John Lithgow on Harry Potter Reboot, Rowling Backlash

0:00On April 4th, John Lithgow is stepping into the role of Albus Dumbledore for HBO's Harry Potter TV reboot, and he's speaking out on the backlash over, JK Rowling's views on transgender issues. He says much of the criticism against her has been twisted and misrepresented, even though he disagrees with a lot of what she said. Lithgow admits he's been surprised and disappointed by the tone of her social media posts, but the pull of the project was too strong to walk away. The timing hit after he'd already committed, and it was showrunner Francesca Gardner, who really sold him on it, not rolling herself. He hasn't even met her. Meanwhile, the debates ripping through Hollywood, with actors like Andrew Garfield shading Rowling as, she that shall remain nameless and calling. Her stance inhumane, though he still loves the original film spirit. It's created real tension with stars from the movies, including Emma Watson. Tensions bowled over last May, when Rowling fired back at actors like Eddie Redmayne, who backed a pro-trans letter,

1:02labeling them backstabbing. Colleagues driven by fear. That heat even led to death threats against the new Severus Snape actor, Papa S.E.A. Do, ramping up security on set. Rollings hyping the reboot, though, calling early footage incredible, as the series gears up for a Christmas 2026 debut on, HBO Keeping Fans hook them in the storm. You've been listening to entertainment and celebrity news today. AI-powered pop culture coverage.