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AUGUST 24, 2004 at 10:54 PM
Posted by CHEESER
Source: CBBC Newsround
Contrary to reports
published over the last week, Harry Potter author JK Rowling has vehemently denied creating narcissistic Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in the image of her ex-husband.
The character, played by Kenneth Branagh in Chamber of Secrets, was brought up when Rowling was asked at the Edinburgh International Book Festival if she had ever let real acquaintances influence her story's cast:
The only character who is deliberately based on a real person is Gilderoy Lockhart ... I have to say that the living model was worse. He was a shocker! The lies that he told about adventures that he'd had, things he'd done and impressive acts that he had committed...
Apparently the Sunday Mail, a tabloid which started the rumor's perpetuation amongst more reliable press, interpreted Rowling's comments as "revenge" on her former husband, Jorge Arantes, whom she was with for two years.
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Unspeakable
Points: 3920
stocco says:
I can't believe people would accuse her of that. It's total crap. She's wicked awesome and wouldn't do anything revengful like that, unless it was to Voldemort.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 1:31 AM EST
Magical Sanitary Supplier
Points: 2518
5225 says:
Do you really believe everything the tabloids said? That is just so mean. It's true that most writers use those closest to them as reference for their characters, but that does not mean that JKR would use this character 'Gilderoy Lockhart' as a character mocking her ex husband. That's an outrage.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 1:55 AM EST
Crookshanks Caretaker
Points: 3836
hermionefan1 says:
I agree JKR would never do anything like that. She is to mature to do that kind of thing. JKR forever!!!
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 2:00 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1149
Weird Sister says:
How can people think up stories like that? I mean, I've read about Gilderoy Lockhart on Jo's website already, and it never seemed possible to me that she might be talking about her ex-husband. Those newspapers... true Skeeter-spirit at work, if you ask me.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 2:14 AM EST
Student
Points: 229
Walcnevar~Erised says:
Mmmm...
That's quite wicked. I don't believe that though.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 2:30 AM EST
Slytherin Green Fairy
Points: 3210
The Slytherin says:
The rumor so.... stupid!! too confused to believe which the right news...!!! Hm... Jk the nice woman...!!
go Jk!!
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 2:38 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1908
Opera Ghost says:
She did say she thought of quidditch after a row with a boyfriend, could Lockhart be him? Hmmm, I know some people I'd like to aim a bludger at! I wish she wouldn't get distracted by answering rumors, hope it doesn't take her away from writing book 6 for too long!
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 3:07 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 559
mr. peloponnese says:
I never knew JK's ex-husband, and how could they prove Gilderoy is like him?
He couldn't be that stupid, i believe
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 3:47 AM EST
Weird Sisters Guitarist
Points: 3573
Prof. Sk8ergirl says:
Well, I had read this in the papers a couple of days back.......how stupid can people get man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 4:00 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1525
veta says:
Of course J.K Rowling won't do such thing!! Revenge....haha. She's a nice person and she understands people very well. She always thinks the positive way so I think she won't do such things. Rumours are so stupid, some people even fall for it.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 4:05 AM EST
Blink182's New Member
Points: 2876
Da_BombWiz says:
WEll i read this somewhere... But i can't believe she would do something like this to take revenge on someone... I wonder who he is based on anyways!!!!!
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 4:59 AM EST
Squib
Points: 165
Snape/Lucius'Lady says:
Well, he does bring out alot of ANNOYING features in people I know! But he really is a nice guy... so what if she did base HER character on someone in HER life. She does have the right, after all it is her book!
That's my point of view anyway.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 5:27 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 401
munnii says:
What?! Seriously, the Sunday Mail is the worst tabloid ever. They're only doing it because sales are falling. The Sun are competing and I guess the former wants more cash. How stupid can they get! Honestly...
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 6:04 AM EST
Points: 646
tetet says:
Yeah.... sometimes tabloids are really stupid and good thing she did that.... well, anyway.... till here...
theres no other......... No extension...
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 6:15 AM EST
Hogwarts Matron
Points: 6285
potterpotty says:
I wonder who Lockhart is based on...he would be annoying to know!!!!! Maybe hes just a celebrity who everybody knows really well and we just cant tell who it is...
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 6:21 AM EST
Transfiguration Professor
Points: 2990
Choralee says:
Until JKR says whom she based this part of off we will not know. I wish the media would leave this alone - as well as all the other gossip. As far as I am concerned, JKR needs space to finish writing HBP. All this negative press will be a distraction to the process.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 7:12 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1542
Supreme Mugwump says:
What's it matter if it was her ex. He should be proud if it was him that made it in, and if it was him, from what we know of Lockhart he would be proud.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 7:24 AM EST
Witch
Points: 579
CurlyHermione says:
What a stupid rumor. Jo would never be that cruel.
Unbelievable. How can people be that mean to her to start a rumor like that.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 8:03 AM EST
Wizengamot Member
Points: 3231
Jencameby says:
The tabloids can make everything worse than what they really are they love to blow things up just to increase there profits; there is no reason for JKR to do such a thing that could get her in trouble.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 8:07 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 484
Severin says:
I think that it was quite inconsiderate to make up such a rumor. JKR has tactfully avoided identifying the person whom Lockhart is based on. If she wanted to tell people who that person is, she would have done so. Obviously it is private information.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 8:17 AM EST
Harry's Mental Advisor
Points: 19432
Smileyradcliffe says:
Rumors are stupid and people should not believe everything that they read.
That goes to show you that people will do anything to get your name smuged.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 8:38 AM EST
Keeper of the Faeries
Points: 5239
juliebug04 says:
People will do anything for a story sometimes...That is just so unbelievable. I really do feel for Jo sometimes.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 9:06 AM EST
Witch
Points: 532
Ronald_Weasley says:
Tabloids are so stupid!!!!!!!!!!!
Ofcourse its not her ex-husband and J.K. woudn't do that 2 her ex-husband J.K. even said it was someone she knew a longtime ago.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 9:19 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1300
Serge says:
Tabloids are stupid. However, other than the total idiocy of identifying a person (her ex) who's sure to recognize himself in Lockhart (she's not crazy!), the vague allusions to the model of Lockhart in her interviews could point to her ex - but they could point to one of probably a hundred other people she met in her lifetime, and now it's quite certain that they do. And that's that.
I don't really care who it is. It might be a teacher or professor or former collegue of hers. Or whatever. Everyone has met a person with "qualities" similar to Lockhart's, if not necessarily as extreme.
And everyone is free to speculate (I know I've wondered before who it might be). That's the certain outcome of telling the public about a character based on a living person. It's happened to plenty of authors, composers and directors before. But putting these speculations in a newspaper as "the obvious truth" does noone any good - other than newspaper publishers - especially in a case like this.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 9:32 AM EST
Witch
Points: 969
Tirinwe says:
I knew she had based Lockhart on Someone but the Tabloid just goes out and starts a rumour, who believes tabloids anyways?
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 10:06 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 15
LoonyLuna85 says:
That is so stupid...its amazing how these tabloids can blow something so out of proportion. Anyway...if I'm not mistaken, wasn't Lockhart based on another author?
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 10:28 AM EST
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