Canadian director Ally Pankiw declined an offer to direct HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series, stating on social media that she turned down the job to avoid funding transphobia. According to Deadline and CBC News, Pankiw shared a text message exchange on Instagram showing her flat rejection of the project, joining fellow director Kate Herron in publicly passing on the high-profile adaptation.
Ally Pankiw Rejects Directing Job Over J.K. Rowling Views
Pankiw, whose directing credits include episodes of Black Mirror and the comedy series Feel Good, posted an SMS screenshot on Thursday dated April 21. In the exchange, her agent asks if she has a “hard no” on Harry Potter, to which Pankiw responds, “Absolute[ly] f–king not! lol… (But thank you for asking).” Accompanying the post, Pankiw wrote, “It simply is this easy to say no to funding transphobia!” She added that the opportunity was for directing rather than acting.
The upcoming series is slated to premiere on HBO Max on Dec. 25, 2026, with a first season titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The project adapts the fantasy book series by British author J.K. Rowling. In Canada, the series will stream on Crave.
Rowling has faced sustained criticism and controversy in recent years regarding her public statements on transgender issues. According to CBC News, the author defended her views in a social media post last month, writing that she stands by an essay she previously published on sex and gender. Representatives for Rowling’s PR team declined to comment when contacted by CBC News.
Kate Herron Confirms Multiple Rejections
Following Pankiw’s announcement, director Kate Herron revealed in an Instagram comment that she also turned down work on the series. Herron, who directed the first season of Marvel Studios’ Loki and episodes of The Last of Us and Sex Education, wrote, “They’ve asked me twice and I’ve had to explain my answer is never gonna change from a no.”
Pankiw subsequently highlighted Herron’s decision in an Instagram story, writing, “Also want to shout out the amazing Kate Herron who also said no…twice! And that’s actually hard!”
Deadline reported that Pankiw’s post drew support from industry peers including actors Vic Michaelis and Taylor Ortega. Representatives for HBO parent company Warner Bros. Discovery have not responded to inquiries regarding whether director refusals have been an issue for the show’s production.
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