Play set to debut at Edinburgh Fringe which criticises Harry Potter author JK Rowling's views on gender struggling to cast women as 90 actresses reject parts

A play due to debut at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer that explicitly criticised Harry Potter author JK Rowling's views on gender is struggling to cast women. 

Rowling, who wrote the Harry Potter series of children's books, has been harshly criticised for being an outspoken critic of transgender people. 

She has been denounced as a 'TERF', short for Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist, for her views on trans people and their place in society. 

More than 90 actresses have rejected parts for TERF, a play that tells a fictionalised intervention for Rowling by the three stars of the magical franchise, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. 

The play, which was originally called 'TERF C***' is set to begin its run at the legendary Sir Ian McKellen Theatre in Edinburgh from August 2 to 25, but has still not cast any female roles. 

The Telegraph reported that 30 women have turned down the chance to play Rowling herself, while another 60 have refused to play Watson. 

The play, written by Hollywood scriptwriter Joshua Kaplan, has cast the male leads, however. 

Creative producer Barry Church-Woods told the newspaper: 'This project has met some kind of resistance every step of the way, though I've been generally surprised by how difficult it has been for us to recruit the female cast in particular.

'It's a well-paid gig meeting industry standards and the script is terrific.'

He added: 'I think it's fair to say that a few things are coming into play in casting.'

Church-Woods claimed that agents were reluctant to put actresses' names forward for the play, as they 'do not want to damage their clients chances of landing roles on the new Potter TV series.'

The upcoming series, which has been greenlit by American media giant HBO, was revealed to the world in April 2023, and is set to debut in 2026. 

It is not known whether Radcliffe, Watson or Grint have been attached to the series, which according to HBO executives could run for 'ten consecutive years.'

In 2020, the three actors publicly eviscerated Rowling for her views on gender and trans people. 

Radcliffe was the first to call Rowling out, who said in an open letter via The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ+ charity: 

'Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.'

Watson and Grint both released separate statements shortly after, while Eddie Redmayne, star of Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, added: 'As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand. I disagree with Jo’s comments.'