Ever since the announcement of the Harry Potter series at HBO, there has been plenty of vitriol online to its executive producer JK Rowling, due to Rowling's transphobic rhetoric. The hatred towards Rowling has spilled over to some of the actors who decided to be part of the project, most notably John Lithgow, who recently signed up to play Albus Dumbledore in the series adaptation of Rowling's popular books. Speaking to The Times of London about the backlash he faced, Lithgow stated that he did not see it coming and that he mainly considered his age for the decision. "It was a big decision because it’s probably the last major role I’ll play," stated the Dexter star. "It’s an eight-year commitment so I was just thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role," he added.

The actor also questioned the relevance of Rowling's anti-trans stance to his decision to be part of the project. He said, "I thought, 'Why is this a factor at all?’ I wonder how JK Rowling has absorbed it. I suppose at a certain point I’ll meet her, and I’m curious to talk to her.”