Heartstopper Star Sebastian Croft Slammed For Hogwarts Legacy Role
As we edge closer to the release of Avalanche Software's Hogwarts Legacy, the argument about its LGBTQ+ representation is burning brightly in the sky like a Dark Mark.
Whether you think we should outright boycott Hogwarts Legacy, buy it second-hand, or are fine buying it on day one, the game's fandom is split into own houses of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.
There have been several prominent faces from Warner Bros.' Harry Potter movies who've spoken out against J.K. Rowling, and now, Hogwarts Legacy voice actor Sebastian Croft is being forced to pick a side.
What Has Sebastian Croft Said About Hogwarts Legacy?
We recently reported how Mission: Impossible favourite Simon Pegg has been cast as Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black, and while he's largely dodged the scandal, the same can't be said for Heartstopper's Sebastian Croft.
Alongside Amelia Gething, Croft will voice one of the two playable characters in Hogwarts Legacy. Posting on Twitter, Croft wrote, "I was cast in this project over 3 years ago, back when all Harry Potter was to me, was the magical world I grew up with. This was long before I was aware of JK Rowling's views."
"I believe wholeheartedly that trans women are women and trans men are men... I know far more now than I did 3 years ago, and hope to learn far more in the next 3. I’m really sorry to anyone hurt by this announcement. There is no LGB without the T."
For LGBT Pride Month 2022, Croft released a line of "Queer was always here" charity t-shirts and raised money for the Choose Love and Rainbow Railroad charities. Now, many have called his allyship into question due to him starring in Hogwarts Legacy.
Fans React To Croft's Statement
While Croft has reiterated there's no LGB without the T, there's still uproar on Twitter. "She was still openly transphobic 3 years ago. She's been openly transphobic, racist and antisemitic since at least 2016. Do better, this is a very lame apology." said one.
Another added, "Your apology was so half-hearted it sounds like you googled 'apologies for working for a transphobe and antisemite and copied and pasted it. Oh wait, you didn't say anything about the antisemitic stuff she did. You hurt trans people still."
Others firmly stood behind Croft, with one saying, "Anyone who is actually a fan will accept your apology (which isn’t warranted imo) and move on with their day. Personally I'm excited about the game and appreciate all you’ve done and continue to do for the broader community. Chin up."
Elsewhere, a tweet went viral from Sarah Daniels, saying that she was literally the poster girl for Universal Studios' Harry Potter experience and she won't be playing Hogwarts Legacy.
Whatever your thoughts, the pre-order sales suggest that Hogwarts Legacy will be one of 2023's biggest games. Warner Bros. Interactive has repeatedly distanced itself from Rowling's involvement, but for many, this simply isn't enough. We'll have to wait and see if this affects the bottom line.