saturday night trying to defend and explain her now-viral tweet.

Top 5 Hollywood news includes 'Harry Potter' author JK Rowling getting slammed for her recent comments to Beyonce's graduation ceremony speech. Read the top 5 here: JK Rowling's tweet about 'people who menstruate' slammed by followers, called transphobic Having faced severe criticism, Rowling later tried to salvage the situation and posted an additional series of tweets on Saturday night trying to defend and explain her now-viral tweet. Read more. Beyonce decries bigotry in a powerful message to graduates The superstar artist was among a roster of A-listers to participate in YouTube's global virtual commencement ceremony 'Dear Class of 2020.' Read more. No Time To Die: Daniel Craig to play father in James Bond film ‘No Time To Die’ will be the 25th film from the franchise and was slated to release in April but was pushed to November due to the coronavirus outbreak. Read more. Jennifer Aniston donates $1 Million to several charities over George Floyd's death George Floyd died on May 25 in Minneapolis, after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for over eight minutes. Read more. Late music legend Prince wrote on 'intolerance' in a letter revealed by his estate on 62nd birthday The letter was revealed a day before his 62nd birthday on June 7. Read more.

Top 5 Hollywood news today: JK Rowling called 'transphobic', Beyonce gives powerful message to graduates

J.K. Rowling published the first chapters of a fairy tale about a monster known as the Ickabog on Tuesday, an allegory about truth and abuse of power that is free online so that children can read it during coronavirus lockdown.

J.K. Rowling publishes fairy tale so children can dream in lockdown

<p>JK Rowling is helping children to dream amid lockdown. The author has published the first chapters of a fairy tale about a monster known as Ickabog. The book is available online for free to encourage children to read during coronavirus lockdown.<br />
<br />
The story concerns rumours of a fierce child-eating monster with extraordinary powers that lives in the northern tip of an imaginary land known as Cornucopia.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The first two chapters of The Ickabog are available for free here:<a href="https://t.co/afFEfRQQ5C">https://t.co/afFEfRQQ5C</a></p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1265285279566434304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Rowling revealed that she will publish further chapters every weekday until July 10, and added in capitals,"THIS IS NOT A HARRY POTTER SPIN-OFF".</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have a small announcement, but before I get started, I<br />
want to head off one possible source of confusion.<br />
********************************************<br />
THIS IS NOT A HARRY POTTER SPIN-OFF<br />
********************************************<br />
1/13</p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1265251349534474240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The author got the idea for 'The Ickabog' when she was writing 'Harry Potter' and she intended it to be published after 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'- which was th last of her seven-book Potter series.<br />
<br />
But the mostly handwritten manuscript ended up in her attic and stayed there for a decade until a few weeks ago. She has rewritten parts of it in recent weeks.<br />
<br />
"The Ickabog is a story about truth and the abuse of power," said Rowling, 54. "The themes are timeless and could apply to any era or any country."<br />
<br />
"To forestall one obvious question: the idea came to me well over a decade ago, so it isn’t intended to be read as a response to anything that’s happening in the world right now," she said.<br />
<br />
The first chapters of the fairy tale were published on 'The Ickabog' website on Tuesday.<br />
<br />
"I’ve decided to publish The Ickabog for free online, so children on lockdown, or even those back at school during these strange, unsettling times, can read it or have it read to them," Rowling said.<br />
<br />
She will donate her royalties to projects and organisations helping the groups most impacted by COVID-19.</p>


JK Rowling is helping children to dream amid lockdown. The author has published the first chapters of a fairy tale about a monster known as Ickabog. The book is available online for free to encourage children to read during coronavirus lockdown.

JK Rowling is helping children to dream amid lockdown. The author has published the first chapters of a fairy tale about a monster known as Ickabog. The book is available online for free to encourage children to read during coronavirus lockdown. The story concerns rumours of a fierce child-eating monster with extraordinary powers that lives in the northern tip of an imaginary land known as Cornucopia. The first two chapters of The Ickabog are available for free here:https://t.co/afFEfRQQ5C — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 26, 2020 × Rowling revealed that she will publish further chapters every weekday until July 10, and added in capitals,"THIS IS NOT A HARRY POTTER SPIN-OFF". I have a small announcement, but before I get started, I want to head off one possible source of confusion. ******************************************** THIS IS NOT A HARRY POTTER SPIN-OFF ******************************************** 1/13 — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 26, 2020 × The author got the idea for 'The Ickabog' when she was writing 'Harry Potter' and she intended it to be published after 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'- which was th last of her seven-book Potter series. But the mostly handwritten manuscript ended up in her attic and stayed there for a decade until a few weeks ago. She has rewritten parts of it in recent weeks. "The Ickabog is a story about truth and the abuse of power," said Rowling, 54. "The themes are timeless and could apply to any era or any country." "To forestall one obvious question: the idea came to me well over a decade ago, so it isn’t intended to be read as a response to anything that’s happening in the world right now," she said. The first chapters of the fairy tale were published on 'The Ickabog' website on Tuesday. "I’ve decided to publish The Ickabog for free online, so children on lockdown, or even those back at school during these strange, unsettling times, can read it or have it read to them," Rowling said. She will donate her royalties to projects and organisations helping the groups most impacted by COVID-19.

JK Rowling's first children's book after Harry Potter is a fairy tale of a child-eating monster

<p>There are several stories and theories around Harry Potter and its origins. For the longest time, it was known that author JK Rowling conceptualized and wrote the Harry Potter series at Edinburgh. In fact, The Elephant House Cafe there is considered to be the hallowed place where the author started writing the first book of the series.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I was thinking of putting a section on my website about all the alleged inspirations and birthplaces of Potter. I’d been writing Potter for several years before I ever set foot in this cafe, so it’s not the birthplace, but I *did* write in there so we’ll let them off! <a href="https://t.co/xDOsrbiZwu">https://t.co/xDOsrbiZwu</a></p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1263375120879554560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>It turns out, that the entire story is a myth. A fact that Rowling recently revealed on Twitter.&nbsp; Answering an oft-asked query, she wrote, “I was thinking of putting a section on my website about all the alleged inspirations and birthplaces of Potter. I’d been writing Potter for several years before I ever set foot in this cafe, so it’s not the birthplace, but I *did* write in there so we’ll let them off!”</p>

<p>She further added, “For instance, I never visited this bookshop in Oporto. Never even knew of its existence! It’s beautiful and I wish I *had* visited it, but it has nothing to do with Hogwarts!”</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I was thinking of putting a section on my website about all the alleged inspirations and birthplaces of Potter. I’d been writing Potter for several years before I ever set foot in this cafe, so it’s not the birthplace, but I *did* write in there so we’ll let them off! <a href="https://t.co/xDOsrbiZwu">https://t.co/xDOsrbiZwu</a></p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1263375120879554560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The real birthplace of the popular series was not in Edinburgh but London. "This is the true birthplace of Harry Potter, if you define ‘birthplace’ as the spot where I put pen to paper for the first time.* I was renting a room in a flat over what was then a sports shop. The first bricks of Hogwarts were laid in a flat in Clapham Junction."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">For instance, I never visited this bookshop in Oporto. Never even knew of its existence! It’s beautiful and I wish I *had* visited it, but it has nothing to do with Hogwarts! <a href="https://t.co/f83rxBeeyY">pic.twitter.com/f83rxBeeyY</a></p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1263377779338481665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The author also busted the myth behind the origin of Hogwarts School. "I sometimes hear Hogwarts was based on one or other of Edinburgh’s schools, but that’s 100% false, too. Hogwarts was created long before I clapped eyes on any of them! I did finish Hallows in the Balmoral, though, &amp; I can’t lie, I’d rate it a smidge higher than the Bournville.”</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Real Harry Potter inspiration alert: I walked past this sign every day on my way to work when I was living in Clapham . Much later - post-publication - I revisited the area &amp; suddenly realised THIS was why 'Severus' had leapt into my head when thinking of a 1st name for Snape. <a href="https://t.co/q5wzsQb3m9">pic.twitter.com/q5wzsQb3m9</a></p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1264240159278731264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>She also gave a backstory on Severus Snape. It was a sign that made it in her book. “Real Harry Potter inspiration alert: I walked past this sign every day on my way to work when I was living in Clapham. Much later – post-publication – I revisited the area &amp; suddenly realised THIS was why ‘Severus’ had leapt into my head when thinking of a 1st name for Snape."</p>


There are several stories and theories around Harry Potter and its origins. For the longest time, it was known that author JK Rowling conceptualized and wrote the Harry Potter series at Edinburgh.

