Entertainment - The Harry Potter Reboot Is Off To A Rough Start… | Revry

The new Harry Potter show hasn’t even started filming yet, and it’s already drowning in drama — from JK Rowling’s latest controversies to fan outrage over casting choices. And now, even the stars are weighing in. John Lithgow, who’s been cast as Dumbledore, recently opened up about the backlash he’s gotten for signing on. In an interview with The Times of London, Lithgow said he didn’t even think about the politics at first — he was more focused on the fact that it’s an eight-year commitment. “I was just thinking about mortality,” he said. But once he accepted the role, a friend (who’s the mother of a trans child) sent him an open letter asking him to reconsider. Lithgow called it his "canary in the coal mine," but ultimately, he’s not second-guessing his decision. When asked if the backlash made him want to back out, he replied, “Oh, heavens no.”