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Harry Potter Series Star John Lithgow Surprised by J.K. Rowling Backlash: ‘Why Is This a Factor?’
Apr
John Lithgow may be stepping into the world of Harry Potter, but he’s a little out of the loop when it comes to the franchise’s more controversial headlines.
The 79-year-old actor, recently cast as Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, revealed he was unaware of the backlash surrounding franchise creator J.K. Rowling — and was surprised to learn how strongly her reputation has impacted fan reactions.
In a new interview with The Sunday Times, Lithgow said Rowling’s ongoing controversies didn’t factor into his decision to join the show. Instead, his concerns were more personal.
“It was a big decision because it’s probably the last major role I’ll play,” Lithgow said. “It’s an eight-year commitment, so I was just thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role.”
But shortly after his casting was announced, Lithgow received a text from a close friend — a mother of a transgender child — linking him to a Book Riot op-ed titled An Open Letter to John Lithgow: Please Walk Away from Harry Potter.
“That was the canary in the coal mine,” Lithgow admitted. He added that he was surprised by the anger Rowling’s name alone still provokes. “I thought, ‘Why is this a factor at all?’ 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.”
As for whether the criticism has changed his feelings about the role, Lithgow said simply, “Oh, heavens no.”
Navigating Controversy
Rowling has faced widespread backlash from LGBTQ+ groups and fans alike for her repeated promotion of rhetoric tied to the TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) movement, which denies that trans women are women.
Lithgow himself has a history of portraying queer and transgender characters with sensitivity, most notably earning an Oscar nomination for playing a trans woman in The World According to Garp. However, he has not directly addressed Rowling’s anti-trans remarks.
Currently, Lithgow is also starring as Roald Dahl in the West End production Giant — another writer with a complicated legacy, given Dahl’s past antisemitic statements.
“It’s so interesting to me at this moment in my life, when I’ve always loved entertaining kids, that I should be engaged with these writers — J.K. Rowling and Roald Dahl — who are geniuses at entertaining kids but have had crises among adults,” Lithgow reflected.
The Future of Hogwarts
Despite Rowling’s controversies, HBO and Max CEO Casey Bloys has insisted that the new series has not been affected by her views, telling reporters that it “hasn’t affected the casting or hiring of writers or production staff or anything.”
While the series has yet to announce its trio of young stars, other confirmed cast members include:
- Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall
- Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
- Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid
- Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell
- Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch
In recent years, original Harry Potter film stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have publicly voiced their support for the trans community, distancing themselves from Rowling’s remarks.
As Lithgow prepares to don Dumbledore’s robes, he acknowledges the complexity surrounding the magical world he’s joining — and the legacy it carries.