There are several stories and theories around Harry Potter and its origins. For the longest time, it was known that author JK Rowling conceptualized and wrote the Harry Potter series at Edinburgh. In fact, The Elephant House Cafe there is considered to be the hallowed place where the author started writing the first book of the series. I was thinking of putting a section on my website about all the alleged inspirations and birthplaces of Potter. I’d been writing Potter for several years before I ever set foot in this cafe, so it’s not the birthplace, but I *did* write in there so we’ll let them off! https://t.co/xDOsrbiZwu — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 21, 2020 × It turns out, that the entire story is a myth. A fact that Rowling recently revealed on Twitter. Answering an oft-asked query, she wrote, “I was thinking of putting a section on my website about all the alleged inspirations and birthplaces of Potter. I’d been writing Potter for several years before I ever set foot in this cafe, so it’s not the birthplace, but I *did* write in there so we’ll let them off!” She further added, “For instance, I never visited this bookshop in Oporto. Never even knew of its existence! It’s beautiful and I wish I *had* visited it, but it has nothing to do with Hogwarts!” I was thinking of putting a section on my website about all the alleged inspirations and birthplaces of Potter. I’d been writing Potter for several years before I ever set foot in this cafe, so it’s not the birthplace, but I *did* write in there so we’ll let them off! https://t.co/xDOsrbiZwu — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 21, 2020 × The real birthplace of the popular series was not in Edinburgh but London. "This is the true birthplace of Harry Potter, if you define ‘birthplace’ as the spot where I put pen to paper for the first time.* I was renting a room in a flat over what was then a sports shop. The first bricks of Hogwarts were laid in a flat in Clapham Junction." For instance, I never visited this bookshop in Oporto. Never even knew of its existence! It’s beautiful and I wish I *had* visited it, but it has nothing to do with Hogwarts! pic.twitter.com/f83rxBeeyY — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 21, 2020 × The author also busted the myth behind the origin of Hogwarts School. "I sometimes hear Hogwarts was based on one or other of Edinburgh’s schools, but that’s 100% false, too. Hogwarts was created long before I clapped eyes on any of them! I did finish Hallows in the Balmoral, though, & I can’t lie, I’d rate it a smidge higher than the Bournville.” Real Harry Potter inspiration alert: I walked past this sign every day on my way to work when I was living in Clapham . Much later - post-publication - I revisited the area & suddenly realised THIS was why 'Severus' had leapt into my head when thinking of a 1st name for Snape. pic.twitter.com/q5wzsQb3m9 — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 23, 2020 × She also gave a backstory on Severus Snape. It was a sign that made it in her book. “Real Harry Potter inspiration alert: I walked past this sign every day on my way to work when I was living in Clapham. Much later – post-publication – I revisited the area & suddenly realised THIS was why ‘Severus’ had leapt into my head when thinking of a 1st name for Snape."

JK Rowling busts myth around the origin of the Harry Potter series and its characters

<p>Here's just another reason to stay home. As most of the world population is still in the confinement of their home owing to the lockdown, JK Rowling`s Wizarding World has come up with something interesting for all Potter heads.<br />
<br />
The official Twitter account of Wizarding World on Tuesday shared a video featuring seven of the celebrities, including actor Daniel Radcliffe who have been line up to read chapter-by-chapter of `Harry Potter`, in a series of video recordings. Radcliffe became famous for playing Harry Potter on screen.<br />
<br />
"Surprise! We`ve got a treat for you...From today, amazing friends of the Wizarding World are going to take turns reading Harry Potter book one. And to start us off with Chapter 1, we think you`ll agree we have the perfect narrator...#HarryPotterAtHome" read the tweet.</p>

<p>The video began with Eddie Redmayne followed by Dakota Fanning, and Claudia Kim, saying that they are "at home."<br />
The brief video then features Stephen Fry, Noma Dumezweni, and David Beckham explaining that they are at their respective homes sitting in the "living room, book room, cosy corner" and so on.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Surprise! We've got a treat for you…From today, amazing friends of the Wizarding World are going to take turns reading Harry Potter book one.<br />
<br />
And to start us off with Chapter 1, we think you’ll agree we have the perfect narrator...⚡️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HarryPotterAtHome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HarryPotterAtHome</a><br />
<a href="https://t.co/w9K77akbou">https://t.co/w9K77akbou</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q03PmjeD5d">pic.twitter.com/Q03PmjeD5d</a></p>
— Wizarding World (@wizardingworld) <a href="https://twitter.com/wizardingworld/status/1257658900318433280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The stars further said that they are really excited to read 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher`s Stone' by JK Rowling."<br />
Towards the end of the 34-second long video, actor Daniel Radcliffe introduces himself and begins to say, "This is chapter one of Harry Potter and the Philosopher`s Stone."<br />
Each of the stars will read different sections of the book for all the fans of `Harry Potter` across the globe.<br />
All 17 chapters of the book will be released between now and the middle of the summer. Videos will be posted weekly on harrypotterathome.com, with an audio-only version available for free on Spotify.<br />
The special series is part of the `Harry Potter At Home` project, an initiative developed by Wizarding World Digital and Rowling`s agency, to bring cheer among the people during these trying times.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Here's just another reason to stay home. As most of the world population is still in the confinement of their home owing to the lockdown, JK Rowling`s Wizarding World has come up with something interesting for all Potter heads.

Here's just another reason to stay home. As most of the world population is still in the confinement of their home owing to the lockdown, JK Rowling`s Wizarding World has come up with something interesting for all Potter heads. The official Twitter account of Wizarding World on Tuesday shared a video featuring seven of the celebrities, including actor Daniel Radcliffe who have been line up to read chapter-by-chapter of `Harry Potter`, in a series of video recordings. Radcliffe became famous for playing Harry Potter on screen. "Surprise! We`ve got a treat for you...From today, amazing friends of the Wizarding World are going to take turns reading Harry Potter book one. And to start us off with Chapter 1, we think you`ll agree we have the perfect narrator...#HarryPotterAtHome" read the tweet. The video began with Eddie Redmayne followed by Dakota Fanning, and Claudia Kim, saying that they are "at home." The brief video then features Stephen Fry, Noma Dumezweni, and David Beckham explaining that they are at their respective homes sitting in the "living room, book room, cosy corner" and so on. Surprise! We've got a treat for you…From today, amazing friends of the Wizarding World are going to take turns reading Harry Potter book one. And to start us off with Chapter 1, we think you’ll agree we have the perfect narrator...⚡️ #HarryPotterAtHome https://t.co/w9K77akbou pic.twitter.com/Q03PmjeD5d — Wizarding World (@wizardingworld) May 5, 2020 × The stars further said that they are really excited to read 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher`s Stone' by JK Rowling." Towards the end of the 34-second long video, actor Daniel Radcliffe introduces himself and begins to say, "This is chapter one of Harry Potter and the Philosopher`s Stone." Each of the stars will read different sections of the book for all the fans of `Harry Potter` across the globe. All 17 chapters of the book will be released between now and the middle of the summer. Videos will be posted weekly on harrypotterathome.com, with an audio-only version available for free on Spotify. The special series is part of the `Harry Potter At Home` project, an initiative developed by Wizarding World Digital and Rowling`s agency, to bring cheer among the people during these trying times.

Harry Potter comes home! Daniel Radcliffe, Eddie Redmayne and others to read JK Rowling's books for fans amid lockdown

<p>‘Harry Potter’ author JK Rowling revealed on Monday that she showed symptoms of COVID-19 but has now “fully recovered”, much to the relief of her fans.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The writer took to Twitter to reveal that she had been suffering from the virus for the last two weeks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>JK Rowling wasn’t tested, however, but was following husband, doctor Neil Murray’s advice to observe the symptoms. She shared the doctor’s advisory on her social media profile: “Please watch this doc from Queens Hospital explain how to relieve respiratory symptoms. For last 2 weeks I've had all symptoms of C19 (tho haven't been tested) &amp; did this on doc husband's advice. I'm fully recovered &amp; technique helped a lot.https://youtu.be/HwLzAdriec0 &nbsp;via @YouTube.”</p>

<p>Watch the video here:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Please watch this doc from Queens Hospital explain how to relieve respiratory symptoms. For last 2 weeks I've had all symptoms of C19 (tho haven't been tested) &amp; did this on doc husband's advice. I'm fully recovered &amp; technique helped a lot.<a href="https://t.co/xo8AansUvc">https://t.co/xo8AansUvc</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/YouTube?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YouTube</a></p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1247121896082157568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>“I’m fully recovered &amp; technique helped a lot (sic).”</p>

<p>As her fans started to get worried for her health, she tweeted, “Thank you for your kind and lovely messages! I really am completely recovered and wanted to share a technique that’s recommended by doctors, costs nothing, has no nasty side effects but could help you/your loved ones a lot, as it did me.”</p>

<p>JK Rowling was busy with the third part of ‘Fantastic Beasts’ when the production was suspended amid the lockdown over the coronavirus crisis. The feature led by Eddie Redmayne’s Newt Scamander, the yet-to-be-titled third chapter in the spin-off series of the ‘Harry Potter’ universe is scheduled to be released in 2021.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Warner Bros studio is yet to announce when the shoot will resume.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/black-widow-the-eternals-and-other-marvel-movies-get-new-release-dates-amid-coronavirus-outbreak-290590">'Black Widow', 'The Eternals' and other Marvel movies get new release dates amid coronavirus outbreak</a></p>


‘Harry Potter’ author JK Rowling revealed on Monday that she showed symptoms of COVID-19 but has now “fully recovered”, much to the relief of her fans. The writer took to Twitter to reveal that she had been suffering from the virus for the last two weeks.

