Harry Potter star Rupert Grint has faced cries of “hypocrisy” as he was forced to pay a huge £1.8million tax bill following a legal battle with HM Revenue and Customs.
The 36-year-old is estimated to have earned £24 million for his role as Ron Weasley in the popular film franchise.
However, Grint has been dealt a major financial blow after losing his long legal fight with the tax man over money he was ordered to pay in 2019, regarding the 2011-12 tax year.
In that year, a company set up to manage the Harry Potter star’s affairs paid him £4.5 million based on: “Consideration for rights, records and goodwill.”
Grint claimed the sum was a “capital asset” and would therefore exempt him from paying capital gains tax.
HMRC disagreed and, following a First-Tier Tribunal held in 2022, concluded the 36-year-owed £1,801,060.
Grint starred alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in the hugely successful Harry Potter movies
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Tribunal Judge Harriet Morgan threw out the appeal from Grint’s lawyers and declared the 2011-12 figure was “taxable as income”.
This is the second tax blow after the star lost a £1 million tax refund battle in 2019.
The embarrassing episode was considered ironic by some who blasted Grint for “hypocrisy” after his previous “virtue signalling” stance against original Harry Potter author JK Rowling.
Grint branded Rowling an “aunt I don’t agree with” as she was faced with fallout over her transgender stance.
Grint’s alleged “hypocrisy” has angered fans
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As other Potter actors, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, came out to disavow he declared: “I firmly stand with the trans community.”
Reaction to the news among fans ranged from incandescent to mocking.
“A multimillionaire who trashed the person that made him outrageously wealthy, because he didn’t understand gender, has proven to be not as virtuous as his sanctimonious image,” one fan slammed.
Another said: “Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving p***k. I hope @jk_rowling is laughing and laughing at his traitorous ginger a**e!”
“Virtue signalling woke w**k twat, I thought these libt***s were all about ‘paying their fair share,’ Karma is f*****g glorious,” a third gloated.
A fourth reminded: “He did not stand up for JKR, the opposite in fact. He is a smug toad.”
JK Rowling has faced criticisms from the stars of her book series adaption
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“But he identifies as tax exempt”, a fifth fan joked, in reference to Rowling’s gender self-identification.
Rowling has continued to embroil herself in gender rows, recently accusing the BBC of “spitting in women’s faces” after they awarded footballer Barbra Banda.
The Zambian player had previously been withdrawn from the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 for having high testosterone levels.