Actor Pedro Pascal has called transphobe J.K. Rowling a “heinous loser.”
The star of The Last of Us and The Mandalorian, who has a transgender sister, made the comment on an Instagram video post in which writer and activist Tariq Ra’ouf denounced Rowling for celebrating the U.K. Supreme Court’s recent ruling that said trans women aren’t considered women under the nation’s Equality Act.
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Rowling had tweeted a picture of her having a drink and smoking a cigar, with the text “I love it when a plan comes together.”
In his video, posted last week, Ra’ouf said, “J.K. Rowling is reveling in the fact that she helped the U.K. Supreme Court get to the point where they can define that trans women are not women legally. She’s so proud of all the work that she’s been doing to stoke hatred and fear into the general public about a very small minority population that’s already some of the most misunderstood people on the earth.”
He called Rowling’s anti-trans activism “awful s---” and serious “Voldemort villain s---,” referring to the chief villain of the Harry Potter series of books and films. He urged his followers to boycott the upcoming Potter TV show, the Universal Studios theme parks (which have Harry Potter attractions) and to not” buy a single Harry Potter thing ever”, as “it’s time to tell these corporations that transphobia loses money.”
Pascal, a strong LGBTQ+ ally, posted a brief comment: “Awful disgusting S— is exactly right. Heinous LOSER behavior.” So far the comment has received nearly 8,000 likes.
Last year, Pascal told Esquire that his trans sister, Lux, “is and has always been one of the most powerful people and personalities I’ve ever known. My protective side is lethal, but I need her more than she needs me.”
Lux first publicly came out as trans at the beginning of 2021. Pedro shared a picture of a Chilean magazine cover at the time with a caption about his sister stating, “Mi hermana, mi corazón, nuestra Lux,” or “my sister, my heart, our Lux.” The Pascal family emigrated from Chile to the United States when Pedro was 9 months old. Lux, born in California in 1992, is the youngest of four siblings.
In January, Lux was Pedro’s date for the Emmy Awards. In April, Pedro wore a “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt at his 50th birthday party and to the London premiere of Marvel’s Thunderbolts.Thunderbolts. "Dolls" is an affectionate term for trans women. The shirt’s designer, Conner Ives, is donating proceeds from the garment’s sales to Trans Lifeline, which offers a crisis hotline and other services to the trans community. So far the shirt’s sales have raised $70,000.
Ra’ouf posted another video on Instagram Thursday, praising the attention that Pascal’s comment has received from media outlets, including Entertainment Tonight, People, and The Hollywood Reporter, and organizations, including GLAAD. “That is exactly why we need people with power and privilege to use that power and privilege to speak up and educate people,” Ra’ouf said.
