Tom Felton says that Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s controversial views played no role in his recent decision to reprise his Draco Malfoy character on Broadway in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

“It’s amazing, I think we all thought that the fandom flame might be doused over the years, but clearly it’s not,” Felton told Variety on the red carpet at the Tony Awards on Sunday.

When asked if remarks by Rowling, who co-wrote the story that creator Jack Thorne spun into the new play, played any role in his decision to step back into Malfoy’s shoes, Felton responded, “No, I can’t say it does, I’m not really that attuned to it.”

The English actor, 37, continued, “If anything, I remind myself I’ve been lucky to travel the world, and I’ve not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter, and she’s responsible for that, so I’m incredibly grateful.”

Numerous actors from the expansive film franchise built on Rowling’s book series have criticized the author’s views considered anti-trans by critics. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Katie Leung, Bonnie Wright, Eddie Redmayne, and more have called Rowling out for making moves like opposing hate-crime laws in the U.K. designed to protect trans individuals from harassment and abuse.

But he does have company in former Potter stars like Warwick Davis (“I don’t tend to read the news”) and new Potter series star John Lithgow (“Why is this a factor at all?”) in sidestepping the ongoing controversy surrounding Rowling.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.‘s free daily newsletter

Felton’s casting in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was announced earlier this month. The Tony-award winning play returns to Hogwarts 19 years after the events of the last book in the series — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — and follows the new alliances and antagonisms between the children of Potter generation.

He will take over for Aaron Bartz in a 19-week limited engagement at the Lyric Theatre in New York City from Nov. 11 to March 22. 

“It’s such a huge part of my childhood,” Felton said of his casting at the time. “It’s like me going back to high school.”