Canadian director refused to work on new Harry Potter show over ’transphobia’

Director Ally Pankiw is photographed on the red carpet for the documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, on Sept. 13, 2025. Pankiw posted on social media that she refused to work on a new Harry Potter television series.

Photo: The Canadian Press / Sammy Kogan

Richard Raycraft (new window) · CBC News ·

Canadian director Ally Pankiw said Thursday that she turned down a directing job on an upcoming Harry Potter television series and called the move a refusal to fund transphobia.

Pankiw posted a text exchange on Instagram (new window) Thursday in which she says "Absolutely f--king not!" to working on the upcoming HBO Harry Potter TV series.

"It simply is this easy to say no to funding transphobia!" Pankiw said in the post.

"(Also this was for directing, not acting… obviously lol)," she added.

Pankiw, 39, has directed two episodes of science fiction anthology series Black Mirror and the full first season of the comedy series Feel Good, as well as the 2023 film I Used to be Funny, among other projects.

The new series is set to be released on HBO Max on Dec. 25, 2026, with a first season titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The series is based on the enormously popular Harry Potter fantasy book series by Rowling, and the first season takes its title from the first book. The series will stream on Crave in Canada.

The British author has attracted controversy and criticism in recent years for her views on trans issues. In 2019, Rowling posted a Tweet supporting Maya Forstater (new window), a U.K. researcher who lost her job for stating that people can't change their biological sex. Rowling later wrote an essay (new window) defending her views on gender and sex.

In a X post last month (new window), Rowling said she stands by the essay, and wrote: "Trans women aren’t women, and if that hurts your feelings, be grateful you live in a society where you are just as free to espouse gender ideology as I am to speak the truth."

But those views have created a rift when it comes to the Harry Potter franchise — including among actors who worked on the blockbuster Harry Potter film series. Canadian restaurant franchise Tim Hortons recently attracted criticism for its partnership with Harry Potter (new window). Similar controversies have flared regarding a 2025 Vancouver park attraction (new window), a 2023 video game (new window) and more.

A post on director Ally Pankiw's Instagram Thursday, in which she reveals she turned down work on the new Harry Potter television series. (

Representatives from Rowling's PR team told CBC News they have no comment.

Fellow director also turned Harry Potter down

Director and writer Kate Herron also shared her own experience rejecting work on the series.

"Yeah thank you exactly! Respect and love to you Ally," Herron commented on the post.

"They’ve asked me twice and I’ve had to explain my answer is never gonna change from a no."

Herron directed the first season of the Marvel Studios series Loki and has also directed episodes of popular series such as The Last of Us and Sex Education.

In an Instagram story posted Thursday, Pankiw lauded Herron's decision.

"Also want to shout out the amazing [Kate Herron] who also said no…twice! And that’s actually hard!" Pankiw said.

Representatives for HBO's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, have not yet responded to a CBC News inquiry about whether refusals have been an issue for the show's production.

A representative for Pankiw has not yet responded to CBC's request for comment on additional context on the text exchange.