Acclaimed actor and new addition to the cast of HBO’s divisive new Harry Potter series, John Lithgow, has said he doesn’t understand why JK Rowling’s views on trans people are relevant to the show.
The 79-year-old American actor, known for his work in Dexter and Shrek, said he didn’t expect the backlash he received following the announcement that he’s set to play Professor Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming HBO series, saying he is confused why Rowling’s comments are “a factor at all.”
“I thought, why is this a factor at all? I wonder how JK Rowling has absorbed it. I suppose at a certain point I’ll meet her and I’m curious to talk to her,” he told The Times.
When asked if the public backlash made him think twice about accepting the role, he replied: “Oh, heavens no.”
Rowling, 59, has become the figurehead of the so-called ‘gender-critical’ movement in the UK since her an infamous post on Twitter, now known as X, in 2019 in which she defended Sex Matters pundit Maya Forstater. she has since begun sharing her views on trans people on a regular basis.
Her rhetoric has led to public divisions with former Harry Potter stars such as Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, David Tennant, and more, as well as a variety of pundits, politicians, and celebrities.
Speaking on Rowling’s views, as well as the backlash he and other stars have received over their involvement in the new series, Lithgow told The Times that he has received a lot of unexpected criticism, including from close friends.
“I thought, why is this a factor at all?” he questioned. “I wonder how JK Rowling has absorbed it. I suppose at a certain point I’ll meet her and I’m curious to talk to her.”
Asked whether the criticism has affected his desire to play the role, he said: “Oh, heavens no.”
“Of course, it was a big decision because it’s probably the last major role I’ll play. It’s an eight-year commitment so I was just thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role.”
Lithgow said that the backlash had even reached his personal life after a “very good friend,” who is reportedly a mother to a trans child, shared an open letter with him from BookRiot author Danika Ellis, which urged the actor to reconsider his role in the series.
It didn’t sully his commitment to the role, however, saying that the exchange was a “canary in the cole mine.”
“No one complained when I agreed to play Dahl, but I’ve received so many messages about JK Rowling. Isn’t that odd?” he added.
Why JK Rowling’s trans views are relevant to the new Harry Potter series
The upcoming latest TV adaptation of the Harry Potter books has emerged as a flashpoint for discussion about consuming Rowling’s work, and the wider impact that may have.
While some argue that people should ‘separate the art from the artist’, others have chosen to boycott Harry Potter products such as 2023’s Hogwarts Legacy video game to avoid the author profiting from sales.
The potential real-world impact of that profit is now clear, after Rowling confirmed she has donated money to the group For Woman Scotland, which brought a legal case over the definition of the word “woman” in the 2010 Equality Act. A Supreme Court ruling on the cases was handed on 16 April arguing that the definition related to “biological women” and that the definition of sex refers to “biological sex.”
That ruling, which caused immense backlash across the UK, has since been used as justification by notoriously anti-trans organisations, bodies, and pundits, to issue calls for trans people to be excluded from gendered bathrooms.
Is JK Rowling involved in HBO’s Harry Potter series?
It was confirmed in November 2024 that JK Rowling is involved in HBO’s new Harry Potter series. HBO boss Casey Bloys reportedly said to IndieWire at the time that she remains “fairly involved” in the development of the series as an executive producer.
“I imagine she’ll have opinions on casting,” Bloys added, saying her involvement “hasn’t affected” the cast’s interest in participating in the show.
Regardless of her involvement, a chunk of any profits derived from the series will, as with any Harry Potter content, go to Rowling’s already vast fortune.
Lithgow himself even admitted to The Times that he will likely have to meet Rowling for the project. It seems naive at best for the actor to assume that Rowling’s views won’t be a “factor” to consider for anyone involved in the show’s production.
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