Hollywood Cowardice: John Lithgow Considered Quitting 'Harry Potter' To Signal His Progressive Virtue

If there's one thing we know for certain about the overwhelming majority of actors in Hollywood, it's that they are deeply committed to agreeing with whatever liberal consensus demands. 

Whatever the left-wing cause of the day might be, they are happy to comply. They dutifully wore their Ukraine flag pins at Awards shows after Russia invaded. They wore Palestinian flags after Hamas attacked Israeli civilians and killed over 1,000 innocent people. And then followed it up with "ICE Out" pins when that became the progressive issue of the moment. 

One of the more common left wing positions proudly rejects obvious biological reality. For example, that males can become females, or that a transgender person putting on traditionally feminine clothing or adopting feminine hairstyles makes them female. "Harry Potter" writer J.K. Rowling, despite being on the political left herself, has steadfastly refused to accept that premise. And while many are content to agree quietly, she's put her money and reputation where her mouth is.

Rowling has made it her goal on social media to defend women's rights and spaces, and as such, has become one of the most hated figures by the online left. And the online left effectively controls Hollywood. With John Lithgow, the actor playing "Dumbledore" in HBO's new "Harry Potter" series proving that there's no end to The Compliance, no matter how absurd.

Actor John Lithgow at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. (Photo by Lionel Hahn/Getty Images)

Next Dumbledore Actor John Lithgow Shows His Commitment To Politics

Left-wing entertainment publication Deadline published an article on Lithgow's cowardice, saying that Rowling's association with "Harry Potter" and "anti-transgender" views have "plagued the show’s production." 

They then quoted Lithgow in a recent interview, who said he accepted the role because the book series is "clearly on the side of the angels, against intolerance and bigotry." 

Well, Lithgow's being forced through yet another struggle session, because he's also part of another project with a "non-binary" actor. In "Jimpa," he plays a gay grandfather to a transgender grandchild, because of course he does. That non-binary actor said that participating in "Harry Potter" was "vaguely hurtful," mentioning Lithgow by name, "It was definitely a difficult moment in time. 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."

The New York Times explains his reasoning by writing that "He assumed his loyalties were clear," because he'd performed in stories with "queer" themes. The article continues, explaining that "Lithgow considered quitting the series but decided not to." 

Don't worry about his commitment to left-wing politics, according to the Times "He's written three books of light verse excoriating Donald J. Trump." The second book might be one of the most cringe things ever written. "Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown," which was "published in 2020, includes couplets like this one: ‘He wanted a robe made of ermine and velvet. / The Constitution? He wanted to shelve it.’"

Does it get any more embarrassing than that? Well yes, it does. Lithgow was almost willing to forgo a role as one of the most beloved characters in literary history, because J.K. Rowling stands up for women. Nothing she says is "anti-trans," as the fanatical Times and Deadline phrase it. It's simply pro-women. Saying women deserve spaces and competitions that are exclusively female isn't "anti" anything, it's pro reality. But Lithgow, his media partners, and the online left have decided that reality is offensive, and must be discarded when inconvenient. It's tempting to give Lithgow some level of credit for not quitting, but it's clear he doesn't deserve it. Like Daniel Radcliffe and the others, he wants to have his cake and eat it too. Criticize Rowling to signal allegiance to left-wing politics, while collecting a big fat paycheck to profit from her work.

It's almost as embarrassing and humiliating as his books.