Entertainment
The Sandman appears to make cutting dig at JK Rowling in new bonus episode-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro
The reference didn’t go unnoticed by viewers.
The reference didn’t go unnoticed by viewers (Picture: Netflix/PA)
Warning: spoilers ahead for The Sandman.
The Sandman has released a new bonus episode to add to its 10-part season on Netflix, which features a throwaway comment in the dialogue that appears to take aim at JK Rowling.
In the surprise instalment of the story based on the comic book series by Neil Gaiman, a flashback scene takes viewers back to August 2020, when Arthur Darvill’s character, Richard Madoc, is being celebrated at a book launch event.
In the scene, Richard’s literary agent Larry is talking to someone else at the event, revealing that there’s a ‘nice little bidding war’ over his client.
‘Every major studio wants a piece of him. Film, broadcast, streaming,’ he says.
When asked who the ‘frontrunner’ is to win the bid, Larry replies: ‘Whoever lets him write and direct,’ before the other man remarks: ‘They won’t even let Jo Rowling write and direct.’
Doctor Who star Arthur Darvill stars in the episode (Picture: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
‘Jo Rowling needs a new agent. Tell her to call me,’ Larry then adds, with a wry smile.
The quip about the Harry Potter author didn’t go unnoticed by viewers, with one tweeting in shock: ‘OOOOOOH MY GOD THE DIG AT JK ROWLING, I’M HOWLING.’
‘LMAOOOOOO NOT JO ROWLING,’ another wrote alongside a row of sobbing emojis.
Tom Sturridge leads The Sandman cast as Morpheus, the King of Dreams (Picture: Liam Daniel/Netflix)
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Back in June 2020, the writer sparked backlash over her response to an article that referred to ‘people who menstruate’, after she replied: ‘”People who menstruate”. I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?’
As some critics labelled her ‘transphobic’, she continued in a follow-up tweet, saying: ‘If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.’
Rowling has been criticised on several occasions over the past couple of years for her comments made with regards to the trans community, while she has denied that she is transphobic.
Rowling has denied she’s transphobic (Picture: Gregory Pace/Rex/Shutterstock)
In December 2021, she attempted to clarify her views, writing: ‘Small but important point: I’ve never said there are only two genders. There are innumerable gender identities.’
She continued: ‘The question at the heart of this debate is whether sex or gender identity should form the basis of decisions on safeguarding, provision of services, sporting categories and other areas where women and girls currently have legal rights and protections.
‘Using the words ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ interchangeably obscures the central issue of this debate.’
Rowling also insisted that she isn’t a ‘TERF’, a term that stands for ‘trans-exclusionary radical feminist’.
The writer – who was absent from the 20th anniversary special celebrating the Harry Potter films – previously described herself as a ‘longstanding donor to LGBT charities and a supporter of trans people’s right to live free of persecution’.
She said: ‘I absolutely refute the accusation that I hate trans people or wish them ill, or that standing up for the rights of women is wrong, discriminatory, or incites harm or violence to the trans community.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted JK Rowling’s representatives for comment.
The Sandman is available to watch on Netflix.
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