J. K. Rowling has been remarkably reticent to acknowledge real people who have inspired characters within her works. There is of course Gilderoy Lockhart, who she has admitted is based on someone she knows, but has never revealed who that person is. Speculation will continue as to whether the inspiration is our beloved Headmaster (it isn’t), until Rowling finally lets the cat out of the bag. (He really isn’t…)
The only character who is deliberately based on a real person is Gilderoy Lockhart. [Laughter]. Maybe he is not the one that you would think of, but I have to say that the living model was worse. [Laughter]. 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… He was a shocking man. I can say this quite freely because he will never in a million years dream that he is Gilderoy Lockhart. I am always frightened that he is going to turn up one day. He is just one of those people from your past whom you feel you have never quite shaken off. I will look up one day at a signing and he will say, “Hello, Jo”. [Laughter]. Other people have contributed the odd characteristic, such as a nose, to a character, but the only character who I sat down and thought that I would base on someone is Gilderoy Lockhart. It made up for having to endure him for two solid years.
J.K. Rowling at the Edinburgh Book Festival, in response to a question from the audience, through Accio Quote.
It was big news to fellow Rowling obsessives, when a few weeks ago, J. K. Rowling stated that Strike contractor Sam Barclay was 100% inspired by a friend of hers. In this case, I think we know enough about the character and looks of Sam Barclay to hazard a guess. Check out mine after the jump!
I am greatly aided by the fact that our mystery man looks like an older brother to Sam Barclay actor Jack Greenlees. Barclay himself is from Glasgow and would, like Sam, have the distinctive Glaswegian accent, very different to the Edinburgh brogue that Rowling would be most used to. Sam’s known drug use prior to joining the agency would tend to indicate that his background would be from the wrong side of the tracks, but he has a keen social conscience, a wicked sense of humour and he is a family man.
Now, when I say my guess is a Scottish rapper, who goes by the stage name Loki, you may think that all reason has left me. But… well just look:
So far, so good. But what is the Rowling connection? Darren McGarvey’s greatest achievement to date is to win the 2018 Orwell Prize, with his political polemic Poverty Safari. This is a book that almost didn’t get written. Darren credits Rowling’s support with kick starting his career.
Take a listen to Mr McGarvey down below, and let me know what you think in the comments.
