John Lithgow calls JK Rowling’s trans views ‘inexplicable’ after Harry Potter role backlash

‘It made me unhappy that people insisted I walk away from the job,’ actor playing Dumbledore in new HBO series said

John Lithgow has branded JK Rowling’s transgender rights views “ironic and inexplicable”, adding that he is “upset” he’s being criticised for playing Dumbledore in the new Harry Potter TV series.

The 80-year-old actor will play the Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s adaptation of Rowling’s famous books, casting of which has led to backlash due to Rowling’s comments about the transgender community.

Lithgow was asked how he felt about Rowling’s views during an appearance at Rotterdam Film Festival, and he told the crowd that he takes the subject “extremely seriously” and that the author is “not really involved in this production at all”.

He said that he finds it particularly confusing that Rowling, 60, espouses such beliefs, considering that Harry Potter is about “kindness versus cruelty”.

“JK Rowling has created this amazing canon for young people, young kids’ literature that has jumped into the consciousness of society. Young and old people love Harry Potter and the Harry Potter stories. It’s so much about acceptance. It’s about good versus evil.

“I find it ironic and somewhat inexplicable that Rowling has expressed such views,” he continued. “I’ve read about them, and I’ve never met her.”

Lithgow hinted that he considered stepping away from the role after being sent an article called “An Open Letter to John Lithgow: Please Walk Away from Harry Potter” by a “very good friend” who has a trans daughter. However, he decided against it.

John Lithgow ‘upset’ about backlash over Dumbledore role in ‘Harry Potter’ series (Getty Images)

“It was a hard decision,” the actor said. “It made me uncomfortable and unhappy that people insisted I walk away from the job. I chose not to do that.

“It upsets me when people are vehemently opposed to me having anything to do with this. But in Potter canon, you see no trace of transphobic sensitivity. [Rowling] has written this meditation of kindness and acceptance. And Dumbledore is a beautiful role.”

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Lithgow said that, while Rowling does not have much to do with the production, “the people who are re-adapting Harry Potter and turning it into an eight-year-long TV series are remarkable”.

He added: “These are people I really want to work with.”

According to Variety, an audience member hit vocally hit out at Lithgow’s involvement in the series, and left the room “in protest”. Lithgow responded: “I’m perfectly ready for collisions of opinion. I understand it.”

In the last six years, Rowling has repeatedly come under fire for various comments about gender, with many, including stars of the Potter film adaptations, accusing her of transphobia.

Many ‘Harry Potter’ stars have railed against JK Rowling’s transgender rights views (YouTube)

This has led to consternation being directed at the stars who have signed up to the new series. Nick Frost (Rubeus Hagrid), Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall), Katherine Parkinson (Molly Weasley) and Johnny Flynn (Lucius Malfoy) are among those who will also appear in the show.

Frost previously spoke out on Rowling’s views, telling The Observer: “She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine – they just don’t align in any way, shape or form.”

Frost’s opinions echo those of Paapa Essiedu, who will play Severus Snape in the HBO series. Shortly after his casting was announced, the actor was among the hundreds of TV and film professionals who signed a letter calling for industry action on trans rights.

The letter was compiled in the wake of the controversial UK Supreme Court ruling that gender is legally based on biological sex, a decision that was celebrated by controversial author Rowling and decried by LGBT+ activist groups.

After Essiedu’s appearance as a signatory on the letter, an “insider” told MailOnline that Rowling would “not be bothered one iota by Essiedu’s decision – and wouldn’t dream of intervening to get him sacked, despite being heavily involved in the project”.

Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid in HBO’s forthcoming ‘Harry Potter’ series (HBO)

Addressing this report X/Twitter, Rowling wrote: “I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did.

“I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.”

The Harry Potter series is being filmed now and will premiere in 2027.