Voice actor Sebastian Croft expressed his support for trans rights in a statement posted on Twitter in response to criticism of his decision to appear in "The Hogwarts Legacy" (opens in new tab).

Croft was announced last week as the actor who will voice the player character in "Hogwarts Legacy" (opens in new tab). As with everything related to Harry Potter, it is a fairly high-profile role, but the game has been overshadowed by controversy as the original author, JK Rowling, has become increasingly outspoken about transphobia, and the actor's participation in the game has led to a lot of social media faced criticism from a number of people.

"I was cast in this project over three years ago. Harry Potter for me was just the magical world I grew up in," Croft tweeted in response to one call to action (opens in new tab). 'This was long before I knew JK Rowling's views. I truly believe that trans women are women and trans men are men.

"I know much more now than I did three years ago and I hope to learn much more in the next three years. I am truly sorry for anyone who was hurt by this presentation, there is no LGB without a T."

Croft's role in the Hogwarts Legacy is particularly infuriating to online critics because of its high-profile "allyship" with the LGBTQ+ community. For example, in June 2022 he released a "Queer was always here" T-shirt in support of Choose Love and the Rainbow Railroad charity.

He also stars in the acclaimed Netflix series Heartstopper (open in new tab), an "uplifting LGBTQ+ drama about teen friendship and young romance" based on the webcomic and graphic novel of the same name. Heartstopper has been widely praised for its portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters: for example, Paste Magazine called it "a film that embraces queer youth with open arms" and said that "the next generation of viewers can only hope for an uplifting and inclusive portrayal of queer characters . laid a strong foundation for the next generation of viewers"

Most reactions to Croft's statement have been positive, but not everyone is convinced. A few have pointed out that Rowling has been an avowed transphobe for years and say that even if he was unaware of it, he should have looked into it before accepting the job. Not surprisingly, some criticize his statement, which they perceive as caving in to public opinion.

While such voices are relatively few, they illustrate the challenges facing the Hogwarts Legacy and everyone involved in it. While Warner Bros. has tried to keep the game away from Rowling, the author's relentless anti-trans rants have, for many, completely poisoned her legacy and all that goes with it. Simon Pegg (open in new tab), for example, faced a similarly negative reaction to the news that he would be voicing Hogwarts principal Phineas Nigellus Black.

The stars of the Harry Potter films, Daniel Radcliffe (open in new tab), Rupert Grint (open in new tab), and Emma Watson (open in new tab), have spoken out in favor of trans rights in recent years.

Despite the controversy, however, Hogwarts Legacy seems likely to be a hit and remains the number one game on Steam's wish list with just over three weeks until its release on February 10.