Lilly Wachowski is urging people to think about the media they are consuming.
In a candid new interview with Variety, the filmmaker criticized J.K. Rowling’s record of supporting anti-trans causes and argued that fans cannot separate their purchases from the impact of the money the author receives.
“Your enjoyment of these shows, and continued support of these shows, is supporting my eradication,” Wachowski said while discussing HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series.
Rowling has repeatedly faced backlash over her comments about transgender people. Because Rowling remains involved with the franchise and benefits from its success, Wachowski said watching and buying its products carries real-world consequences.
“The money that goes into you enjoying these products, a portion of that money goes to J.K. Rowling and that money goes into her funding anti-trans legislation all over the world.”
She compared stepping away from Harry Potter to consumers boycotting Tesla because of Elon Musk or cutting their fossil fuel use out of concern for climate change. For Wachowski, the issue is not simply whether someone can separate art from its creator. It is about whether their money helps fund causes that threaten trans lives.
Lilly Wachowski Is Building Her Own Path Forward
Wachowski’s comments arrive as she takes a new approach to an entertainment industry she says has become increasingly unwilling to back queer and trans stories.
The Matrix and Bound co-director recently launched Anarchists United Foundation and Anarchists United Studio alongside film programmer Sarah Marie Flores and producer Lawrence Mattis. The artist-led venture is designed to champion filmmakers from marginalized communities through grants, fellowships, mentorship and production support.
Wachowski said the idea grew partly from her experience making Work in Progress, Showtime’s acclaimed comedy about a middle-aged lesbian whose life changes after she begins dating a younger trans man. The series ran for two seasons before it was canceled and later removed from streaming.
Afterward, Wachowski continued pitching queer and trans projects but struggled to find a studio willing to make them. That frustration pushed her to create a space where marginalized artists could develop their work without waiting for Hollywood’s approval.
“Our connectivity is going to be the thing that saves us,” she told the outlet.
The studio’s first release, Cassie Workman Is Witchy AF, follows the transgender Australian comedian as she explores the history of magic and the occult. The microbudget docuseries will premiere Sept. 16 on YouTube.
Other projects in development include Billionaire Killers, a post-apocalyptic story from House of the Dragon actor and Philosophy Tube creator Abigail Thorn, and an animated series titled Sorry About the Mess.
For Wachowski, Anarchists United is more than a response to one canceled series. It is an attempt to build the creative network she believes queer and trans artists need at a moment when opportunities and protections are rapidly shrinking.
