Playing JK Rowling’s detective in Strike? My integrity sits fine with it, says Tom Burke

Tom Burke has shared his emotions about starring in Strike, the hit BBC adaptation of the detective novels written by JK Rowling.

The 42-year-old actor has portrayed the one-legged non-public eye, Cormoran Strike, since 2017 and is returning to the position for its sixth season, which started taking pictures in February.

Speaking in an interview with The Independent, Burke mentioned his ideas on being linked to some of the polarising figures of the day, Rowling, who has been met with a robust backlash in latest years over her outspoken stance on trans ladies.

He mentioned: “I’ve thought of these items quite a bit, and I really feel fine doing that exact job [starring in Strike], and my integrity sits fine with it. I do know it’s a posh difficulty.”

Burke additionally disclosed that, earlier than the interview, he had made a particular request to the BBC for media coaching on the way to discuss concerning the Harry Potter creator. “I’ll preface all this by saying, what I want for that situation is for it to mend,” he mentioned.

“I want those disparate groups to find resolution. I don’t want to say anything in the wrong context, or at the wrong time, which is going to make the situation worse, because it’s not nice, right? There’s so much antipathy going on.”

He added: “I hate this term ‘culture war’. Maybe it’s naive of me to say that, but I don’t want to be part of it. I want to bring people together.”

Asked how he feels about Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson each having condemned Rowling’s anti-trans views, Burke mentioned: “It’s not for me to second-guess anybody’s integrity on talking out. My integrity is to not. My integrity is to step away. I’m conscious that may imply folks suppose I’m on the fence; it’s simply what sits properly with me proper now.

“I’m not saying I’ll by no means converse out; it’s not that I don’t really feel a part of it. It’s simply that I wish to say one thing that’s useful to decision.”

On whether or not he has sympathy for Radcliffe, who has been focused by anti-trans activists, he mentioned: “I feel sorry for anybody who’s facing any kind of anger, frankly. It’s just the way I’m wired.”

Rowling, who first confronted a backlash from a number of key solid members when she shared controversial remarks concerning the trans neighborhood in 2020, has seen her relationship with stars deteriorate amid more and more poisonous debate.

Following the discharge of the Cass report in April, an unbiased evaluate of gender identification providers for kids, Rowling took goal at Radcliffe and Watson, telling them to “save their apologies” for “traumatised detransitioners”.

The creator has additionally lengthy been a fierce critic of the Scottish Government’s gender reform plans, arguing the proposals infringe on ladies’s security.

She has denied being transphobic, however has beforehand acknowledged that she would slightly go to jail than confer with a trans individual by their most well-liked pronouns.

Elsewhere in the interview, Burke talked about his new movie, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, his roles in the flicks Mank and The Souvenir, and being the non-stereotypical main man.