John Lithgow’s Non-Binary ‘Jimpa’ Co-Star Says His ‘Harry Potter’ Casting Feels “Vaguely Hurtful”

As J.K. Rowling‘s anti-trans views continue to plague the Harry Potter franchise, the new Dumbledore is facing some fallout.

Non-binary actor Aud Mason-Hyde, who came to see John Lithgow as “in some capacity a mentor” while starring as his character’s grandchild in Jimpa (2025), admitted his casting in the HBO series “feels vaguely hurtful.”

“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 told OUT. “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.”

Mason-Hyde added, “And so there’s an element of this that feels vaguely hurtful. But also I think that he’s making this decision after we had made the film and after we had premiered the film, 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.”

Last April, Lithgow was cast as Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter, which comes from writer/showrunner Francesca Gardiner, an executive producer alongside Mark Mylod, who will direct multiple episodes for HBO in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros Television.

“It was definitely a difficult moment in time,” said Mason-Hyde. “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 series adaptation comes as Rowling faces continued fallout over her anti-transgender views from fans and peers alike, including stars of the franchise and director Christopher Columbus. Lithgow has said her views didn’t dissuade him from taking the role.

Rowling previously celebrated UK‘s Supreme Court ruling that prohibits trans women from being legally recognized as women. More than 400 people signed a letter urging the country’s film and television industry to take action on trans rights, including Paapa Essiedu, who has been cast in the Harry Potter series as Professor Snape.