John Lithgow

The 80-year-old star will play Albus Dumbledore in the forthcoming Harry Potter TV series and feels that Rowling's views are "ironic and inexplicable" when the inclusive themes of her wizardry tales are taken into account.

He said at the Rotterdam Film Festival earlier this year: "I take this subject extremely seriously. She has created this amazing canon for young people and it has jumped into the consciousness of the society. It's about good versus evil, kindness versus cruelty.

"I find her views ironic and inexplicable. I've never met her, she's not really involved in this production at all. But the people who are, are remarkable."