John Lithgow Not Fazed by Backlash to His Role as Dumbledore in HBO's 'Harry Potter' Project

It's no surrender and no retreat for acclaimed actor John Lithgow, who faces fan backlash over having accepted the role of gay wizard Dumbledore in the upcoming HBO version of "Harry Potter." The pushback isn't because Dumbledore is canonically queer, but rather due to author J.K. Rowling's long history of transphobic comments.

"Despite the ire toward and denouncement of J.K. Rowling from such colleagues like Nicola Coughlan, Pedro Pascal and David Tennant, and amid the rise of anti-trans rhetoric from the presidential administration, John Lithgow is befuddled at how the author's sentiments factor into his decision to step into the role of Albus Dumbledore in HBO's forthcoming Harry Potter serialized adaptation," Deadline relayed.

"I thought, why is this a factor at all?" Lithgow told The Times UK.

"When asked if the criticism dissuaded him," Deadline recounted, Lithgow "responded, 'Oh, heavens no'" – not even "when a 'very good friend,' who is a mother to a trans child, sent him the link to an article titled 'An Open Letter to John Lithgow: Please Walk Away from Harry Potter.'"

Lithgow said his decision was "absolutely not" affected by the controversy around Rowling's inflammatory statements, explaining that the question of whether to take the part "was a big decision because it's probably the last major role I'll play."

"It's an eight-year commitment," Lithgow noted, "so I was just thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role."

Rowling has been embroiled in a row with the transgender community since June of 2020, when she posted remarks on X (formerly Twitter) that were widely seen as being transphobic. Rowling has gone on to label herself a TERF – "trans-exclusionary radical feminist."

Rowling's attacks have grown sharper and more personal since. Last year she posted a string of tweets in which she aimed critiques at cherry-picked individuals she said claimed to be transgender but were sexual predators.

Acknowledging that Rowling's comments have generated friction and pushback, Lithgow told The Times, "I wonder how J.K. Rowling has absorbed it. I suppose at a certain point I'll meet her and I'm curious to talk to her."