The Harry Potter franchise is the highest-selling book series of all time, the third-highest-grossing film series of all time, and has a total estimated value of $USD 25-billion ($AUD 36.7-billion), making it one of the highest-grossing franchises, period. None of these superlatives would be possible without Harry Potter’s brilliant creator, JK Rowling. In this article, we explore her biography and report some of the latest news about her life.
RELATED: Harry Potter Scar True Meaning: Everything You Need to Know
What Is JK Rowling’s Full Name?
JK Rowling’s real name is Joanne Rowling; she often uses the nickname ‘Jo’. She chose the pen name of JK on the advice of her publisher, who felt that young boys might not want to read a book from a female author.
Speaking with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, she said, “My publisher, who published Harry Potter, they said to me, we think this is a book that will appeal to boys and girls. And I said, oh, great. And they said, so could we use your initials? Because, basically they were trying to disguise my gender.”
How Old Is JK Rowling?
JK Rowling is 54 years of age.
When Was JK Rowling Born?
Jo’s date of birth is July 31, 1965.
Where Was JK Rowling’s Born?
Jo was born near Bristol, and spent most of her early life in Gloucestershire, England, and in Chepstow, Gwent, South East Wales.
Where Does JK Rowling Live?
Jo lives in Perth and Kinross, Scotland in a huge riverside estate called Killiechassie, which she purchased in 2001. She lives in the estate’s gigantic Georgian house with her family.
What Is JK Rowling’s Net Worth?
Jo’s net worth today is estimated to be £GBP 750-million ($1.35-billion AUD), making her the richest person to earn their fortune from writing books. While this is a huge sum of money, it’s actually a step down from her US-dollar billionaire status – before 2012, she was possibly worth as much as $USD 1.2-billion ($AUD 1.76-million), but Forbes reported that her massive charitable donations of “an estimated $USD 160-million ($AUD 235-million)”, combined with high taxes in Britain, led to a reduction in her net worth.
Who Are JK Rowling’s Parents?
Her father is Peter James Rowling, an engineer at Rolls-Royce. Her mother is Anne Rowling, a high school lab technician, who died in 1990 due to complications from multiple sclerosis. In 2006, Jo eventually founded Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic to contribute to MS research.
Does JK Rowling Have Any Siblings?
Yes! Jo has a younger sister, Dianne, though very little is known about her. Di’s birthday is June 18, 1967.
Where Did JK Rowling Go To School?
Jo studied at the University of Exeter, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in French and Classics. She had her secondary education at Wyedean School and College and had her primary years at St. Michael’s Primary School.
Is JK Rowling Married?
Yes! Jo has been married twice. She had her first marriage in 1992, and it ended in 1994. She got married a second time in 2001, and is still married to the same man.
Who Is JK Rowling’s Husband?
Jo’s current husband is Neil Murray, a Scottish doctor whom she wed in a private ceremony in 2001.
Who Is JK Rowling’s Ex Husband?
Before Neil, Jo was married to Portuguese journalist Jorge Arantes.
Does JK Rowling Have Any Children?
Yes! Jo has three children from both of her marriages. She had her eldest daughter, Jessica, with Jorge Arantes in 1993. Her other two kids came from her marriage with Neil Murray. Their first child together, David, was born in 2003, while their second child, Mackenzie, was born in 2005.
What Awards Has JK Rowling Won?
Jo and her Harry Potter series have won a dizzying array of awards and accolades in the literary community. She has several Book of the Year and Children’s Book of the Year awards from the British Book Awards and the National Book Awards, as well as the Hugo Award and the Whitbread Award. The British Book Awards also honoured her with the Author of the Year title in 2000.
Aside from these, she has also received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) title for her work in children’s literature, as well as the Edinburgh Award and the Prince of Asturias Award.
What Books Has JK Rowling Written?
Jo wrote all seven books of the Harry Potter main series, as well as the three companion books, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard. She also wrote three companion e-books about Hogwarts.
Outside her work with Harry Potter, Jo wrote her first novel for adults with 2012’s The Casual Vacancy. In 2013, under the alias of Robert Galbraith, she launched the Cormoran Strike detective crime fiction series, starting with the first instalment, The Cuckoo’s Calling.
Who Is JK Rowling’s Manager?
Jo has multiple managers and agents for different purposes. The Blair Partnership, founded by Jo’s long-time dealmaker Neil Blair, is her literary agency, representing her in books, film, and other projects. Her media relations managers are Mark Hutchinson Management and StonehillSalt PR.
Has JK Rowling Been In Any Movies?
According to IMDb, Jo hasn’t appeared in any movies. However, she has voiced herself once in a brief cameo on a 2003 episode of The Simpsons.
What Are The Famous JK Rowling Quotes?
Jo isn’t just a writer whose literary talents shaped a generation; she’s also a genuine rags-to-riches story who knows what it’s like to be at the bottom of the heap. This unique combination has provided her with a wealth of wisdom to share to the world, which is embodied in her many memorable quotes. Her 2008 Harvard Commencement speech in particular is full of gems.
“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.”
“I am not dull enough to suppose that because you are young, gifted and well-educated, you have never known hardship or heartache.”
“There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction.”
“You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more than any qualification I ever earned.”
What Are JK Rowling’s Hobbies?
Jo’s hobbies are cooking and baking. Writing is, of course, another thing that she’s passionate about.
Is JK Rowling On Social Media?
Yes! Jo is most active on Twitter, through her handle @jk_rowling.
Has JK Rowling Been Involved In Any Famous Twitter Spats?
Yes, very much so. Jo’s quite outspoken on Twitter, and this has led to some heated exchanges on the social media platform. One of her most prominent spats was her glorious 2017 row with Piers Morgan about his interview on a US talk show. She took issue with his apparent support of Donald Trump’s Muslim travel ban.
Another of her Twitter spats was in 2016 with Glasgow East Member of Parliament Natalie McGarry. Natalie had accused Jo of supporting an abusive tweet by a Twitter user named BrianSpanner1. Natalie had tweeted: “Wow @jk_rowling vanity searches her name & then defends abusive misogynist trolls. Almost makes me regret queuing for books.” In response, Jo went all-out and demanded an apology, even threatening to sue. Natalie later apologised, but then doubled down on her original accusation with a doctored screenshot.
Conclusion
JK Rowling is one of the most influential people alive. Her readers literally grew up with Harry Potter, both the books and the characters. And between the ongoing Cormoran Strike series and her work with the new Harry Potter films, plays, and other media, she’s seems to be a gift that keeps on giving.
RELATED: The ENTIRE Harry Potter collection is coming to Netflix
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
