Harry Potter's John Lithgow Surprised By J.K. Rowling-Related Backlash To His Casting: 'Why Is This A Factor At All?'
Not long after addressing Harry Potter fans' concerns that an American actor will play the British wizard Albus Dumbledore, John Lithgow is turning to a different criticism of his casting in HBO's Potter series: backlash over boarding a project exec-produced by J.K. Rowling.
In a recent interview with UK newspaper The Times, Lithgow — who was officially cast as Dumbledore in HBO's series adaptation earlier this month — says he didn't expect the Rowling-related criticism he's received for accepting the role. Since 2018, Harry Potter author Rowling's comments on sex and gender have widely been deemed transphobic, and many Potter fans have expressed frustration that she's on board as an EP for HBO's show; in turn, Lithgow has received many critical comments on his Instagram page (among other venues) for his choice to play Dumbledore.
"I thought, why is this a factor at all?" Lithgow said, remarking on the way fans' ire toward Rowling has impacted their response to the series. "I wonder how [she] has absorbed it. I suppose at a certain point I'll meet her and I'm curious to talk to her."
When asked if the backlash has put him off the Harry Potter project at all, Lithgow added, "Oh, heavens no."
"Of course, it was a big decision because it's probably the last major role I'll play," he said. "It's an eight-year commitment so I was just thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role."
When the Harry Potter TV series was first announced in April 2023, Rowling sarcastically weighed in on the strong reaction to her involvement, writing in an X post, "Dreadful news, which I feel duty bound to share. Activists in my mentions are trying to organise yet another boycott of my work, this time of the Harry Potter TV show. As forewarned is forearmed, I've taken the precaution of laying in a large stock of champagne."
Most recently, Rowling publicly celebrated the UK Supreme Court's ruling earlier this month that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, and that only people born as biological females can obtain the legal protections of Equality Act 2010. After the ruling was announced, Rowling posted a photo of herself holding a drink and smoking a cigar with the caption, "I love it when a plan comes together. #SupremeCourt #WomensRights"
Other celebrities voiced their displeasure with Rowling's stance, including The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal, who called her statements "heinous loser behavior" in an Instagram comment.