Harry Potter Star John Lithgow Brands JK Rowling Trans Comments 'Inexplicable'
John Lithgow has reflected on his decision to accept a pivotal role in the new Harry Potter TV series amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the franchise and its creator, JK Rowling.
Last year, the Conclave actor confirmed he’d be playing Hogwarts professor Albus Dumbledore in the new TV series, which will dedicate one season to each of Rowling’s novels, with the likes of Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu and Nick Frost also playing key characters at the wizarding school.
However, the project has already faced backlash due to the involvement of Rowling, who has become a divisive figure in the last few years due to her frequent and ongoing commentary about transgender people.
This has included repeatedly and deliberately misgendering trans public figures, and donating tens of thousands of pounds to the campaign group which raised the initial legal challenge that led to the UK Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling that the legal definition of a woman should include only those who were assigned female at birth.
On Sunday, John made an appearance at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, where he was asked about accepting a role despite the controversy surrounding Rowling.
“I take the subject and the issue extremely seriously,” the two-time Oscar nominee said, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“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. It’s about kindness versus cruelty. It’s deeply felt.”
Because of this, he said he found Rowling expressing “such views” on transgender people both “ironic and somewhat inexplicable”.
“I’ve read about them, and I’ve never met her,” John continued. “She’s not really involved in this production at all.
“The people who are re-adapting Harry Potter and turning it into an eight-year-long TV series are remarkable. … These are people I really want to work with.”
John previously said that he was “absolutely not” expecting the backlash he received for accepting the role of Dumbledore, pondering: “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.”
Nick Frost, meanwhile, maintained last year that his and Rowling’s views on the trans community are markedly different.
“She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine,” he insisted. “They just don’t align in any way, shape or form.”
On whether or not he worries that the furore over Rowling could “overshadow” the Harry Potter series, Nick – who will play Hagrid in the new series – responded: “I don’t know. But maybe it shouldn’t blow over?
“We shouldn’t just hope it will go away, because it makes it easier. Maybe we should educate ourselves.”
Help and support:
- The Gender Trust supports anyone affected by gender identity | 01527 894 838
- Mermaids offers information, support, friendship and shared experiences for young people with gender identity issues | 0208 1234819
- LGBT Youth Scotland is the largest youth and community-based organisation for LGBT people in Scotland. Text 07786 202 370
- Gires provides information for trans people, their families and professionals who care for them | 01372 801554
- Depend provides support, advice and information for anyone who knows, or is related to, a transsexual person in the UK