John Lithgow: ‘Harry Potter’ Role Criticized by Nonbinary Costar

Aud Mason-Hyde Expresses Hurt Over John Lithgow’s Role in HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Series

Despite a deeply positive working relationship, nonbinary actor Aud Mason-Hyde revealed feeling “disconcerting” and “vaguely hurtful” upon learning of John Lithgow’s involvement in the upcoming HBO adaptation of the Harry Potter franchise, given author J.K. Rowling’s widely publicized anti-trans views.

Mason-Hyde, who stars alongside Lithgow in the critically acclaimed queer family drama Jimpa, recently shared their admiration for the veteran actor with Out magazine. However, the 20-year-old actor admitted to grappling with complex emotions after Lithgow accepted a role in the eight-season series, a decision made after filming on Jimpa had wrapped.

“It was definitely a difficult moment in time,” Mason-Hyde stated. “I don’t think it’s worth speaking to John’s reasoning by any means, but I do also think that it’s a strange decision, for sure. And also I found it disconcerting, maybe, is the right word.”

Jimpa, directed by Sophie Hyde, centers on Lithgow’s character, Jim, a gay activist and university professor, and his relationship with his daughter and nonbinary grandchild, Frances, played by Mason-Hyde. The film explores generational differences and the nuances of queer identity within a family context.

Mason-Hyde emphasized the supportive environment Lithgow fostered during their collaboration. “He is such an incredibly talented actor, but also such a beautiful human to make work with, and that was my experience with John,” they said. “I never felt invalidated or questioned or doubted in my identity or in my transness by him. I consistently felt that he was a very loving and a very guiding co-star.”

Despite this positive experience, Mason-Hyde acknowledged the pain caused by Lithgow’s decision. “And so there’s an element of this that feels vaguely hurtful,” they added. They also stressed that the situation “can’t take away from what we had and the time that we spent together and the beautiful work that he does in this movie and actually how incredibly authentically he played the role.”

Lithgow has a history of portraying queer characters, including his Academy Award-nominated performance as a trans woman in The World According to Garp. News of his casting in the Harry Potter series last April sparked outrage among fans, fueled by Rowling’s increasingly vocal stance against transgender rights and her association with the TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminists) movement.

Lithgow has since defended his decision to participate in the series, while simultaneously distancing himself from Rowling’s controversial views. Speaking at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) earlier this month, the actor asserted that he takes the issue “extremely seriously.” He further argued that the Harry Potter series, at its core, is “so much about acceptance” and its narrative of good versus evil, adding, “I find it ironic and somewhat inexplicable that Rowling has expressed such views.” Lithgow also clarified that he has never met Rowling and that she is “not really involved in this production at all.”

HBO and Max executives, including CEO Casey Bloys, have echoed this sentiment, maintaining that Rowling’s views have not impacted the production of the series, including casting and hiring decisions. However, Rowling has publicly stated her intention to continue funding initiatives that seek to restrict the rights of transgender women, formally establishing the J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund in 2025 to support organizations “fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights.”

The situation highlights the complex ethical considerations facing actors and creatives navigating projects connected to figures who espouse harmful ideologies, even as they attempt to separate the art from the artist.