J.K. Rowling Denies Inviting Jeffrey Epstein to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Premiere; Files Show He Was Turned Away

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In early February 2026, J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, stated publicly that she did not invite Jeffrey Epstein to the Broadway opening of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in April 2018. This came after newly released documents from the Epstein case mentioned the play’s premiere, leading to online discussions about whether Rowling had invited him.

This is ridiculous. I, and everyone on my team, can confirm we never met, spoke with, or invited Jeffrey Epstein to any event.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) February 2, 2026

On February 2, 2026, J.K. Rowling responded to claims on X, calling the suggestion that she invited Jeffrey Epstein “ridiculous.” She firmly stated that she and her team had never met, spoken to, or invited Epstein to any event, and was addressing rumors spreading online.

What the Files Show

The U.S. Department of Justice released documents about associates and contacts of Jeffrey Epstein, aiming for greater openness. These records included an invitation to the opening night of the Broadway play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The invitation listed people involved in the production, and some people reading the documents thought this showed that J.K. Rowling was directly connected to Epstein’s network.

Later reports showed that J.K. Rowling herself didn’t send the invitation. It actually came from Peggy Siegal, who has been Jeffrey Epstein’s publicist for many years. Siegal contacted the production company of the Harry Potter stage show, Playground Entertainment, asking for tickets for a “very important friend” who wanted to attend the opening night.

Colin Callender, who founded Playground Entertainment, said he didn’t know who the guest was when the initial request came in. Documents show that Jeffrey Epstein’s name wasn’t mentioned during the original arrangements, so the production team wasn’t aware they were approving his visit.

Despite having tickets, records show Jeffrey Epstein wasn’t allowed into the theater’s premiere. His name wasn’t on the guest list, and staff turned him away at the door. The next day, he emailed Siegal to let him know he’d been denied entry, dismissing it as “no big deal” but wanting to inform him anyway.

Reaction

A lot of online discussion about the premiere was based on misunderstandings about how Broadway invites work. Although J.K. Rowling’s name was on some premiere-related lists, that simply indicated she wrote the original story, not that she was handling the guest list.

As a huge fan of the films, I was really glad to see J.K. Rowling address the recent questions. She made it clear that the released documents don’t show any direct contact between her and Epstein. She also wanted everyone to know that neither she, nor anyone working for her, ever invited him to the premiere – that was a really important point for her to make.

As a lifelong movie and pop culture fan, I’ve been following the release of these Epstein files closely. It’s been fascinating, but also a bit unsettling, to see so many names popping up. What’s important to remember, though, is that a lot of these mentions seem to be about Epstein trying to get access to things – events, parties, whatever – not necessarily proof of actual relationships. I’ve been relieved to see, and read in several reports from journalists going through the documents, that there’s absolutely no evidence linking J.K. Rowling to Epstein in any personal or professional capacity. It’s good to see that being clearly established.

Recent reports confirm the basic facts remain the same: Jeffrey Epstein was not invited to the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Broadway premiere, wasn’t on the guest list, and was denied entry at the door.

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2026-02-05 16:56