There are two types of people in this world: those who grew up with Harry Potter, and those who somehow avoided the entire phenomenon until adulthood. Andrew Garfield falls into the latter category, which is either a stunning act of cultural resistance or proof that he was too busy doing whatever British teenagers do instead of reading about wizards.
He has finally rectified this glaring omission, binge-watching the entire film series recently, and he has opinions—strong ones—about the franchise, its cast, and the elephant in the room that he refuses to name.
“I hadn’t watched the Harry Potters until recently,” Garfield admitted during a radio interview, sounding slightly sheepish about his decades-long abstinence from the wizarding world. “And he’s really good in those Harry Potter movies! Daniel is so goddamn good. Those Harry Potter movies are really good.” The enthusiasm is genuine, if slightly delayed by about twenty years.
He seems particularly impressed by Daniel Radcliffe’s performance, which is fair—Radcliffe did spend eleven years growing up on camera while fighting a noseless Ralph Fiennes, a feat of endurance that deserves recognition.
But Garfield wasn’t content to simply praise the films and move on. He had to address the controversy swirling around the franchise’s creator, J.K. Rowling, who has become an increasingly polarizing figure due to her outspoken views on transgender issues. Rather than naming her directly, Garfield took the Voldemort approach—”she who must not be named”—referring to Rowling as “she that shall remain nameless” and suggesting that fans should think carefully about where their money goes.
“I know it’s controversial and we shouldn’t be putting money in the pocket of inhumane legislation right now through she that shall remain nameless,” he stated, threading the needle between acknowledging the cultural significance of the films and distancing himself from their creator’s politics.
It’s a delicate balancing act, praising the art while condemning the artist’s recent behavior, and Garfield navigates it with the practiced diplomacy of someone who knows exactly how radioactive this topic has become in Hollywood circles.
His solution to the ethical dilemma of enjoying problematic art is characteristically nuanced: appreciate the craft while being conscious of the financial implications. He specifically shouted out the “soul and spirit… the essence of the themes of those films and the kids and the artisans and the craft people” who worked on the movies, arguing that you can’t “throw the baby out with the bathwater” when so many talented people contributed to the final product.
He mentioned working with a makeup artist who worked on the Harry Potter creatures, using her as an example of the below-the-line talent whose livelihoods depend on these massive franchises.
This isn’t the first time Garfield has found himself navigating treacherous cultural waters. The actor, who has built a career on thoughtful, often unconventional choices—from The Social Network to Tick, Tick… Boom! to his recent acclaimed stage work—has always been more intellectually engaged with his art than the typical movie star.
He’s the kind of actor who will discuss spirituality, grief, and the nature of performance in interviews while other celebrities are plugging their skincare lines. His approach to Harry Potter is consistent with this persona: engage with the material seriously, acknowledge the complications, and refuse to offer easy answers.
What makes Garfield’s comments particularly interesting is his timing. With a new Harry Potter television series in development at HBO, the franchise is about to undergo its biggest evolution since the final film premiered in 2011. The question of how to separate the art from the artist, how to celebrate the story while rejecting its creator’s recent rhetoric, is only going to become more pressing.
Garfield’s “she who shall remain nameless” approach might become the standard Hollywood response—a way of acknowledging the work without endorsing its originator.
Or maybe he just really enjoyed watching Daniel Radcliffe grow up on screen and wanted to share that without getting dragged into Twitter discourse. Either way, his newfound appreciation for the films comes with a healthy dose of side-eye toward their source, proving that you can enjoy a story about magic while maintaining a firm grip on reality.
Experience the magic (with caveats)—stream the Harry Potter films and decide for yourself how to reconcile the art with the artist.
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