Keira Knightley had no idea that people were boycotting all things JK Rowling. Believe it or not, I think Keira is very offline, so it makes some sense. [Socialite Life]
Donald Trump thinks Watergate was a hoax. [Buzzfeed]
I don’t know how much to cover about Jeremy Allen White and Deliver Me From Nowhere. I’m pretty sure JAR will get an Oscar nomination for it though. [LaineyGossip]
Natalie Portman wore a funky Dior. [RCFA]
The government shutdown is threatening domestic violence survivors. [Jezebel]
Review of AppleTV+’s The Last Frontier. [Pajiba]
Keanu Reeves pays tribute to Diane Keaton. [JustJared]
All about Taylor Swift’s new docuseries. [Hollywood Life]
Robbie Williams loves Pretty Woman. [Seriously OMG]
The trailer for Heated Rivalry. [OMG Blog]
I don’t think you have to be extremely online to know about JK Rowling. If you’re in the movie industry, her transphobia is widely known.
“You know, I think we’re all living in a period of time right now where we’re all going to have to figure out how to live together, aren’t we? And we’ve all got very different opinions. I hope that we can all find respect,”
That’s the kind of cop-out answer you’d hear from a politician. And no. personally I don’t respect people who think an entire group of already-marginalized people don’t have the right to exist. That’s not an “opinion”, that’s bigotry and intolerance and there’s no place in my life for that shit.
Exactly!
“You know, I think we’re all living in a period of time right now where we’re all going to have to figure out how to live together, aren’t we? And we’ve all got very different opinions. I hope that we can all find respect,”
Well Ms. Knightley, Rowling’s opinion is that people who don’t fit her incredibly narrow and specific definition of “woman” shouldn’t be allowed to exist, or “live together,” in Rowling’s world, so…she’s the one who needs to figure out how to live with others. The rest of the world doesn’t need to figure out how to oppress themselves so oppressors can keep their ignorant, bigoted opinions.
So take this “live together…find respect” platitude crap to her, and tell Rowling she needs to learn to live with people who have other definitions of “woman” than she does.
If you can, watch the video of Knightley saying this. The video of her response, replete with body language and unpleasant laughter, is worse than the print quote — which was already bad enough. She comes off as pissed, defensive, and extremely discounting of the issue. It feels like an arrogant little lecture from her on how we should all just accept anti-trans bigotry.
This. Everything about her answer screams “I don’t care.” And this whole ‘live together and find respect’ is such bullsh*t. Do you really think that if you show Rowling grace, she will reciprocate? No, she’ll laugh in your face and mock you just like she did to Emma Watson. Bigots do not give a f*ck about finding common ground with people who disagree with them. Hate is where they thrive and they do not deserve anyone’s grace or understanding.
I’m not surprised; I don’t know anyone in real life who isn’t either chronically online or a celeb gossip hound who knows about JK Rowling. I think people forget that most people aren’t on Twitter and most people aren’t checking for authors of children’s books like that.
I have the exact opposite experience. My grown nieces who are too busy with their small kids to be online know the deal about JKR and what a monster she is.
And these children’s books were in a class of their own.
I find this explanation infuriating. Keira might well be extremely offline and unaware of Rowling’s toxicity, but her team wouldn’t be — other actors have already had to answer questions about working on HP projects.
She is also based in UK, where Rowling has been publicly funding laws against Trans people and also feuding with all manner of celebrities. It’s one thing to be offline and quite another thing to be willfully ignorant about signing on to a project that is going to feature your name. It’s the “I didn’t see the president’s tweet” of Republican lawmakers.
Finally, okay – let’s believe Keira that she didn’t know. She does now. What is she going to do about it?
Even if she didn’t know, which, frankly, is BS, because every actress at her level pays people to know, she knows now. And her reply is very clear that she intends to do precisely nothing different now that she knows. So basically: Keira shrugs.
Bye, Keira.
Even if she’s offline, she has an agent, manager, assistant and what not. Ofcourse she knew. Judging from the clip she doesn’t care.
This was exactly my reaction. Mayyyyybe she didn’t know (I still call bs) but she definitely has an agent, manger or lawyer who does.
Wow. I have loved Keira Knightley since her Bend It Like Beckham days, but…as with everyone else attached to these new Harry Potter projects, she just lost all my respect and esteem.
