John Lithgow has responded to backlash surrounding his choice to take the position of Albus Dumbledore for Max’s new Harry Potter sequence, regardless of the widespread furor over J.Okay. Rowling‘s controversial views on transgender ladies, and his phrases are solely incomes extra ire for the actor.
Lithgow is considered one of a number of notable actors tapped to look within the new present, which is able to premiere in 2026 with a primary season targeted on the occasions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. He has to date been probably the most outspoken in regards to the position, and his phrases are drawing intense scrutiny.
Earlier this month, Lithgow responded to backlash about his casting, however his phrases have been extra targeted on the truth that he’s an American and never a British actor, fairly than the problem of Rowling’s continued involvement as govt producer on the present. “I might be following the good Michael Gambon,” he mentioned on the BBC’s The One Present. “I’m not an Englishman, though I’ve performed one on TV. I remind everybody that I did play Winston Churchill on The Crown and did simply effective.”
Nonetheless, in a brand new interview with The Instances U.Okay., which was revealed Sunday (April 27), he was straight requested in regards to the difficulty of Rowling’s anti-trans positions, and he admitted he’d been confronted about it by “an excellent pal who’s the mom of a trans baby,” who texted him a hyperlink to the BookRiot op-ed An Open Letter to John Lithgow: Please Stroll Away From Harry Potter. “That was the canary within the coal mine,” he instructed the publication.
Lithgow went on to inform The Instances that his response to the controversy Rowling courts was, “I assumed, ‘Why is that this an element in any respect?’ I’m wondering how J.Okay. Rowling has absorbed it. I suppose at a sure level, I’ll meet her, and I’m curious to speak to her.’” As for whether or not the backlash modified his thoughts in any respect about enjoying the headmaster for Harry Potter, he mentioned, “Oh heavens no.”
Lithgow additionally in contrast his choice to hitch the Harry Potter sequence regardless of the backlash to what he’s completed within the theater, enjoying Roald Dahl, who was antisemitic. “Nobody complained once I agreed to play Dahl, however I’ve acquired so many messages about Rowling. Isn’t that odd?” the actor mentioned within the interview
Reactions to Lithgow’s phrases started to percolate on social media, and lots of customers have been extremely unimpressed together with his logic.
“Didn’t take John Lithgow for a prick,” one X (previously Twitter) person wrote merely in response to a snippet of Lithgow’s interview. “Once I say that cis individuals merely don’t care sufficient about trans individuals, as human beings, John Lithgow here’s a prime instance of what I’m speaking about. That he completely didn’t anticipate backlash for taking the position reveals that he merely doesn’t care about trans individuals both manner,” wrote one other.
One person predicted that Lithgow’s involvement with the Harry Potter present may tarnish his skilled popularity, which simply loved one other enhance due to the awards season consideration to Conclave: “John Lithgow, coming off a preferred award successful movie, on the point of do the final position of his profession by tarnishing his popularity to be in a mid remake TV sequence produced by a psycho for a paycheck he gained’t reside to totally take pleasure in anyway.”
In the meantime, one other was significantly disturbed by the truth that Lithgow’s unnamed pal’s message didn’t change his thoughts, writing, “to not even be moved when an in depth pal tells you the way they and their baby might be personally harm by this… actually sick sh**.”
Some customers actively known as for a reactionary boycott of Lithgow’s different work. For instance, one person wrote, “John Lithgow isn’t that silly or out of contact, he is aware of precisely what he’s doing, his first and solely concern was for Rowling. I urge individuals to cancel and shun him, together with all the pieces and everybody he’s related to.”
Harry Potter, 2026, Max