JK Rowling has insisted she won't fire Paapa Essiedu from Harry Potter over his support for the trans community. The 34-year-old actor — who is set to play Severus Snape in HBO's upcoming adaptation of Rowling's wizard book series — was recently one of over 400 actors who signed their name on a petition which called for the UK's

The author blasted an open letter, signed by Essiedu among other "Harry Potter" actors, which called protection of the U.K. trans community.