‘Harry Potter’ author JK Rowling revealed on Monday that she showed symptoms of COVID-19 but has now “fully recovered”, much to the relief of her fans. The writer took to Twitter to reveal that she had been suffering from the virus for the last two weeks. JK Rowling wasn’t tested, however, but was following husband, doctor Neil Murray’s advice to observe the symptoms. She shared the doctor’s advisory on her social media profile: “Please watch this doc from Queens Hospital explain how to relieve respiratory symptoms. For last 2 weeks I've had all symptoms of C19 (tho haven't been tested) & did this on doc husband's advice. I'm fully recovered & technique helped a lot.https://youtu.be/HwLzAdriec0 via @YouTube.” Watch the video here: Please watch this doc from Queens Hospital explain how to relieve respiratory symptoms. For last 2 weeks I've had all symptoms of C19 (tho haven't been tested) & did this on doc husband's advice. I'm fully recovered & technique helped a lot.https://t.co/xo8AansUvc via @YouTube — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 6, 2020 × “I’m fully recovered & technique helped a lot (sic).” As her fans started to get worried for her health, she tweeted, “Thank you for your kind and lovely messages! I really am completely recovered and wanted to share a technique that’s recommended by doctors, costs nothing, has no nasty side effects but could help you/your loved ones a lot, as it did me.” JK Rowling was busy with the third part of ‘Fantastic Beasts’ when the production was suspended amid the lockdown over the coronavirus crisis. The feature led by Eddie Redmayne’s Newt Scamander, the yet-to-be-titled third chapter in the spin-off series of the ‘Harry Potter’ universe is scheduled to be released in 2021. Warner Bros studio is yet to announce when the shoot will resume. 'Black Widow', 'The Eternals' and other Marvel movies get new release dates amid coronavirus outbreak

JK Rowling reveals she had COVID-19 symptoms but has 'fully recovered' now

British author J. K. Rowling is hoping her much-loved Harry Potter series will work its magic on bored children stuck at home during the coronavirus lockdown.

Harry Pottering around at home? Rowling to rescue bored kids in lockdown

<p>Author JK Rowling has just come to the rescue of parents worldwide who are finding it difficult to keep their children at home in time of self-isolation.<br />
<br />
The British author has introduced a new online hub called Harry Potter At Home, which is aimed at younger children and will be launched on the official website for of Potter called WizardingWorld.com.<br />
<br />
The first book from the Potter series, ' Harry Potter and the Philosopher`s Stone' will be available for free worldwide as an ebook as well as an audiobook throughout the month of April to help parents and carers entertain and engage housebound children.<br />
<br />
Rowling announced on Wednesday that the audiobook will be available in multiple languages. The version performed by British actor and writer Stephen Fry will be available in North America for the first time.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Parents, teachers and carers working to keep children amused and interested while we’re on lockdown might need a bit of magic, so I’m delighted to launch <a href="https://t.co/cPg0dZpexB">https://t.co/cPg0dZpexB</a> <a href="https://t.co/i0ZjTplVoU">pic.twitter.com/i0ZjTplVoU</a></p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1245320037356929025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Each week 'Wizarding Wednesdays' and an email newsletter will provide creative activities, quizzes and ideas.<br />
The coronavirus pandemic has seen more and more countries limiting citizens` movements, closing schools and leaving many parents simultaneously working from home and looking after their children.<br />
<br />
Britain is in its second week of lockdown, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on March 23 that people would only be allowed to leave the house when absolutely necessary, such as to buy food.<br />
<br />
"The teachers, parents and carers working to keep children`s lives as normal and happy as possible while we`re all on lockdown deserve a bit of magic," Rowling said.<br />
<br />
"I hope these initiatives will give children and even adults a happy distraction during their enforced stay-at-home time."</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Author JK Rowling has just come to the rescue of parents worldwide who are finding it difficult to keep their children at home in time of self-isolation. The British author has introduced a new online hub called Harry Potter At Home, which is aimed at younger children and will be launched on the official website for of Potter called WizardingWorld.

Author JK Rowling has just come to the rescue of parents worldwide who are finding it difficult to keep their children at home in time of self-isolation. The British author has introduced a new online hub called Harry Potter At Home, which is aimed at younger children and will be launched on the official website for of Potter called WizardingWorld.com. The first book from the Potter series, ' Harry Potter and the Philosopher`s Stone' will be available for free worldwide as an ebook as well as an audiobook throughout the month of April to help parents and carers entertain and engage housebound children. Rowling announced on Wednesday that the audiobook will be available in multiple languages. The version performed by British actor and writer Stephen Fry will be available in North America for the first time. Parents, teachers and carers working to keep children amused and interested while we’re on lockdown might need a bit of magic, so I’m delighted to launch https://t.co/cPg0dZpexB pic.twitter.com/i0ZjTplVoU — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 1, 2020 × Each week 'Wizarding Wednesdays' and an email newsletter will provide creative activities, quizzes and ideas. The coronavirus pandemic has seen more and more countries limiting citizens` movements, closing schools and leaving many parents simultaneously working from home and looking after their children. Britain is in its second week of lockdown, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on March 23 that people would only be allowed to leave the house when absolutely necessary, such as to buy food. "The teachers, parents and carers working to keep children`s lives as normal and happy as possible while we`re all on lockdown deserve a bit of magic," Rowling said. "I hope these initiatives will give children and even adults a happy distraction during their enforced stay-at-home time."

JK Rowling rescues bored kids in lockdown with Harry Potter and the wizarding world

<p>Who would think that the fascinating world of Harry Potter can be a bad influence on children! But in a surprising move, a Catholic school in Nashville, Tennessee, banned the `Harry Potter` series, claiming the risk of "conjuring evil spirits."<br />
<br />
The students of the school will no longer have access to the famed book series after they were banned and removed from the library.<br />
The insanely popular series by novelist JK Rowling, which follows a young wizard and his adventures with friends as they grow up, was removed over its content, according to The Tennessean, quoting Rev.<br />
<br />
Dan Reehil, a pastor at the Roman Catholic parish school."These books present magic as both good and evil, which is not true, but in fact a clever deception," Reehil said, according to the newspaper, as cited by The Hollywood Reporter.<br />
<br />
"The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells, which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the text," Reehil added.<br />
<br />
The official told the newspaper that he contacted several exorcists in the US and abroad and they reportedly suggested removing the popular book series.<br />
<br />
Rebecca Hammel, the superintendent of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Nashville, said that she was well aware of the decision."Each pastor has canonical authority to make such decisions for his parish school. He`s well within his authority to act in that manner," Hammel said.<br />
<br />
The original `Harry Potter` books, written by Rowling, were published between 1997 and 2007. The eight `Harry Potter` films were released between 2001 and 2011. The popular franchise has also spurned an amusement park, a Broadway show, and several related works written by Rowling.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The young adult series explores the wizarding world, in which the titular character, Harry Potter, and his friends, Hermione and Ron, live.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
While studying at Hogwarts, a school for budding wizards, the three friends go on spell-binding and fantastical adventures.&nbsp;<br />
The film and book series received critical acclaim as well as a phenomenal global success.&nbsp;</p>


Who would think that the fascinating world of Harry Potter can be a bad influence on children! But in a surprising move, a Catholic school in Nashville, Tennessee, banned the `Harry Potter` series, claiming the risk of "conjuring evil spirits.

Who would think that the fascinating world of Harry Potter can be a bad influence on children! But in a surprising move, a Catholic school in Nashville, Tennessee, banned the `Harry Potter` series, claiming the risk of "conjuring evil spirits." The students of the school will no longer have access to the famed book series after they were banned and removed from the library. The insanely popular series by novelist JK Rowling, which follows a young wizard and his adventures with friends as they grow up, was removed over its content, according to The Tennessean, quoting Rev. Dan Reehil, a pastor at the Roman Catholic parish school."These books present magic as both good and evil, which is not true, but in fact a clever deception," Reehil said, according to the newspaper, as cited by The Hollywood Reporter. "The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells, which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the text," Reehil added. The official told the newspaper that he contacted several exorcists in the US and abroad and they reportedly suggested removing the popular book series. Rebecca Hammel, the superintendent of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Nashville, said that she was well aware of the decision."Each pastor has canonical authority to make such decisions for his parish school. He`s well within his authority to act in that manner," Hammel said. The original `Harry Potter` books, written by Rowling, were published between 1997 and 2007. The eight `Harry Potter` films were released between 2001 and 2011. The popular franchise has also spurned an amusement park, a Broadway show, and several related works written by Rowling. The young adult series explores the wizarding world, in which the titular character, Harry Potter, and his friends, Hermione and Ron, live. While studying at Hogwarts, a school for budding wizards, the three friends go on spell-binding and fantastical adventures. The film and book series received critical acclaim as well as a phenomenal global success.

