Paapa Essiedu, who is set to star in the HBO “Harry Potter” series, has made a public statement in support of trans, non-binary, and intersex communities. Essiedu signed an open letter calling for film and TV industry action to protect trans rights after the U.K. Supreme Court ruled that gender is defined by biological sex. That action goes directly against Essiedu’s producer, J.K. Rowling, who created the “Harry Potter” franchise and is producing the Max series.

In addition to Essiedu, stars Harris Dickinson, Nicola Coughlan, Bella Ramsey, Jack Rooke, Faye Marsay, Kate Herron, director Molly Manning Walker, and more than 400 other filmmakers supported the open letter, which was first circulated by Motive Pictures producer Sid Strickland and script editor Jack Casey. The letter asks organizations such as BAFTA, BFI, Directors U.K., Picturehouse, BBC, Writers Guild, and Channel 4 to commit to protecting trans people.

“We the undersigned film...