Josh Howie has poked fun at actor John Lithgow after he once again defended his decision to portray Albus Dumbledore in HBO's forthcoming Harry Potter series.
Mr Lithgow revealed on The New Yorker Radio Hour that he faced pressure to abandon the project amid ongoing controversy surrounding JK Rowling, a fact he's stated previously.
John Lithgow has publicly distanced himself from the Harry Potter author before
| GETTYNow, the 80-year-old actor has explained that discussions about Ms Rowling's views emerged after he had already committed to the role.
"I was urged to walk away, and I was not about to do that," Mr Lithgow stated.
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| GB NEWSThe actor went on to acknowledge the role's appeal, citing both the artistic opportunity and practical reasons for taking on the part.
He said on the show: "There was everything attractive about the job, and job security into my late years. You don't ignore those issues."
Turning his attention to Ms Rowling's stance specifically, Mr Lithgow offered a surprising approach as suggested that the perception of her earlier comments were misconstrued.
Ms Rowling first became the face of the trans debate when she publicly opposed the Scottish Government’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill over proposed changes to self-identification.
JK Rowling has been a public supporter of biological women's rights
| PA"I do disagree with much of it," Mr Lithgow said of Ms Rowling's views. "Much of it I think has been twisted and misrepresented."
However, Mr Lithgow's limited empathy ended there as he accused Ms Rowling of "doubling down" on her views "at her own cost".
The actor insisted that he remains "surprised and disappointed" by the ongoing tone of Ms Rowling's social media posts regarding transgender issues.
His latest comments have caught the eye of many Harry Potter who are eagerly awaiting the new HBO series.
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John Lithgow will play Dumbledore in the HBO Harry Potter series
|PA
They also piqued the interest of Free Speech Nation's Josh, who couldn't resist poking fun at Mr Lithgow's interview.
"‘Men aren’t women.’ Doubling down. ‘Men still aren’t women’," Josh sarcastically penned on X in response to an article about Mr Lithgow's remarks.
Despite his criticism, Mr Lithgow maintained that the compelling reasons for accepting the part far outweighed any motivation to protest against Ms Rowling's conduct and public statements.
He credited showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod with forming "an extraordinary partnership" that convinced him to sign on.
‘Men aren’t women.’
— Josh Howie (@joshxhowie) April 4, 2026
Doubling down.
‘Men still aren’t women.’ https://t.co/ZQwxmaimPh
"Francesca… she persuaded me, she's the big reason I took it on," Mr Lithgow explained.
The actor confirmed he has never encountered Ms Rowling personally and indicated she maintains minimal involvement with the television adaptation.
"I have not met her," he stated, emphasising that the creative professionals steering the project are "remarkable."
The first trailer for the upcoming wizarding adaptation dropped last week, giving fans a chance to see Mr Lithgow in his role as Dumbledore for the first time.
The series will also feature Nick Frost in the role of Rubeus Hagrid, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Dominic McLaughlin in the titular role.