Nashville school bans 'Harry Potter' series, stating risk of 'conjuring evil spirits'

<p>JK Rowling may have put an end to her popular series 'Harry Potter' years back, but the legacy continues to live on.&nbsp;Rowling and Harry Potter celebrate their birthday on July 31. Harry Potter is now 39!<br />
<br />
The much-loved and celebrated character has seen Daniel Radcliffe as it`s human counterpart since the first film from the series `Harry Potter and the Philosopher`s Stone` hit the big screens in 2001. And since then people have lived with the character along til the last film from the series `Harty Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2` released in 2011.<br />
<br />
The wizard boy started his journey as an 11-year old boy who is sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and spanned through eight films ending his trail as an adult seeing off his children at the station just as he left once.<br />
<br />
To wish their loved character on his anniversary, fans flooded Twitter with praises for Harry while also reminiscing some childhood moments!<br />
<br />
"Happy birthday to the boy who gave me the first magical experience in my life, to whom he taught me that you are always stronger than you think and also to always value family and friends," one user wrote on the micro-blogging site.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy birthday to the boy who gave me the first magical experience in my life, to whom he taught me that you are always stronger than you think and also to always value family and friends ❤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HarryPotter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HarryPotter</a> <a href="https://t.co/XwfEn0cdDV">pic.twitter.com/XwfEn0cdDV</a></p>
— Veronica Rojas (@Rojasv_17) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rojasv_17/status/1156432270695239680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Another user opted for a fun way of celebrating Harry`s legacy as he mentioned different phases of his life.</p>

<p>With a creamy yet creepy birthday cake, a user showered his love on Harry. And what better than drinking butterbeer, playing Kahoot on this very day. One user did the same and shared the pictures."Happy Birthday Harry Potter!! We player Kahoot, drank butter beer, and enjoyed an Ollivanders wand!" the user tweeted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy Birthday Harry Potter!! We player Kahoot, drank butter beer, and enjoyed an Ollivanders wand! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/weloveHarryPotter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#weloveHarryPotter</a> <a href="https://t.co/ukNKXwI4bI">pic.twitter.com/ukNKXwI4bI</a></p>
— Franchesca Fresquez (@ffresquez_LMS) <a href="https://twitter.com/ffresquez_LMS/status/1156287286163542016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">happy birthday to one of my favorites heroes. to the boy who gave me the first magical experience. the one who stands up to protect who he loves. happy birthday harry james potter! ✨ <a href="https://t.co/nPerrz7sSj">pic.twitter.com/nPerrz7sSj</a></p>
— stasia loves sabrina (@brinascarpnter) <a href="https://twitter.com/brinascarpnter/status/1156499827376709632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">happy birthday to the boy who went through so much throughout his childhood and still remained good, pure and kind. happy birthday harry potter, i love you and i’m sorry you’re so underrated <a href="https://t.co/lNK7tCGiQN">pic.twitter.com/lNK7tCGiQN</a></p>
— jessie (@grangerslight) <a href="https://twitter.com/grangerslight/status/1156478162483712000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy Birthday Harry!<br />
(illustration Mary Grandpré)<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HarryPotter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HarryPotter</a> <a href="https://t.co/f2rM2Xhru6">pic.twitter.com/f2rM2Xhru6</a></p>
— Claudia (sshhh.... deine schewester) (@curlybaeholland) <a href="https://twitter.com/curlybaeholland/status/1156391978197819392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Meanwhile, JK Rowling celebrated 54th birthday on Wednesday.Actor Emma Watson, who played Hermione in the series wished Rowling on Instagram. Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/on-jk-rowlings-birthday-13-inspiring-quotes-from-harry-potter-to-make-you-believe-in-magic-all-over-again-156002">On JK Rowling's birthday, 13 inspiring quotes from 'Harry Potter' to make you believe in magic all over again</a></p>

<p>"Sexy and scary! You smashed this. All the love to you Jo. Happy Birthday!!!! Extra points to @msevylynch for being the most perfect cat," Watson wrote.</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0ktfHGJnX6/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Sexy and scary! 👻 You smashed this. All the love to you Jo. Happy Birthday!!!! Extra points to @msevylynch for being the most perfect cat. 🐯</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/emmawatson/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Emma Watson</a> (@emmawatson) on <time datetime="2019-07-31T07:58:52+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jul 31, 2019 at 12:58am PDT</time></p>
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JK Rowling may have put an end to her popular series 'Harry Potter' years back, but the legacy continues to live on. Rowling and Harry Potter celebrate their birthday on July 31.

JK Rowling may have put an end to her popular series 'Harry Potter' years back, but the legacy continues to live on. Rowling and Harry Potter celebrate their birthday on July 31. Harry Potter is now 39! The much-loved and celebrated character has seen Daniel Radcliffe as it`s human counterpart since the first film from the series `Harry Potter and the Philosopher`s Stone` hit the big screens in 2001. And since then people have lived with the character along til the last film from the series `Harty Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2` released in 2011. The wizard boy started his journey as an 11-year old boy who is sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and spanned through eight films ending his trail as an adult seeing off his children at the station just as he left once. To wish their loved character on his anniversary, fans flooded Twitter with praises for Harry while also reminiscing some childhood moments! "Happy birthday to the boy who gave me the first magical experience in my life, to whom he taught me that you are always stronger than you think and also to always value family and friends," one user wrote on the micro-blogging site. Happy birthday to the boy who gave me the first magical experience in my life, to whom he taught me that you are always stronger than you think and also to always value family and friends ❤#HarryPotter pic.twitter.com/XwfEn0cdDV — Veronica Rojas (@Rojasv_17) July 31, 2019 × Another user opted for a fun way of celebrating Harry`s legacy as he mentioned different phases of his life. With a creamy yet creepy birthday cake, a user showered his love on Harry. And what better than drinking butterbeer, playing Kahoot on this very day. One user did the same and shared the pictures."Happy Birthday Harry Potter!! We player Kahoot, drank butter beer, and enjoyed an Ollivanders wand!" the user tweeted. Happy Birthday Harry Potter!! We player Kahoot, drank butter beer, and enjoyed an Ollivanders wand! #weloveHarryPotter pic.twitter.com/ukNKXwI4bI — Franchesca Fresquez (@ffresquez_LMS) July 30, 2019 × happy birthday to one of my favorites heroes. to the boy who gave me the first magical experience. the one who stands up to protect who he loves. happy birthday harry james potter! ✨ pic.twitter.com/nPerrz7sSj — stasia loves sabrina (@brinascarpnter) July 31, 2019 × happy birthday to the boy who went through so much throughout his childhood and still remained good, pure and kind. happy birthday harry potter, i love you and i’m sorry you’re so underrated pic.twitter.com/lNK7tCGiQN — jessie (@grangerslight) July 31, 2019 × Happy Birthday Harry! (illustration Mary Grandpré)#HarryPotter pic.twitter.com/f2rM2Xhru6 — Claudia (sshhh.... deine schewester) (@curlybaeholland) July 31, 2019 × Meanwhile, JK Rowling celebrated 54th birthday on Wednesday.Actor Emma Watson, who played Hermione in the series wished Rowling on Instagram. Also read: On JK Rowling's birthday, 13 inspiring quotes from 'Harry Potter' to make you believe in magic all over again "Sexy and scary! You smashed this. All the love to you Jo. Happy Birthday!!!! Extra points to @msevylynch for being the most perfect cat," Watson wrote. View this post on Instagram Sexy and scary! 👻 You smashed this. All the love to you Jo. Happy Birthday!!!! Extra points to @msevylynch for being the most perfect cat. 🐯 A post shared by Emma Watson (@emmawatson) on Jul 31, 2019 at 12:58am PDT ×

As Harry Potter turns 39, fans flood social media with wishes!

<p>She may have written the Harry Potter series for children, but JK Rowling's work has inspired people of all generations. Her's has been a typical rags to riches story. Rowling was a single mother struggling to meet ends when a chance encounter with a publisher led to the magical Harry Potter series and opened 'muggles' to the world of magic like never before.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
JK Rowling turns a year older on 31st July which is also celebrated as Harry Potter's birthday. And what better way to celebrate the author's life than going down the memory lane and recalling some of the memorable quotes from the bestselling series - which a decade later of being first published continues to fascinate, inspire and teach us life lessons.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
On Harry Potter and his creator JK Rowling's birthday, here are 13 quotes to make you believe in magic all over again.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<img alt="2_3.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/2_3.jpg" width="770" /></p>

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JK Rowling turns a year older on 31st July which is also celebrated as Harry Potter's birthday.

She may have written the Harry Potter series for children, but JK Rowling's work has inspired people of all generations. Her's has been a typical rags to riches story. Rowling was a single mother struggling to meet ends when a chance encounter with a publisher led to the magical Harry Potter series and opened 'muggles' to the world of magic like never before. JK Rowling turns a year older on 31st July which is also celebrated as Harry Potter's birthday. And what better way to celebrate the author's life than going down the memory lane and recalling some of the memorable quotes from the bestselling series - which a decade later of being first published continues to fascinate, inspire and teach us life lessons. On Harry Potter and his creator JK Rowling's birthday, here are 13 quotes to make you believe in magic all over again.

