"Why is this a factor at all?" the actor, who is slated to play Albus Dumbledore in HBO's upcoming show, said amid Rowling's anti-trans controversies.

John Lithgow is opening up about how fans feel about him joining HBO's "Harry Potter" series, considering the involvement of the contentious franchise creator J.K. Rowling. In a sit-down with The Times of London,

" ... it was a big decision because it’s probably the last major role I’ll play," Lithgow said about the casting process