Game of Thrones star James Dreyfus 'brags' about HOTD role amid cancel calls for JK Rowling trans row backing

James Dreyfus has hit back at complaints over his new House of the Dragon role following his JK Rowling support

PA/GETTY/HBO
Alex Davies

By Alex Davies


Published: 12/06/2024

- 11:13

James Dreyfus will star in the second season of Game of Thrones' smash-hit prequel, House of the Dragon

Actor James Dreyfus has unleashed a strongly-worded rant towards those "dedicated to destroying my career" ahead of his stint in the second season of House of the Dragon.

The 55-year-old, whose CV also boasts roles in Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and The Thin Blue Line, has found himself at the centre of cancel calls in recent years for publicly supporting author JK Rowling over her trans views.

Rowling has consistently campaigned for the rights of women-only spaces and has faced cancellation calls of her own for her stance on gender issues.

Dreyfus was condemned by trans rights groups when he signed a letter of support for Rowling - along with dozens of other creatives - after she faced fierce backlash to her stance.

The actor therefore decided to revel in the fact he was about to return to screens in one of the globe's biggest shows.

Sharing a screengrab of himself in character, he penned to his 112.8k X followers: "This is me in House of The Dragon 2. I realise I’m invading your fantastical patch, trolls. But you’ll just have to cope."

House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon returns for its second season soon with Emma D'Arcy in the lead role

HBO

Dreyfus went on to admit it wasn't necessarily a "big part" but he does appear "in every episode" of season two before he shared a lengthier post in response to the backlash he received to announcing the role.

"I realise the sudden news about my employment must be crushing to some, who’ve dedicated themselves to destroying my career. For absolutely no reason," he began.

"I’ve been told daily that I haven’t worked since 2001. Which is news to me. Still, no matter. I’m so sorry some of you will be sobbing into your tissues/sleeves/toss socks, but I always feel the element of mystery & surprise is more thrilling.

"For me, at least. I regret to inform you that I also have 3 movies due out this year, so my condolences to you fragile princesses at this difficult time. Here’s me again in my small, but reoccurring role in House of Thee Dragon 2. Providing I haven’t been cut out of the bl**dy thing entirely [laughing emoji].

"Night all. X," he signed off before caveating in a separate tweet: "And yes. This IS bragging. But I’ve had to keep it inside FOR SO LONG!!!"

Fans of Dreyfus were quick to congratulate the actor on the part but trans activists and "allies" also flooded the replies with their opposition.

Among the barrage of opposition included one who reposted an article claiming "the UK has seen a 462 percent increase in sexual orientation hate crime reports since 2012" with transphobia rising by 1,426 percent.

The irked user - and self-proclaimed "proud trans ally" - tagged Dreyfus, JK Rowling and Kemi Badenoch in the post and said it would be their "legacies", prompting Dreyfus to hit back: "You were WARNED. Again & AGAIN. By US. For years. YEARS. The Q+++ overreach, your excessive indoctrination, your involvement of children in schools, your rank homophobia, & your misogyny.

"Your hijack & abuse of the 'wrong type' of transsexuals, your hatred of detransitioners, your pathetic attempt to shield enbys/ pans/ace’s from zero, non-existent persecution under the vast ridiculous umbrella of ‘trans rights’, which is so absurd it now includes drag queens, was meaningless & only designed to swell your numbers.

"And let’s not forget your eternal grift. You people have run roughshod over EVERYTHING & EVERYONE that came before you lot. You’re the problem. You’re the issue. You’re the reason. You’re the culprits.

"Acceptance has decreased BECAUSE of YOU. You won’t be allowed to weasel your way out of this. We have the receipts, you weasels. Own it. At least show you have one bit of decency within you. And own what you’ve created." (sic)

Dreyfus is no stranger to dealing with cancel culture calls, claiming in 2021 that he was dropped from his role in the Doctor Who universe for signing the aforementioned letter of support for Rowling.

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Speaking to Andrew Doyle on GB News in October 2021, in a discussion about being cancelled he told the presenter: "Well, I was working for an audio company playing rather a significant part in it and I signed a letter in support of JK Rowling and the horrendous abuse that she had been subjected to, and still is.

"And I also signed a letter asking Stonewall for a respectful debate on these matters. And then I got a raft of abuse from the fans of this particular programme, I mean a really shocking amount. At some point, you know, I thought I’m going to respond in kind and I told several of them where to go.

"I then sent a tweet out to this company saying, 'Forgive my response to these people but I’m not going to sit here and be accused of something I’m not'.

"And then they put out a statement saying, 'We do not support transphobia in any way shape, or form’, thus sort of saying about me, ‘We think he’s transphobic’."

Dreyfus, who'd been set to play The Master in a series of Doctor Who audiobooks, went on to say: "What astonished me was not one phone call, not one letter, not one email and I just thought the cowardice to do this. I just felt stabbed in the back."

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