On JK Rowling's birthday, 13 inspiring quotes from 'Harry Potter' to make you believe in magic all over again

<p>He may have made the character of Severus Snape iconic, but late British actor Alan Rickman was unhappy playing the part, old letters have revealed. The letters will be up for auction, the Independent reported.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Having worked in cinema and theater for nearly four decades, before dying of pancreatic cancer in 2016, Rickman fetaured in many iconic films like <em>Die Hard</em> (1988), <em>Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves</em> (1991) and<em> Sense and Sensibility </em>(1995), but it was his performance as the digruntled, caustic yet caring professor Snape in <em>Harry Potter</em> films that got Rickman global fame.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, some old letters have revealed that how the actor was not happy with the way his role shaped up in the film franchise.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
One letter from David Heyman, the producer of the fantasy movies, refers to the actor's performance in <em>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</em> (2002). Heyman writes, “Thank you for making HP2 a success. I know, at times, you are frustrated but please know that you are an integral part of the films. And you are brilliant.”</p>

<p>While working on<em> The Half-Blood Prince</em> (2009), Rickman wrote a note titled 'Inside Snape’s Head', in which he complained about the film’s director and wrote, “It’s as if David Yates has decided that this is not important in the scheme of things i.e. teen audience appeal.”<br />
<br />
There is also a letter from JK Rowling, the author on whose bestsellers the Potter films were based, where she thanls Rickman for " “doing justice to my most complex character”, Independent reported.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The collection consists of 35 boxes and the letters are valued at £950,000.<br />
<br />
“Other items in the collection include letters from Prince Charles, Bill Clinton and Tony Blair, along with Rickman’s copy of the <em>Die Hard </em>script, the 1988 blockbuster movie in which he played the villain Hans Gruber,” the newspaper reported. The collection also includes screenplays of Rickman’s films <em>Truly Madly Deeply</em> and <em>Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves</em>.</p>


Letters from the late actor's colelction have revealed how he was unhappy playing Professor Snape.

He may have made the character of Severus Snape iconic, but late British actor Alan Rickman was unhappy playing the part, old letters have revealed. The letters will be up for auction, the Independent reported. Having worked in cinema and theater for nearly four decades, before dying of pancreatic cancer in 2016, Rickman fetaured in many iconic films like Die Hard (1988), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and Sense and Sensibility (1995), but it was his performance as the digruntled, caustic yet caring professor Snape in Harry Potter films that got Rickman global fame. However, some old letters have revealed that how the actor was not happy with the way his role shaped up in the film franchise. One letter from David Heyman, the producer of the fantasy movies, refers to the actor's performance in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002). Heyman writes, “Thank you for making HP2 a success. I know, at times, you are frustrated but please know that you are an integral part of the films. And you are brilliant.” While working on The Half-Blood Prince (2009), Rickman wrote a note titled 'Inside Snape’s Head', in which he complained about the film’s director and wrote, “It’s as if David Yates has decided that this is not important in the scheme of things i.e. teen audience appeal.” There is also a letter from JK Rowling, the author on whose bestsellers the Potter films were based, where she thanls Rickman for " “doing justice to my most complex character”, Independent reported. The collection consists of 35 boxes and the letters are valued at £950,000. “Other items in the collection include letters from Prince Charles, Bill Clinton and Tony Blair, along with Rickman’s copy of the Die Hard script, the 1988 blockbuster movie in which he played the villain Hans Gruber,” the newspaper reported. The collection also includes screenplays of Rickman’s films Truly Madly Deeply and Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.

Alan Rickman was frustrated playing Snape in Harry Potter films reveals old letters

<p><em>Harry Potter&nbsp;</em>author J.K. Rowling on Thursday defended the decision to cast Johnny Depp in the next <em>Fantastic Beasts</em>&nbsp;movie after a backlash from fans unhappy about the circumstances of the actor`s recent divorce.</p>

<p>In a statement on her personal website, Rowling said filmmakers had considered recasting the role of villain Gellert Grindelwald for <em>Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald</em>,&nbsp;the sequel to 2016`s <em>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</em>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But she said the circumstances of Depp`s 2016 divorce from actress Amber Heard were private and should be respected.<br />
<br />
The Warner Bros movie, due to be released in November 2018, is the second of a planned five movie spinoff franchise from the blockbuster <em>Harry Potter</em>&nbsp;films.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;<em>Harry Potter</em>&nbsp;fans had legitimate questions and concerns about our choice to continue with Johnny Depp in the role,&quot; Rowling wrote.&nbsp;&quot;The agreements that have been put in place to protect the privacy of two people, both of whom have expressed a desire to get on with their lives, must be respected.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;The filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies,&quot; Rowling said.</p>

<p>Depp`s marriage to Heard ended in divorce amid bitter allegations of domestic abuse and blackmail.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After reaching a private settlement in August 2016, the couple issued a joint statement saying their relationship was &quot;intensely passionate and at times volatile but always bound by love,&quot; and that there was &quot;never any intent of physical or emotional harm.&quot;</p>

<p>Warner Bros. said in a statement on Thursday that it supported the decision to keep Depp. Director David Yates and producer David Heyman also said in a joint statement that while recognising &quot;the magnitude of the issues raised&quot; they stood by the decision to cast Depp.</p>

<p>Depp`s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.</p>


In a statement on her personal website, Rowling said filmmakers had considered recasting the role of villain Gellert Grindelwald for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling on Thursday defended the decision to cast Johnny Depp in the next Fantastic Beasts movie after a backlash from fans unhappy about the circumstances of the actor`s recent divorce. In a statement on her personal website, Rowling said filmmakers had considered recasting the role of villain Gellert Grindelwald for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, the sequel to 2016`s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. But she said the circumstances of Depp`s 2016 divorce from actress Amber Heard were private and should be respected. The Warner Bros movie, due to be released in November 2018, is the second of a planned five movie spinoff franchise from the blockbuster Harry Potter films. "Harry Potter fans had legitimate questions and concerns about our choice to continue with Johnny Depp in the role," Rowling wrote. "The agreements that have been put in place to protect the privacy of two people, both of whom have expressed a desire to get on with their lives, must be respected. "The filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies," Rowling said. Depp`s marriage to Heard ended in divorce amid bitter allegations of domestic abuse and blackmail. After reaching a private settlement in August 2016, the couple issued a joint statement saying their relationship was "intensely passionate and at times volatile but always bound by love," and that there was "never any intent of physical or emotional harm." Warner Bros. said in a statement on Thursday that it supported the decision to keep Depp. Director David Yates and producer David Heyman also said in a joint statement that while recognising "the magnitude of the issues raised" they stood by the decision to cast Depp. Depp`s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

J.K. Rowling defends Johnny Depp casting in next 'Fantastic Beasts'

<p>Author JK&nbsp;Rowling on Monday marked the &quot;wonderful&quot; two decades since her Harry Potter creation first hit the shelves, starting a global literary phenomenon which has inspired a generation.</p>

<p>&quot;20 years ago today a world that I had lived in alone was suddenly open to others. It&#39;s been wonderful. Thank you,&quot; she wrote on Twitter.</p>

<p>A pair of rounded glasses and a lightning bolt accompanied the social media site&#39;s special &quot;HarryPotter20&quot; hashtag, a nod to the boy who escaped from a cupboard under the stairs to become the world&#39;s most famous wizard.</p>

<p>Joanne Kathleen Rowling had struggled through poverty before winning a &pound;1,500 publishing deal with Bloomsbury to print 1,000 copies of &quot;Harry Potter and the Philosopher&#39;s Stone&quot;.</p>

<p>The seven volumes of the saga have since been translated into 79 languages and have sold more than 450 million copies worldwide.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Harry Potter has had a huge impact on a generation of children who became so obsessed with reading that they would queue for hours to get their hands on the next book,&quot; said Diana Gerald, CEO of the Book Trust.</p>

<p>Events to mark the magical tale include a special exhibition at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh, the city where Rowling penned much of the first novel.</p>

<p>Visitors are being encouraged to don their wizard outfits as they view mementos including a &quot;Philosopher&#39;s Stone&quot; first edition filled with notes by Rowling.</p>

<p>Bloomsbury have published four anniversary editions of the first Potter book, in the house colours of Hogwarts wizarding school, while quizzes and crafts were the order of the day at libraries and schools around Britain.</p>

<p>London&#39;s St. Paul&#39;s Cathedral on Monday published a video of music from the Harry Potter film series being performed at the famous site.</p>

<p>Pottermania over the past two decades has led to eight movies, a hit play, and numerous spin-off books being published.</p>

<p>In October a &quot;Harry Potter: A History of Magic&quot; exhibition will open at the British Library in London, showcasing manuscripts and magical objects alongside Rowling&#39;s archives.</p>

<p>The Harry Potter empire has earned Rowling -- a committed philanthropist -- an estimated fortune of &pound;650 million ($825 million, 743 million euros), according to The Sunday Times newspaper&#39;s 2017 Rich List.</p>


The seven volumes of the saga have since been translated into 79 languages and have sold more than 450 million copies worldwide

Author JK Rowling on Monday marked the "wonderful" two decades since her Harry Potter creation first hit the shelves, starting a global literary phenomenon which has inspired a generation. "20 years ago today a world that I had lived in alone was suddenly open to others. It's been wonderful. Thank you," she wrote on Twitter. A pair of rounded glasses and a lightning bolt accompanied the social media site's special "HarryPotter20" hashtag, a nod to the boy who escaped from a cupboard under the stairs to become the world's most famous wizard. Joanne Kathleen Rowling had struggled through poverty before winning a £1,500 publishing deal with Bloomsbury to print 1,000 copies of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". The seven volumes of the saga have since been translated into 79 languages and have sold more than 450 million copies worldwide. "Harry Potter has had a huge impact on a generation of children who became so obsessed with reading that they would queue for hours to get their hands on the next book," said Diana Gerald, CEO of the Book Trust. Events to mark the magical tale include a special exhibition at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh, the city where Rowling penned much of the first novel. Visitors are being encouraged to don their wizard outfits as they view mementos including a "Philosopher's Stone" first edition filled with notes by Rowling. Bloomsbury have published four anniversary editions of the first Potter book, in the house colours of Hogwarts wizarding school, while quizzes and crafts were the order of the day at libraries and schools around Britain. London's St. Paul's Cathedral on Monday published a video of music from the Harry Potter film series being performed at the famous site. Pottermania over the past two decades has led to eight movies, a hit play, and numerous spin-off books being published. In October a "Harry Potter: A History of Magic" exhibition will open at the British Library in London, showcasing manuscripts and magical objects alongside Rowling's archives. The Harry Potter empire has earned Rowling -- a committed philanthropist -- an estimated fortune of £650 million ($825 million, 743 million euros), according to The Sunday Times newspaper's 2017 Rich List.

