John Lithgow Addresses JK Rowling Controversy Amid Harry Potter Casting Backlash

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Once upon a time, I was an ardent fan of a beloved franchise cherished by millennials. However, it’s morphed into something entirely different for me: a battleground for transgender rights. This transformation stems from the fact that JK Rowling, the creator of the original stories, is someone who has financially supported anti-transgender campaigns in the UK.

Supporters of LGBTQ+ community and their allies are expressing frustration, and some of this frustration is influencing the cast members of an upcoming HBO adaptation. One such actor is John Lithgow, who will portray a character that is among the few gay roles in the series. However, he’s remained unfazed by those trying to persuade him to withdraw from the project.

He talked to a UK newspaper about the matter. During this interview, he shared that he received two text messages urging him to resign from his role. One was a message containing an article titled “An Open Letter to John Lithgow: Please Step Down From Harry Potter,” and the other was from the mother of a transgender child.

Lithgow referred to those communications as “early warning signs,” but he’s not backing down. When The Times inquired if he had anticipated such negativity, Lithgow replied, “No, absolutely not. It was indeed a significant decision because it might be the last significant role I take on. It’s an eight-year commitment, so I was just contemplating my own mortality and considering this as a suitable wind-down role.

However, some admirers of Lithgow, particularly those who appreciated his portrayal of a transgender character in “The World According to Garp” (1982), have been disheartened by his comments. In the interview, he mentioned not having had a chance to meet JK Rowling yet but expressed interest. He pondered, “Why is this an issue? I’m curious about how JK Rowling has taken it.” He added that he was eager to eventually meet her and converse with her. When asked if the comments affected him negatively, Lithgow responded, “Not at all.

Lithgow Brought Up His Portrayal Of Another Controversial Author

Lithgow stated in the interview that he had portrayed Roald Dahl before without any backlash, a character who was known for being openly anti-Semitic throughout his lifetime. He commented, “No one objected when I took on the role of Dahl, but I’ve received numerous messages concerning JK Rowling. Isn’t it strange?

Critics point out that Dahl has passed away and no longer benefits financially from the success of his books. However, there have been apologies made regarding his past anti-Semitic views. On the other hand, Rowling is a contemporary figure who earns income through Harry Potter, leading to concerns about how those earnings might be used in support of anti-transgender activism.

In the absence of specific details, we can surmise that the mother of the transgender child likely expressed sentiments that many individuals today might sympathize with or support.

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2025-04-28 17:20