'Harry Potter' reunion sees JK Rowling's old footage amidst her transphobia controversy

Potterheads were over the moon on January 1, 2022, as the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts was finally released after much anticipation among fans. Author and film producer JK Rowling was not meant to appear in the documentary after her offensive transphobic comments stirred up a controversy. However, she did make a cameo in the special episode that aired online on New Year.

JK Rowling features in HBO's Harry Potter 20th Anniversary special amid controversy

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and other cast members from the much-loved Harry Potter franchise reminisced about some of the moments from the journey of the films during the special episode. The special included Tom Felton, Helena Bonham Carter, Imelda Staunton, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Gary Oldman, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis, Mark Williams and Evanna Lynch.

However, even though JK Rowling did not appear during the interviews with cast members, she was included in the show. Archival footage of her from 2019 made its way to the documentary. In the short clips, she was seen talking about the process of turning her famous books into films and how the transition took place early on in the franchise. She was also seen shedding light on the casting process during her short time in the documentary.

JK Rowling recently made headlines after her tweets about the trans community did the rounds on social media. She tweeted about an article that included 'people who menstruate', and did not use the term 'women', and spoke up about her thoughts on the trans inclusionary term. It was after this that she found herself at the receiving end of some serious backlash. Daniel Radcliffe raised his voice after the incident and extended his support of the trans community. He also published a statement and wrote,  "Transgender women are women."

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary special has received heaps of love from fans across the globe. The documentary also paid tribute and remembered the stars who are no more. Amongst the mentions were Severus Snape actor Alan Rickman, Helen McCrory, Rik Mayall, Richard Griffiths and Richard Harris. The climax of the special, however, paid hommage Alan Rickman with the iconic reference, "always".

(Image: Instagram/@harrypotterfilm, AP)