Dumbledore actor John Lithgow has spoken about his decision to portray Dumbledore in HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ series reboot amid criticism over author J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans views.
Appearing on The New Yorker Radio Hour, Lithgow said that while he previously described Rowling’s beliefs as “inexplicable” much of the controversy has been “twisted and misrepresented”. He added that Rowling has “doubled down at her own cost”.
Reflecting on accepting the role, Lithgow said, “There was everything attractive about the job and job security into my late years. You don’t ignore those issues.”
Lithgow noted that concerns over Rowling’s alleged prejudice arose after he had already committed to the project. The actor also revealed he had been advised to withdraw but chose to continue with the role.
