J.K. Rowling has issued a sharply dismissive response to actor Pedro Pascal after he spoke at length about her in a newly released Vanity Fair cover story. While Pascal condemned Rowling’s gender views and described her as a “bully,” the Harry Potter author brushed it all off with a two-sentence post on X that is already going viral for its tone and timing.
On Monday, Rowling quote-posted a screenshot of a headline that read, “Pedro Pascal Shuts Down Rowling” — part of the media coverage touting the Last of Us actor’s recent comments defending gender identity activism. Her reply was simple and cutting.
Can’t say I feel very shut down, but keep at it, Pedro. God loves a trier. pic.twitter.com/xuyRGiquLx
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 28, 2025
“Can’t say I feel very shut down, but keep at it, Pedro,” she said. “God loves a trier.”
The remark, posted without elaboration, was widely interpreted as a cold brush-off — a calculated response that contrasted sharply with Pascal’s emotionally charged interview in Vanity Fair, where he defended his previous statements calling Rowling’s public stance “heinous loser behavior.”
Author J.K. Rowling reads from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone at the Easter Egg Roll at White House. Screenshot taken from official White House video. Photo Credit: Executive Office of the President, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The actor previously criticized Rowling in April after she celebrated a UK Supreme Court ruling affirming that legal definitions of “man” and “woman” under the Equality Act are based on biological sex. That ruling was hailed by some as a protection of women’s rights, while others criticized it as exclusionary.
Rowling shared a photo of herself celebrating the verdict at the time, writing: “I love it when a plan comes together.” In response, Pascal commented on social media that her behavior was “awful disgusting SH–” and called it “heinous loser behavior.” In his Vanity Fair interview, he revisited that post.
“Bullies make me f—ing sick…,” he said. “Listen, I want to protect the people I love. But it goes beyond that.”
Pedro Pascal on SNL – YouTube, Saturday Night Live
Pascal’s younger sibling has publicly identified with a gender identity different from birth sex, and Pascal has taken a vocal public stance on related topics, frequently using red carpet appearances and interviews to express his views. In the same interview, his older sister Javiera defended his past comments about Rowling, reiterating that the criticism was personal.
But Rowling, who has consistently maintained that her views are rooted in personal experience and concern for women’s safety, has shown little interest in escalating the exchange. In 2020, she published a lengthy personal essay detailing her history as a survivor of abuse. She explained that her objections to biological males entering women-only spaces stem from her own trauma and a desire to preserve boundaries that protect vulnerable women.
J.K. Rowling via The Rowling Library YouTube
“I’m mentioning these things now not in an attempt to garner sympathy, but out of solidarity with the huge numbers of women who have histories like mine, who’ve been slurred as bigots for having concerns around single-sex spaces,” she wrote at the time.
Despite receiving regular criticism from celebrities and the press, Rowling has largely avoided direct back-and-forth responses. Her latest post, clocking in at just 16 words, appeared to reject the media narrative that Pascal had somehow “shut her down.”
This marks the first time Rowling has publicly responded to Pedro Pascal by name, despite his previous insults. In April, after Pascal’s initial outburst at her, Rowling remained silent. However, shortly after those remarks went viral, many noticed she quietly changed her X banner to an image of dolls with brightly colored hair arranged in a row — a move widely interpreted as a subtle response.
J.K. Rowling’s X page, with a series of dolls as her banner image – X, @jk_rowling
Pascal had been photographed days earlier wearing a shirt that read “Protect the Dolls,” a phrase associated with gender identity activism. The timing of Rowling’s banner swap, paired with the visual nod, led to speculation that it was a veiled counterpoint. Still, she declined to comment at the time and avoided naming Pascal directly — until now.
With her short reply this week, Rowling moved from indirect symbolism to direct dismissal, shutting down the media narrative that Pascal had somehow silenced her with a single, sardonic sentence.
A screenshot of Pedro Pascal dancing suggestively with a rainbow colored rod suggestively at an event – X, @pascalarchive
As for Pascal, he remains one of Hollywood’s most prominent figures, soon to appear as Reed Richards in Marvel’s upcoming Fantastic Four reboot. Rowling, meanwhile, continues her work on the upcoming Harry Potter TV series in development at HBO, where she serves as a producer and creative lead.
What do you think about Rowling and her response to Pedro Pascal? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
He “shut down” Rowling? Lol
The shill media is at it again. I’d be amazed if anyone still takes them seriously.
Rowling can be a pretty toxic person, but she knows how to deal with trolls and other toxic people, lmao.
I despise Rowling and all her liberal BS, but I hate that closet homosexual that’s having a relationship with his mentally ill brother even more. I look forward to their upcoming failures with great joy.