&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "John Lithgow nearly left Harry Potter reboot amid J.K. Rowling row, reveals why he stayed")
John Lithgow, who is set to play Albus Dumbledore in the much-anticipated Harry Porter reboot, has recently revealed that he almost quit HBO's series due to controversy around author J.K. Rowling's stance on transgender rights.
John Lithgow on the backlash
During an interview with The New York Times, the 80-year-old actor stated that following his casting announcement, he faced backlash online, which made him reconsider the series.
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According to the report, the actor was "stung" by the strong reactions and nearly stepped down from the project. However, he chose to stay as he feels that the Harry Potter series itself is "clearly on the side of the angels, against intolerance and bigotry," despite disagreeing with Rowling.
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Lithgow also reportedly added that the buzz around Rowling's view is not going to fade anytime soon, and the team of series will have to face discussions around the same frequently.
What's the controversy?
The backlash dates back to Rowling's earlier views on gender identity, which have faced criticism since 2020. Several actors who have been associated with the franchise, including Daniel Radcliffe, have disagreed with the comments and distanced themselves from the writer.
Even Lithgow’s casting in the series was trolled online. As per reports, Transgender actor Aud Mason-Hyde, who had been a co-star of Lithgow, had earlier described him positively as a person but said that he felt uncomfortable with his decision to join the franchise.
About the Harry Porter series
The reboot also features Paapa Essiedu (Severus Snape), Dominic McLaughlin (Harry), Arabella Stanton (Hermione), and Alastair Stout (Ron), John Lithgow (Dumbledore), Janet McTeer (McGonagall), Paapa Essiedu (Snape), and Nick Frost (Hagrid). The project is set to bring a reimagined version of Rowling’s iconic books to television. It is expected to be released in 2027.
