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John Lithgow Says He Nearly Quit HBO’s Harry Potter Series Over J.K. Rowling Backlash

Production continues toward a 2027 debut with Rowling credited as an executive producer.

Overview

  • In a New York Times interview, the Dumbledore actor said he weighed leaving before deciding to stay and accepted the controversy will follow future interviews.
  • He said he has never met Rowling and rejects her anti-trans views, arguing the story stands against intolerance and bigotry.
  • Lithgow described feeling stung by online reaction to his casting, including calls for boycotts.
  • Aud Mason-Hyde, his trans, nonbinary co-star in Jimpa, called his decision to join the series disconcerting and "vaguely hurtful" while praising him personally.
  • HBO plans a multi-season adaptation targeting 2027, and executives have said Rowling is not involved in day-to-day creative work.