Keira Knightley will voice Dolores Umbridge in the recently announced “Harry Potter” audiobooks.
The “Pirates of the Caribbean” actress is one of the latest stars to join Audible’s new audiobook rendition of all seven “Harry Potter” books. While on a press tour for her new Netflix movie, “The Woman in Cabin 10,” the Oscar nominee told Decider she wasn’t aware of J.K. Rowling’s connotation due to the author engaging in anti-transgender politics.
“I was not aware of that, no. I’m very sorry,” Knightley responded before continuing on to say, “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?” Knightley asked, adding that “we’ve all got very different opinions. I hope that we can all find respect.”
In 2020, Rowling published an extremely controversial 3,800-word essay on her website, alleging that the transgender “movement” is doing “demonstrable harm” to cisgender women. The author said her stance in the essay is pro-feminist and not anti-trans, even though critics in the trans community see her words and comments as a rejection of their identity.
The main actors from the “Harry Potter” films have condemned Rowling’s words, including Daniel Radcliffe, who played the titular character, and Emma Watson.
Audible’s new “Harry Potter” series was announced in August. Hugh Laurie, Matthew Macfadyen and Riz Ahmed lead the cast as Albus Dumbledore, Lord Voldemort and Professor Snape, respectively.
The first audiobook, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” is set for a Nov. 4 release.