John Lithgow said he didn't expect the backlash that followed the announcement that he'll be playing Albus Dumbledore in the "Harry Potter" TV series.

Apparently Lithgow is really good at separating the art from the artist, even after receiving a text from “a very good friend who is the mother of a trans child.” The artist in question, of course, recently spent tens of thousands of dollars to support a legal challenge that resulted in the U.

John Lithgow, who'll play Dumbledore in the 'Harry Potter' TV series, revealed if J.K. Rowling's anti-trans rhetoric impacted his choice to accept the role