Keira Knightley makes shocking admission about ‘Harry Potter’ audiobook casting amid boycott

Keria Knightley recently admitted, in a shocking confession, that she was completely unaware of the Harry Potter boycott surrounding J.K. Rowling’s controversy before landing her role in the novel’s audiobook series.

It is essential to mention that the 40-year-old actress will voice Professor Dolores Umbridge in Pottermore Publishing and Audible's Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions.

However, as of now, Knightley felt the urge to address the elephant in the room following the severe criticism she received for extending support to the project.

The Pride and Prejudice star told the Decider, "I was not aware of that, no. I’m very sorry."

"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,” she noted, referring to the boycott.

For those unaware, the boycott of the Harry Potter series stems from Rowling’s publishing a problematic 3,800-word essay on her personal website, alleging that the transgender “movement” is doing "demonstrable harm” to cisgender women.

These remarks caught immediate fire on the internet, with even the lead cast, including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, posting statements defending the trans community and distancing themselves from the author.

It is worth noting that the first installment of the Harry Potter full-cast audiobook series is slated for release on November 4, 2025.