JK Rowling thanks fans on Harry Potter's 20th anniversary

<p>In a recent Q&amp;A on Twitter, the Harry Potter author JK Rowling revealed that the timeline of<em> Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</em> stretches over three decades.</p>

<p>&quot;Our story starts in 1926 and ends in 1945. It&#39;s just too big to fit in one movie!,&quot; she tweeted in reply to a fan, who questioned, &quot;Can I ask why you decided to make 4 extra movies? Just curious if it was bc of story reasons or something else.&quot;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our story starts in 1926 and ends in 1945. It&#39;s just too big to fit in one movie! <a href="https://t.co/fb5GOGvTxq">https://t.co/fb5GOGvTxq</a></p>
&mdash; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/800647497848934400">November 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Rowling also revealed that free-spirited legilimens Queenie Goldstein (played by Alison Sudol) would be returning for the second film.</p>

<p>Confirming another fan&#39;s suspicions about Newt Scamander&#39;s Hufflepuff House scarf that he wore throughout much of the film, she wrote, &quot;I can answer that one. Yes!&quot;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I can answer that one. Yes! <a href="https://t.co/R7eNoO3IWU">https://t.co/R7eNoO3IWU</a></p>
&mdash; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/800646335774998528">November 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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<p>Scamander, played by Eddie Redmayne, provides a strong role model for budding Hufflepuffs, a House which is much maligned by Potterheads because of its lack of interesting characters in the original books.</p>

<p>Fans were also apparently concerned as to the fate of Frank, the colossal Thunderbird who plays a key role in saving the city in Fantastic Beasts. Rowling was quick to reassure that Frank made it safely home to his native Arizona.</p>

<p>One impatient fan asked, &quot;why was Newt allowed to keep his wand &amp; do magic, and work for the ministry,&quot; citing the example of Hagrid as someone who was expelled and then had his wand confiscated and was prohibited from performing magic.</p>

<p>Interestingly, Rowling chose to leave everyone in suspense, answering, &quot;All will become clear. Trust me.&quot;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">All will become clear. Trust me. <a href="https://t.co/NwA12ZzgsA">https://t.co/NwA12ZzgsA</a></p>
&mdash; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/800685461228359680">November 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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<p>The sequel to<em> Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</em> will premiere in November 2018.</p>

<p><em>(This piece first appeared in DNA)</em></p>


JK Rowling's active interaction session with fans on social media is not new to anyone.

In a recent Q&A on Twitter, the Harry Potter author JK Rowling revealed that the timeline of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them stretches over three decades. "Our story starts in 1926 and ends in 1945. It's just too big to fit in one movie!," she tweeted in reply to a fan, who questioned, "Can I ask why you decided to make 4 extra movies? Just curious if it was bc of story reasons or something else." Our story starts in 1926 and ends in 1945. It's just too big to fit in one movie! https://t.co/fb5GOGvTxq — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 21, 2016 × Rowling also revealed that free-spirited legilimens Queenie Goldstein (played by Alison Sudol) would be returning for the second film. Confirming another fan's suspicions about Newt Scamander's Hufflepuff House scarf that he wore throughout much of the film, she wrote, "I can answer that one. Yes!" I can answer that one. Yes! https://t.co/R7eNoO3IWU — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 21, 2016 × Scamander, played by Eddie Redmayne, provides a strong role model for budding Hufflepuffs, a House which is much maligned by Potterheads because of its lack of interesting characters in the original books. Fans were also apparently concerned as to the fate of Frank, the colossal Thunderbird who plays a key role in saving the city in Fantastic Beasts. Rowling was quick to reassure that Frank made it safely home to his native Arizona. One impatient fan asked, "why was Newt allowed to keep his wand & do magic, and work for the ministry," citing the example of Hagrid as someone who was expelled and then had his wand confiscated and was prohibited from performing magic. Interestingly, Rowling chose to leave everyone in suspense, answering, "All will become clear. Trust me." All will become clear. Trust me. https://t.co/NwA12ZzgsA — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 21, 2016 × The sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will premiere in November 2018. (This piece first appeared in DNA)

Fantastic Beasts: JK Rowling reveals timeline, answers fans' queries

<p>Pottermore, JK Rowling&#39;s digital publishing company, expects to turn a profit in its current fiscal year, buoyed by rising sales of audio books and new ebooks that build on the nearly 20-year-old Harry Potter franchise, the company said on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Launched as a fan community site in 2012, Pottermore has evolved from a self-publishing site for one of the world&#39;s most popular authors into a firm that sells increasing volumes of ebooks and audio books via partnerships with online retailers.</p>

<p>Recognising the pitfalls of a purely go-it-alone, direct-to-fans approach, Pottermore revamped its strategy in 2015 to also sell through Amazon.com, Apple, Amazon&#39;s audio book unit Audible, Barnes &amp; Noble, Google and Rakuten-owned ebook publisher Kobo.</p>

<p>&quot;If ebooks can work for anyone, they are going to work for Harry Potter&quot;, said Joseph Evans, a technology analyst for media market research firm Enders Analysis. But he noted how a push by News Corp-owned publisher HarperCollins to create ebook destination sites for other top authors has failed to take off.</p>

<p>For the fiscal year ended in March 2016, Pottermore&#39;s revenue more than doubled year on year to 15.1 million pounds ($19 million). It narrowed its pretax loss to 4.9 million pounds from 6.0 million in fiscal 2015.</p>

<p>The company has been investing in revamping the site, publishing new digital editions of the original seven Harry Potter titles and ebook shorts by Rowling that delve into the stories, characters and settings imagined in the Potter realm.</p>

<p>&ldquo;The new strategic plan is not only driving increased revenue but is also putting us on the path to profitability for our financial year ending in March 2017,&rdquo; Pottermore Chief Executive Susan Jurevics said.</p>

<p>Pottermore is dwarfed by the broader Potter franchise of books, video games, films and related products, which is estimated to have generated as much as $15 billion in sales over nearly two decades.</p>

<p>Last week, Pottermore.com published Rowling&#39;s screenplay for the feature film &quot;Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them&quot;, the weekend&#39;s top box office draw, which took in $75 million for film studio Warner Bros. Pictures in its first three days.</p>

<p>Fantastic Beasts depicts a struggle between North American wizards and non-magical humans in New York in 1926, 70 years before the adventures of Harry Potter, and is the first in a planned five-part film series set to be released into the next decade.</p>

<p>&quot;There is huge interest in the Wizarding world,&quot; Jurevics said in an interview. &quot;This is a phenomenally evergreen publishing property with a long future roadmap.&quot;</p>

<p>The original Harry Potter series of seven books, published between 1997 and 2007, has sold more than 450 million copies worldwide.</p>

<p>In addition to her royalties from books and films, Rowling has retained ebook and audio book publishing rights to the Harry Potter books, which she sells through Pottermore.com.</p>

<p>Beyond the ecommerce offerings, much of the interactive content on the Pottermore site remains free to users, including new works and previously unpublished writing by Rowling, not to mention spells to charm and stupefy your friends.</p>

<p>Pottermore said results for the current 2017 fiscal year will also be boosted by the publication in July of an ebook version of the two-part play &quot;Harry Potter and the Cursed Child&quot;.</p>


For the fiscal year ended in March 2016, Pottermore's revenue more than doubled year on year to 15.1 million pounds

