J.K. Rowling’s toxic views of the trans community are no secret. It’s practically impossible for anyone in the entertainment industry to be unaware of the vitriol the Harry Potter author spews on a daily basis, so it’s disappointing to many that the original Draco actor, Tom Felton, should still choose to work with her.

At this point, any actor who willingly works with her is tarred with the same brush whether they actually agree with her or not. This is very much the case for Felton, who has seen a wave of negative attention for possibly the first time in his career.

What is Tom Felton’s role in the new Harry Potter show?

While Felton won’t be making an appearance on screen for the Harry Potter reboot he has expressed interest in returning as a part of the crew. Reports last week indicated that the star would indeed be making his grand return after he “endeared himself to Warner Bros.” He will be the only member of the original cast to be working on the new project.

The last few years have seen Rowling consistently attack the trans community despite them being a marginalized group who simply want the right to be seen and recognized for who they are. Many former cast members have already denounced and distanced themselves from the once beloved author, something which only seems to have further enraged her.

Despite this, Felton has refused to condemn Rowling’s attacks on the trans community and now his decision to continue working with her has solidified in the minds of many that he seemingly doesn’t have an issue with her views.

Fans are disappointed

Naturally this comes as a disappointment to fans of the franchise, many of whom looked up to Felton prior to this. One disappointed individual took to TikTok to air their grievances with the actor, telling him he “peaked at 11” and that he hadn’t managed to find any memorable roles since.

On Reddit fans likened him to his character in the Harry Potter franchise. One user wrote, “In the Harry potter franchise tom felton is known for playing a craven coward who bows to power to have some small part of it. Great casting it turns out.” Ouch.

Tom isn’t the first to be subject to such attacks online. Last month actor John Lithgow found his own fans turning against him after taking the role of Dumbledore in the reboot. There was also disappointment in British actor Nick Frost’s decision to join as the new Hagrid.

In the eyes of many, Felton’s decision looks to be a desperate move to cling to the one thing that ever made him relevant. While the rest of the original cast were able to move on to bigger and better things he seems to be stuck in the past, coasting on the one role he’s really known for, taking the easy way out rather than carving a name for himself in fresh and exciting roles. In the process he’s lost the respect of thousands of Potter fans across the globe.