John Lithgow defends ‘Harry Potter’ role despite Rowling’s ‘ironic’ trans views
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Actor John Lithgow has defended his role in the new HBO series based on JK Rowling’s “Harry Potter” books despite backlash over the author’s views on transgender issues.
The 80-year-old actor was asked about the controversy surrounding his decision to portray the character of Albus Dumbledore, amid criticism of Rowling’s outspoken opposition to transgender ideology and advocacy of women-only spaces.
Lithgow emphasized that he took the criticism “extremely seriously” and called Rowling’s views “ironic” given the themes of her fantasy series.
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Author JK Rowling has faced backlash for her outspoken criticism of trans ideology. (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
“Young and old love ‘Harry Potter’ and the ‘Harry Potter’ stories,” Lithgow said. Hollywood Reporter. “It’s more about acceptance. It’s about good versus evil. It’s about kindness versus cruelty. It’s deeply felt.”
He continued, “I find it ironic and somewhat inexplicable that Rowling would express such views. I’ve read about them and I’ve never met her. She’s not really involved in this production. The people who remade ‘Harry Potter’ and turned it into a TV series that ran for eight years are remarkable… These are people I really want to work with.”
Lithgow added that there was “no trace of transphobic sensitivity” in the story and said he was saddened to learn that some critics opposed his inclusion in the project.
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John Lithgow was cast as Dumbledore in HBO’s new “Harry Potter” show last year. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
“So it was a tough decision based on that [controversy]and it made me very uncomfortable and unhappy that people actively insisted that I leave this job. But I chose not to do that,” Lithgow said.
Lithgow previously said in an interview in April that he was shocked by the backlash he received for joining the series and did not take Rowling’s political views into consideration before accepting the role.
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She also said that before taking on the role, she received a message from “a very close friend who is a mother of trans children” and described that moment as “the canary in the coal mine”.
But Lithgow said the controversy did not cause him to rethink the role.
John Lithgow has frequently defended JK Rowling’s take on the role despite backlash against her views. (Variety via Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
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“It was a big decision, of course, because it’s probably the last big role I’ll ever play. It’s an 8-year commitment, so I was just thinking about mortality and thinking it was a very good ending role,” Lithgow said.
