Knightley unaware of Rowling boycott calls amid Audible Harry Potter

Keira Knightley said she was unaware of calls to boycott J.K. Rowling when asked about her role in Audible's new full‑cast audio editions of the Harry Potter books, drawing criticism and sparking renewed discussion about the franchise on social media. In an interview published October 10, Knightley, who voices Dolores Umbridge in the series, said, "I was not aware of that, no. I'm very sorry," and added that "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" and "I hope that we can all find respect."

Knightley's comments came as Audible prepares to release the first installment, based on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, on November 4, with the remaining volumes scheduled to follow through May 2026. The project features a large ensemble cast that includes Hugh Laurie, Matthew Macfadyen, Riz Ahmed, Michelle Gomez, Kit Harington and many others. Gomez has publicly addressed concerns about the production, saying she stands with trans people and "supports trans rights fully and without hesitation."

The boycott movement targets Rowling rather than the performers directly and stems from remarks and essays the author...