J.K. Rowling Pranked by Russians Impersonating Zelensky During ‘Distasteful’ Zoom Call

J.K. Rowling was the most recent target of Russian comedy duo Vovan and Lexus in a new video taking aim at Rowling’s charity work in Ukraine. See the video below.

The “Harry Potter” author was tricked into believing she was on a Zoom call with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in a Zoom interview shared by The Rowling Library. Vovan and Lexus are famous for prank-calling celebrities like Elton John, Prince Harry, Billie Eilish, and Kamala Harris.

More from IndieWire

• Russian Directors Kira Kovalenko and Kantemir Balagov Discuss Fleeing the Country, Call Putin a 'Butcher'

• Enough Pins and Ribbons: How Cannes and Ukraine Provide a Model for Industry Support in Crisis (Column)

“J.K. Rowling was approached to talk about her extensive charitable work in Ukraine, supporting children and families who have been affected by the current conflict in the region,” a representative for the author told THR, before calling the hoax “distasteful,” adding, “The video, which has been edited, is a distorted representation of the conversation.”

The 12-minute video includes the comedians (posing as Zelensky) telling Rowling that Harry Potter’s famous thunderbolt forehead scar is reminiscent of the “Z” Russian troops put on its tanks during the invasion of Ukraine. The duo asked Rowling to change the character’s scar to a Ukrainian trident, to which Rowling said she would “look into that” and offered to post on social media “because I think that will get into the newspapers.”

Vovan and Lexus added that they were writing the killing curse from the “Harry Potter” books, “Avada Kedavra,” on Ukrainian missiles. “We read ‘Harry Potter’ to the soldiers in the battalion…just don’t read them passages about half-breeds. They are nationalists and do not like such people,” they said.

Rowling’s Lumos charity has been actively providing aid to children and families in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine. The pranksters encouraged Rowling to fund weapons instead of supplies. “I want to clarify where you are sending the money that Lumos has collected,” Vovan and Lexus said. “We want to buy a lot of weapons and missiles with your money to destroy Russian troops, I hope you are all for that.”

Rowling said, “We’ll look after the kids but I really want Ukraine to have all of the arms it needs.”

Vovan and Lexus were previously assumed to be state actors since they have targeted those criticizing Russian foreign policy.

In a dig at Rowling’s outspoken anti-trans sentiments, the comedy duo asked the author whether Professor Dumbledore was actually gay and who he slept with. “Hopefully not with a transgender,” they said.

Best of IndieWire

• Hollywood Reacts to Roe v. Wade Overturn: 'Everybody Gets a Gun but Nobody Gets Bodily Autonomy'

• New Movies: Release Calendar for June 24, Plus Where to Watch the Latest Films

• Disney Pledges to Cover Travel Costs for Employees Seeking an Abortion — Here Are the Companies It Joins

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.