Pottermore, JK Rowling's digital publishing company, expects to turn a profit in its current fiscal year, buoyed by rising sales of audio books and new ebooks that build on the nearly 20-year-old Harry Potter franchise, the company said on Tuesday. Launched as a fan community site in 2012, Pottermore has evolved from a self-publishing site for one of the world's most popular authors into a firm that sells increasing volumes of ebooks and audio books via partnerships with online retailers. Recognising the pitfalls of a purely go-it-alone, direct-to-fans approach, Pottermore revamped its strategy in 2015 to also sell through Amazon.com, Apple, Amazon's audio book unit Audible, Barnes & Noble, Google and Rakuten-owned ebook publisher Kobo. "If ebooks can work for anyone, they are going to work for Harry Potter", said Joseph Evans, a technology analyst for media market research firm Enders Analysis. But he noted how a push by News Corp-owned publisher HarperCollins to create ebook destination sites for other top authors has failed to take off. For the fiscal year ended in March 2016, Pottermore's revenue more than doubled year on year to 15.1 million pounds ($19 million). It narrowed its pretax loss to 4.9 million pounds from 6.0 million in fiscal 2015. The company has been investing in revamping the site, publishing new digital editions of the original seven Harry Potter titles and ebook shorts by Rowling that delve into the stories, characters and settings imagined in the Potter realm. “The new strategic plan is not only driving increased revenue but is also putting us on the path to profitability for our financial year ending in March 2017,” Pottermore Chief Executive Susan Jurevics said. Pottermore is dwarfed by the broader Potter franchise of books, video games, films and related products, which is estimated to have generated as much as $15 billion in sales over nearly two decades. Last week, Pottermore.com published Rowling's screenplay for the feature film "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", the weekend's top box office draw, which took in $75 million for film studio Warner Bros. Pictures in its first three days. Fantastic Beasts depicts a struggle between North American wizards and non-magical humans in New York in 1926, 70 years before the adventures of Harry Potter, and is the first in a planned five-part film series set to be released into the next decade. "There is huge interest in the Wizarding world," Jurevics said in an interview. "This is a phenomenally evergreen publishing property with a long future roadmap." The original Harry Potter series of seven books, published between 1997 and 2007, has sold more than 450 million copies worldwide. In addition to her royalties from books and films, Rowling has retained ebook and audio book publishing rights to the Harry Potter books, which she sells through Pottermore.com. Beyond the ecommerce offerings, much of the interactive content on the Pottermore site remains free to users, including new works and previously unpublished writing by Rowling, not to mention spells to charm and stupefy your friends. Pottermore said results for the current 2017 fiscal year will also be boosted by the publication in July of an ebook version of the two-part play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child".

JK Rowling's Pottermore doubles profits in 2015-16

<p>The gates to JK&nbsp;Rowling&#39;s wizarding world are set to re-open with &quot;Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,&quot; but the jury is still out on whether the five-movie spinoff will conjure up the magic that turned &quot;Harry Potter&quot; into a global entertainment phenomenon.</p>

<p>With no best-selling books this time around, &quot;Fantastic Beasts,&quot; featuring a story penned by Rowling, will test if the young audience that drove eight Potter films to gross $7 billion worldwide for Warner Bros, will turn out for a film set 70 years before Harry Potter first entered Hogwarts school.</p>

<p>Set in New York City in 1926, the film that will be released worldwide on Nov. 18 holds big potential. If successful, it could dramatically expand the Potter brand of books, toys, costumes and theme parks as Rowling geographically extends a magical world previously confined to the United Kingdom.</p>

<p>&quot;Spin-offs are usually rip-offs, but in this case, with J.K. Rowling attached, I think it&#39;s a great idea,&quot; said Jeff Bock, senior box office analyst at Exhibitor Relations.</p>

<p>Ten days ahead of release, with no reviews yet, Bock and other analysts are predicting a $75 million-$100 million opening weekend for the movie in North America - about half the gross for the last Potter movie in 2011.</p>

<p>Published in 2001, &quot;Fantastic Beasts&quot; began life as a slim textbook, belonging to Harry Potter, listing imaginary creatures and illustrated with basic pen and ink drawings.</p>

<p>Warner Bros later approached Rowling to turn the book into a movie. She came up with a story that centers on actor Eddie Redmayne&#39;s Newt Scamander, a &quot;magizoologist&quot; whose case full of creatures escapes.</p>

<p>The new story was welcomed by longtime Potter producer David Heyman and director David Yates.</p>

<p>&quot;Sure, you don&#39;t have the security of having 150 million people having read the books. But the advantage of people not knowing the story, not being upset when something is left out, is a gift,&quot; Heyman said.</p>

<p><strong>Hogwarts, </strong><strong>Grindelwald</strong><strong> and Dumbledore</strong></p>

<p>Little is known about the four future films, or how they will link up to the original Harry Potter stories. But Rowling has said they will trace the rise of a powerful dark wizard named Gellert Grindelwald, who was famous in the Potter world for dueling beloved Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in 1945.</p>

<p>&quot;As the series develops, the connective tissue with the (Harry Potter books) will become more overt and explicit,&quot; Heyman said.</p>

<p>Just as the Potter movies, &quot;Fantastic Beasts&quot; showcases Rowling&#39;s imagination, from typewriters tapping away by themselves to computer-generated creatures like the mischievous Niffler or the rhinoceros-like Erumpent.</p>

<p>But the darker storyline and a cast of little-known actors playing adult characters could limit its appeal to families.</p>

<p>&quot;Now they are catering to an older demographic with this new franchise, will it really feed into that family market base?&quot; Bock said.</p>

<p>For Yates, the biggest appeal of &quot;Fantastic Beasts&quot; is Rowling herself. &quot;You don&#39;t need big movie stars if you have J.K. Rowling. Her stories are the star,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>While there is no novel tie-in, a book version of Rowling&#39;s screenplay is currently 12th on the Amazon.com best- sellers list ahead of its release next week.</p>

<p>Publishers Scholastic Inc, are releasing a series of related books and character guides but the original &quot;Fantastic Beasts&quot; will not be reissued until March 2017, said Ellie Berger, president of Scholastic&rsquo;s Trade division.</p>

<p>Whether there will be books to accompany future films will depend on Rowling.</p>

<p>&quot;She is a master storyteller and she does create this world, so when she&#39;s ready to have that exist in a book, that&#39;s when she comes to us,&quot; Berger said.</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


The film will be released worldwide on Nov. 18 and is set in New York 70 years before Harry Potter first entered Hogwarts

The gates to JK Rowling's wizarding world are set to re-open with "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," but the jury is still out on whether the five-movie spinoff will conjure up the magic that turned "Harry Potter" into a global entertainment phenomenon. With no best-selling books this time around, "Fantastic Beasts," featuring a story penned by Rowling, will test if the young audience that drove eight Potter films to gross $7 billion worldwide for Warner Bros, will turn out for a film set 70 years before Harry Potter first entered Hogwarts school. Set in New York City in 1926, the film that will be released worldwide on Nov. 18 holds big potential. If successful, it could dramatically expand the Potter brand of books, toys, costumes and theme parks as Rowling geographically extends a magical world previously confined to the United Kingdom. "Spin-offs are usually rip-offs, but in this case, with J.K. Rowling attached, I think it's a great idea," said Jeff Bock, senior box office analyst at Exhibitor Relations. Ten days ahead of release, with no reviews yet, Bock and other analysts are predicting a $75 million-$100 million opening weekend for the movie in North America - about half the gross for the last Potter movie in 2011. Published in 2001, "Fantastic Beasts" began life as a slim textbook, belonging to Harry Potter, listing imaginary creatures and illustrated with basic pen and ink drawings. Warner Bros later approached Rowling to turn the book into a movie. She came up with a story that centers on actor Eddie Redmayne's Newt Scamander, a "magizoologist" whose case full of creatures escapes. The new story was welcomed by longtime Potter producer David Heyman and director David Yates. "Sure, you don't have the security of having 150 million people having read the books. But the advantage of people not knowing the story, not being upset when something is left out, is a gift," Heyman said. Hogwarts, Grindelwald and Dumbledore Little is known about the four future films, or how they will link up to the original Harry Potter stories. But Rowling has said they will trace the rise of a powerful dark wizard named Gellert Grindelwald, who was famous in the Potter world for dueling beloved Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in 1945. "As the series develops, the connective tissue with the (Harry Potter books) will become more overt and explicit," Heyman said. Just as the Potter movies, "Fantastic Beasts" showcases Rowling's imagination, from typewriters tapping away by themselves to computer-generated creatures like the mischievous Niffler or the rhinoceros-like Erumpent. But the darker storyline and a cast of little-known actors playing adult characters could limit its appeal to families. "Now they are catering to an older demographic with this new franchise, will it really feed into that family market base?" Bock said. For Yates, the biggest appeal of "Fantastic Beasts" is Rowling herself. "You don't need big movie stars if you have J.K. Rowling. Her stories are the star," he said. While there is no novel tie-in, a book version of Rowling's screenplay is currently 12th on the Amazon.com best- sellers list ahead of its release next week. Publishers Scholastic Inc, are releasing a series of related books and character guides but the original "Fantastic Beasts" will not be reissued until March 2017, said Ellie Berger, president of Scholastic’s Trade division. Whether there will be books to accompany future films will depend on Rowling. "She is a master storyteller and she does create this world, so when she's ready to have that exist in a book, that's when she comes to us," Berger said. (Reuters)

Will 'Fantastic Beasts' conjure up 'Harry Potter's' global magic?

