Jimpa (Australia/UK, 2025. Dir: Sophie Hyde): Following his casting as Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming TV adaptation of the “Harry Potter” books, John Lithgow caught some flak from the transgender community for aligning himself with frequent antagonist J.K. Rowling.

Alas, if there’s someone who deserves special consideration in this scenario, it’s Lithgow. Not only has he been an LGBTQ+ ally, his role as Roberta Muldoon in The World According to Garp (1982) marked a cultural Rubicon for the genderqueer community. By embodying a three-dimensional, fully fleshed-out character, John Lithgow changed social preconceptions and moved the acceptance needle. Would you like to know more?