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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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Head Boy
Points: 438
hpfan27 says:
Wow, tabloids are so stupid sometimes! Why would JKR do that? She's a nice woman - that would just be mean. Rumors are so stupid sometimes!
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 10:57 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1824
Veela_gurl says:
People are always looking for some trouble to stir up. Even if it was about him, I doubt she would ever say so. She will never give the name of the actual person anyway. Thought it would be funny to meet him. I couldn't imagine anyone worse than Gilderoy.
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 10:59 PM EST
Witch
Points: 577
SiriusLupinGirl says:
I agree with hpfan27. I don't think JK is cruel or vindictive enough to base that character on anyone who was ever that close to her.
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 11:01 PM EST
Points: 15101
xeon says:
Well, didnt she already tell us that in that interview on A&E a few months ago, i though i remember her saying something about that?
Oh well, its good to know either way!
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 11:03 PM EST
Half-Blooded Fooch
Points: 2447
fooch48 says:
People will say anything to make money off of a rumor! I don't think JK would give her Ex the satisfaction of making him a character in her famous stories!
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 11:07 PM EST
Hufflepuff Princess
Points: 24832
Waddi Wasi says:
I heard this rumor yesterday, or the day before. But I did not think it was true - whomever it was based upon, JK would not let that get out!
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 11:14 PM EST
Student
Points: 245
beaglebabe86 says:
That's just mean to JKR... she's the last person in the world that deserves bad tabloid press!
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 11:22 PM EST
Obliviator
(Moderator)
Points: 8468
Prof. Dish says:
Haha, she's always the first to set the record straight!
I'm pretty sure that she said that it was based on a person that she worked with a long time ago, and people just wanted to make a quick buck spreading rumors.
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 11:23 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2046
Lisa Diggory says:
I really dont like tabloids they just find a way to ruin someones life! she probably just used him to help write CoS.
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 11:27 PM EST
Magical Music Professor
Points: 4838
MagicalMusicDreamer says:
I guess it is a good thing that has been explained. I was even wondering if the vain actor was portraying her ex-husband. Rumors abound in a famous person's life!
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 11:33 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1923
iGodric says:
Well he's one of my top three characters in the books and #1 in the movies :) Gotta love Branaugh.
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 11:40 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 348
robin777 says:
I never thought it was based on her ex husband. I didn't think she would do that to her daughter even if she couldn't stand her ex.
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 11:42 PM EST
Student
Points: 225
Magical Angel says:
Hm, that's interesting! Wow, it would have been so embarrassing to be her ex husband if Lockhart would have been based on him! I would have felt bad for the guy....
Posted Aug 24, 2004 at 11:43 PM EST
Prof. of Cultural Literacy
Points: 4469
PowerGranger says:
When I heard she based Lockhart on a real person I immediately assumed he was a former college professor! Not sure why! Did anyone else have this feeling? Or is it just me?
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 12:03 AM EST
Points: 2203
Disillusioned78 says:
It's intresting what this so-called newspapers will dig up to get a story. Keep strong JK!
I hope these news papers leave her alon so she can get back to finishing her book! Yeah, I know I sound selfcentered right now, but I don't care I want book six!
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 12:05 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2773
Alessandra says:
But they'll keep publishing that it was based on her ex. Makes a better story, it does. Truth has nothing to do with tabloids.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 12:06 AM EST
Witch
Points: 832
latinabloomlova says:
Who would make up somethng like that? Why waste their time making someone else's life complicated? Stupid tabloids.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 12:09 AM EST
Princess of the Heliopaths
Points: 5276
Ginny Weasly says:
I never would believe JKR would do something like that! She's way to nice a person to do anything so childish as to write a character that represented a real person.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 12:16 AM EST
The Chosen Hobbit
Points: 2447
Enisnitch Baggins says:
Mmm, I wonder who the real person is. I bet he's a completely jerk
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 12:25 AM EST
Student
Points: 270
Hannah Radcliffe says:
I didn't beleive it in the first place, although I think it would be funny if it were true.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 12:26 AM EST
Professor of Astronomy
Points: 3288
Prof Aurora Sinistra says:
Don't tabloids have anything better to do than that? My goodness... Although she has admitted that Gildoroy's character was based on a real person, i don't think she'd be that shallow to base it on her ex husband.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 12:37 AM EST
Mediwitch
Points: 2608
nickyole1 says:
I didn't even believe this when I saw it a week ago; I knew that it was complete rubbish. I am glad that she squashed that rumor!
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 12:40 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1614
hermy-ninny712 says:
That's bull! She said it was a person that she had known a long time ago that she based Lockhart on. Tabloids do anything for a story. Those kind of people are the ones who give journalists a bad name.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 12:51 AM EST
Points: 1108
little ray of SuNsHiNe says:
Wow that would be kind of sad if she did base Lockhart. But she didn't so everythings all good. Lisa Radcliffe I LOVE your avatar!!!
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 1:17 AM EST
Legilimens
Points: 3013
Extendable Ears says:
I never even considered that Lockhart was based on her ex. What a load of rubbish the press always comes up with! It was maybe someone she just knew, a friend of a friend or an acquaintance. It's really not any of our business if she doesn't want to say - we wouldn't know who it is anyway.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 1:18 AM EST
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
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