Harry Potter magic hit Asia on Sunday, as aspiring witches and wizards crowded into bookstores to get their hands on the first copies of a new play that imagines the hero as an adult.<br />
<br />
Launch parties for &quot;Harry Potter and the Cursed Child&quot; were held hours after the play&#39;s premiere in London, setting the stage for a return of the series that has captivated readers and movie audiences worldwide.<br />
<br />
Nearly 300 fans rushed through the doors of Kinokuniya bookstore on Singapore&#39;s Orchard Road at 2301 GMT on Saturday to become one of the first people in the world to see the new script.<br />
<br />
Student Samantha Chua, 24, who along with her boyfriend was first in line, said she had been waiting outside the fourth-floor bookstore since 5 am local time .<br />
<br />
&quot;We were here so early that the mall wasn&#39;t even open yet so we had to come up through the cargo lifts,&quot; she told AFP, adding that it was &quot;all worth it&quot;.<br />
<br />
&quot;I grew up reading the books and I have a special place for them on my shelves, but this will be my crowning glory,&quot; added Chua, who was wearing a Harry Potter-themed sweater.<br />
<br />
Widely seen as the eighth Harry Potter instalment, the play is set 19 years after the end of the last book and features a grown-up Potter working at the Ministry of Magic.<br />
<br />
Like many of his fans, Potter has now become an adult and has three children with his wife Ginny Weasley. He still has his trademark round-rimmed glasses and the scar on his head, a permanent reminder of his nemesis Lord Voldemort, but must now help his youngest son Albus confront the family&#39;s dark past.<br />
<br />
The script&#39;s global kickoff was timed to coincide with its launch at midnight in London, after the play&#39;s world premiere at the Palace Theatre earlier in the evening. July 31 is also author JK Rowling&#39;s birthday.<br />
<br />
In Bangkok, around 40 fans, many wielding wands and other wizarding paraphernalia, gathered outside a large downtown mall overnight. Sanpipat Huangsawat, 29, was first in line and had started queuing at 6:30 pm on Saturday evening.<br />
<br />
He finally got his hand on the book some 11 hours later. &quot;I feel very excited and it&#39;s great to be the first owner of this book in Thailand,&quot; he told AFP. Sheryans, 16, said he was not sure he&#39;d ever get the chance to see another Harry Potter book launch.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&quot;I&#39;ve been following the Harry Potter series since I was eight years old, and it&#39;s unbelievable that after nine years they&#39;re keeping it going,&quot; he told AFP in Bangkok.<br />
<br />
Dozens gathered at a downtown bookstore in Hong Kong to get the new title and try on Harry Potter costumes provided by the store.<br />
<br />
Ten-year-old Adele Leung, who came with her mother, was anxious to crack into the latest Potter tome. &quot;I love Harry Potter and have read all of the last ones. I think I will read it in a few days,&quot; she said.<br />
<br />
In India, fans began lining up outside shops which had opened early especially for the script&#39;s release. &quot;It&#39;s been amazing to see 10-year-old fans and 70-year-old grandmothers turn up at our shops,&quot; Shilpi Agarwal, a spokeswoman for Om book shops, said in New Delhi.<br />
<br />
&quot;We&#39;ve got an excellent response,&quot; she told AFP, adding that the store would be laying on Potter-themed activities throughout the day.<br />
<br />
From Chennai to Gurgaon, customers queued up outside bookstores across the country mobbing the counters, publishers said. According to them, the consumer pre-orders for the book was the &quot;highest ever for a hardback book in the history of Indian bookselling&quot;.<br />
<br />
&quot;The rave reactions from fans, post the London previews clearly indicate that this is classic Harry Potter back again. The consumer preorders for this book were the highest ever for a hardback book in the history of Indian bookselling. The trade orders are over 1.7 lakh copies and we were sold out last evening,&quot; says Thomas Abraham, Managing Director of Hachette India.<br />
<br />
<strong>Rowling &quot;done&quot; with Harry</strong><br />
<br />
JK Rowling, has revealed that the new play &#39;Harry Potter and the Cursed Child&#39; will be the final story for the wizard.&nbsp;Rowling&#39; s comments came at the opening gala for the play in London on Saturday.<br />
<br />
&quot;No. No, he goes on a very big journey during these two plays and then, yeah, I think we&#39;re done. This is the next generation, you know. So, I&#39;m thrilled to see it realised so beautifully but, no, Harry is done now,&quot; said Rowling.<br />
<br />
The British writer also added that it was not a difficult decision to put her Potter creation onstage thanks to the vision that was sold to her by theatre producer, Sonia Friedman.<br />
<br />
&quot;Actually, no it wasn&#39;t. When Sonia came to meet me, her vision with what the show could be chimed perfectly with the material I had about the next generation, and I could see it would work perfectly. So, I never wanted to write another novel, but this will give the fans something special.&quot;<br />
<br />
The play, based on an idea by British author and Potter creator J K Rowling, is set 19 years after &quot;Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows&quot;. It features a grown-up Potter as an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic and father of three children who is grappling with his past. The play is already sold out through May 2017.<br />
<br />
It opens ahead of the November movie version of Rowling&#39;s Potter spinoff book &quot;Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them&quot;, and follows the opening in April of a second Harry Potter attraction within a theme park, this time at Universal Studios in Los Angeles.<br />
<br />
(Agencies)

Sales in India 'highest ever for a hardback book in history of Indian bookselling'

Harry Potter magic hit Asia on Sunday, as aspiring witches and wizards crowded into bookstores to get their hands on the first copies of a new play that imagines the hero as an adult. Launch parties for "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" were held hours after the play's premiere in London, setting the stage for a return of the series that has captivated readers and movie audiences worldwide. Nearly 300 fans rushed through the doors of Kinokuniya bookstore on Singapore's Orchard Road at 2301 GMT on Saturday to become one of the first people in the world to see the new script. Student Samantha Chua, 24, who along with her boyfriend was first in line, said she had been waiting outside the fourth-floor bookstore since 5 am local time . "We were here so early that the mall wasn't even open yet so we had to come up through the cargo lifts," she told AFP, adding that it was "all worth it". "I grew up reading the books and I have a special place for them on my shelves, but this will be my crowning glory," added Chua, who was wearing a Harry Potter-themed sweater. Widely seen as the eighth Harry Potter instalment, the play is set 19 years after the end of the last book and features a grown-up Potter working at the Ministry of Magic. Like many of his fans, Potter has now become an adult and has three children with his wife Ginny Weasley. He still has his trademark round-rimmed glasses and the scar on his head, a permanent reminder of his nemesis Lord Voldemort, but must now help his youngest son Albus confront the family's dark past. The script's global kickoff was timed to coincide with its launch at midnight in London, after the play's world premiere at the Palace Theatre earlier in the evening. July 31 is also author JK Rowling's birthday. In Bangkok, around 40 fans, many wielding wands and other wizarding paraphernalia, gathered outside a large downtown mall overnight. Sanpipat Huangsawat, 29, was first in line and had started queuing at 6:30 pm on Saturday evening. He finally got his hand on the book some 11 hours later. "I feel very excited and it's great to be the first owner of this book in Thailand," he told AFP. Sheryans, 16, said he was not sure he'd ever get the chance to see another Harry Potter book launch. "I've been following the Harry Potter series since I was eight years old, and it's unbelievable that after nine years they're keeping it going," he told AFP in Bangkok. Dozens gathered at a downtown bookstore in Hong Kong to get the new title and try on Harry Potter costumes provided by the store. Ten-year-old Adele Leung, who came with her mother, was anxious to crack into the latest Potter tome. "I love Harry Potter and have read all of the last ones. I think I will read it in a few days," she said. In India, fans began lining up outside shops which had opened early especially for the script's release. "It's been amazing to see 10-year-old fans and 70-year-old grandmothers turn up at our shops," Shilpi Agarwal, a spokeswoman for Om book shops, said in New Delhi. "We've got an excellent response," she told AFP, adding that the store would be laying on Potter-themed activities throughout the day. From Chennai to Gurgaon, customers queued up outside bookstores across the country mobbing the counters, publishers said. According to them, the consumer pre-orders for the book was the "highest ever for a hardback book in the history of Indian bookselling". "The rave reactions from fans, post the London previews clearly indicate that this is classic Harry Potter back again. The consumer preorders for this book were the highest ever for a hardback book in the history of Indian bookselling. The trade orders are over 1.7 lakh copies and we were sold out last evening," says Thomas Abraham, Managing Director of Hachette India. Rowling "done" with Harry JK Rowling, has revealed that the new play 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' will be the final story for the wizard. Rowling' s comments came at the opening gala for the play in London on Saturday. "No. No, he goes on a very big journey during these two plays and then, yeah, I think we're done. This is the next generation, you know. So, I'm thrilled to see it realised so beautifully but, no, Harry is done now," said Rowling. The British writer also added that it was not a difficult decision to put her Potter creation onstage thanks to the vision that was sold to her by theatre producer, Sonia Friedman. "Actually, no it wasn't. When Sonia came to meet me, her vision with what the show could be chimed perfectly with the material I had about the next generation, and I could see it would work perfectly. So, I never wanted to write another novel, but this will give the fans something special." The play, based on an idea by British author and Potter creator J K Rowling, is set 19 years after "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". It features a grown-up Potter as an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic and father of three children who is grappling with his past. The play is already sold out through May 2017. It opens ahead of the November movie version of Rowling's Potter spinoff book "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", and follows the opening in April of a second Harry Potter attraction within a theme park, this time at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. (Agencies)

Harry Pottermania grips Asia

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