John Lithgow Rejects LGBTQ+ Activist Rage For Taking On Role Of Dumbledore In Harry Potter Series

Actor John Lithgow shared that despite LGBTQ+ activist rage at him for taking on the role of Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, he will still play the character.

Lithgow confirmed he was going to play the role of Dumbledore back in March telling ScreenRant, “Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That's why it's been such a hard decision. I'll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I've said yes.”

A month later and HBO officially confirmed he would take on the role sharing in a press release that he would play Albus Dumbledore.

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Since then LGBTQ+ activists have been campaigning to get him to step away from the role because of J.K. Rowling’s political positions against transgender activists in the United Kingdom.

On his most recent Instagram post that he shared back in March, Marc Ruvolo wrote, “You're ruining your legacy by doing this Potter garbage. After being in Garp, and Love is Strange you should know better. Shame.“

Alyssa Thalmann also posted, “Mr. Lithgow, I've been a huge fan of yours over the years, and even remember that time you portrayed a trans woman in The World According to Garp... I am begging you to take a stand now, especially in light of the UK Supreme Court decision, to STEP DOWN from the new Harry Potter/JK Rowling project. Furthermore, I do hope you encourage the rest of the cast to do the same. No amount of money or franchise esteem is worth the cost of trans lives. Thank you for your consideration, and I hope you do the right thing.”

Watts.Up99 attempted to shame him, “‘Some of you [trans people] may die. But that is a sacrifice I am willing to make [to line my own pockets.]’ Your legacy will forever be that you threw some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people on the planet under the bus for your own gain. We will not forget.”

“I used to look up to you,” wrote stamata. “I have adored your performances. I am so heartbroken that you would choose to appear in the new HP series. It actually pains me to think that you are not the stand up man that i always thought you were.”

Tmo256 also posted, “If I were a beloved actor who’s made quite a show of rejecting right wing hatred and bigotry, I would most certainly reconsider participating in a production that stands to benefit one bigot’s crusade against a vulnerable, marginalized population, as she has so gleefully stated.”

“Please use your platform to speak up for #translives instead of taking #bloodmoney 🖤 We know you're better than this,” wrote Haley.bcu.

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Lithgow addressed these activists while speaking with The Times (UK). First, he shared that he was not expecting these activists to try and shame him into leaving the role. He said, “No, absolutely not. Of course, it was a big decision because it’s probably the last major role I’ll play. It’s an eight-year commitment so I was just thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role.”

“I thought why is this a factor at all? I wonder how JK Rowling has absorbed it,” he added. “I suppose at a certain point I’ll meet her and I’m curious to talk to her.”

He then made it clear the criticism has not deterred him from taking on the role, “Oh, heavens no.”

What do you make of Lithgow’s response to these activists?

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