Way too many of the actors taking these new roles (looking at you too, John Lithgow) are claiming they had no idea of Rowling’s anti-trans activism, but I find that hard to believe.
For one, Rowling has been actively lobbying to oppress transgender folx for many years (even publishing an anti-trans novel!), so it’s hard to believe anyone in this business has missed that news.
But second, even if, say, Keira Knightley (or others) somehow really missed the abundance of information about it (OK, maybe she really is extremely offline, etc.) these are actors with agents, managers, PR people.
And it is the job of those agents/managers/PR people to be online, and to know this kind of stuff. So unless they are absolutely terrible at their jobs, at some point before contacts were signed, they must have said, “Hey, are you aware of the controversy associated with this? Do you still want to get involved?”
And those actors said yes.
I just can’t believe they were not given a heads up by the professionals they pay to make sure they don’t sign up for projects that will ensure people want to boycott them too.
So yeah, I think they all did their own moral calculus and for whatever reason decided supporting someone who goes out of her way to oppress some of the most marginalized people in society (and helping this billionaire tyrant make gobs more money) was still the right choice for them.
And playing dumb about it makes it even worse.
i was so disappointed by this interview. i’m not a huge fan of hers really, but it’s just another actor in a long list of people who just don’t care about things that don’t affect them directly. john lithgow’s answer to the same questions were equally disappointing and upsetting. and kiera’s costar-simon something? i’m sorry, i don’t remember. his answer were equally tone deaf and stupid. something about it’s ok to live through chaos to come out the other side. and i’m like, this isn’t arguing about mundane issues. this is completely dehumanizing a whole group of people who are already having such a horrible time and are under constant attack. it’s just…i don’t know. the number of people who just don’t give a f*** is so upsetting to me. especially since these are people with money and a following who could affect real change if they choose. they just don’t want to and don’t care.
Speaking of losing respect for actors, can we please talk about Cary Joji Fukunaga (groomer and sexual harasser) directing the upcoming Blood on Snow with actors like Benedict Cumberbatch, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Eva Green, Emma Laird, Ben Mendelsohn, and Pilou Asbæk? He’s yet another David O. Russell, allowed to thrive in Hollywood, despite being a known abuser.
Well given Eva Green’s past defense of Johnny Depp, I doubt she cares if he’s an abuser.
Yes to all the other comments about Keira and can we also talk about all the other names who are involved in this project? Her response was dreadful and we also need to start calling out the rest of the cast and getting their answers on why they’re involved with effectively supporting transphobia too.
Fair.
Some very high-profile names on the list, including Hugh Laurie, Matthew Macfadyen, Riz Ahmed, James McAvoy, Kit Harington, and Ruth Wilson. Disappointed by Matthew and James in particular.
Not my baby James
Okay fine. She says she didn’t know and that no one on her team knew. Sure. Maybe she’s already locked into the contract. Again, okay, fine. But nothing is stopping her from donating the entirety, not a portion, but the entirety, of the money she makes from this recording to a charity supporting trans rights. Just saying. Anything less would suggest that it’s just not that big of a deal to her.
Does Keira never read a paper? Does she not have a “team”? That is the most bullshit excuse ever…how could one not know when one is in the business. Or her husband who is also a public figure. Im so upset by her and the others who did this project and the new series. Just say you don’t give a shit…make it clear. That you want the money.
So, after Fergie’s Epstein email was revealed, Natalie Dormer donated the salary she received from playing Fergie to a human trafficking charity. I want to hear about that from these people or they’re cancelled.
It’s more than just tolerating other people’s views. Kiera is actively choosing to help put money in JK’s pocket that will be used to fund anti-trans causes. That is reprehensible. Lots of ways to express tolerance for different beliefs, this ain’t one of them.
Lies. Clearly lies.
Even if Keira somehow managed not to know, her agent absolutely knew.
Trans people’s lives are endangered by Rowling’s hateful speech. It’s not mere a matter of respect. It’s a matter of life and death.
Keira can f*ck off.
I haven’t seen all the Harry Potter movies. Was Keira Knightley in any of them? If she wasn’t, I think it is the type of question that is strange to ask her. I can believe she probably didn’t know if she’s not actually in the movies. And I don’t think her PR would expect her to be asked about this if she has no connection to Rowling.
If she’s currently in a project connected to Rowling, then never mind what I said.
I read more about the story. My comment can be disregarded.