Pedro Pascal, in open war against JK Rowling

BarcelonaThe confrontation between Pedro Pascal and JK Rowling over the author's transphobic views has escalated into open warfare. "Bullies make me sick," Pedro Pascal said in an interview on Vanity Fair referring to the author of Harry Potter. The actor, who stars on the cover and in an in-depth interview in the magazine's latest issue, has taken the opportunity to reiterate his support for transgender rights.

This isn't the first time the actor and Rowling have clashed on this issue. The conflict between the protagonist of The Last of Us and the author started in the middle of this April, after she applauded The British Supreme Court ruling that trans women cannot be legally defined as womenTo celebrate the court's decision, Rowling shared a photo of herself smoking a cigar on Instagram, accompanied by the caption: "I love it when plans work out." Pascal found this behavior to be "shitty, horrible, and regrettable," and made this known by commenting on a video in which activist Tariq Raouf called for a boycott of everything related to Harry Potter.

JK Rowling has been openly advocating for years that only biological women should have the legal status of woman. Since 2019, she has openly positioned herself against trans people: through social media, in an essay published on her blog, and with the publication of a crime novel starring a serial killer who dresses as a woman to kill. This position, which argues for the protection of spaces used by only one sex, has led her to clashes with various personalities.

In the interview in Vanity FairPascal has expressed his concern for helping the trans community and doing so with the utmost elegance to protect people's rights. Following these statements, some of Rowling's followers have attempted to accuse him of being sexist, arguing that he was trying to intimidate the author. They have even attempted to make a video go viral in which Pascal is seen holding hands with Vanessa Kirby—his co-star in The Fantastic Four– to point out the actor as a man who is condescending to women. The actress came to her partner's defense, saying she thought it was "a lovely gesture" in response to a moment of nervousness between the two.

Lux PascalPascal, the actor's younger sister, came out as transgender in 2021 and has since received support from her family, especially Pedro. The eldest of the clan, Javiera Balmaceda, argues that the actor's statements are the response "of an older brother to a person who is denying the other's existence." This hasn't been the only time Pascal has spoken out for transgender rights. Earlier this year, he shared a photo on his Instagram profile with the quote: "I can't think of anything more vile, petty, and pathetic than terrorizing the smallest, most vulnerable community of people who want nothing from you except the right to exist."