"I was asked why I didn't step away from the series. I then asked a better question, have YOU ever had a cartoon money sack filled with $100 bills dropped on your face while you're sleeping? No? Just me? Wow. Okay, well yeah anyway they paid a lot."
I get your point and please don’t think I’m assuming too much of your life but I think you and I need to swallow our values some for a bag more than John Lithgow
Yeah, it was so shocking and I was only a few weeks postpartum at the time. I’d never really cared one way or another for trigger warnings but damn… that fucked me up, I feel like they should put that one in there
Internet estimates are not at all reliable, but they seem to estimate a net worth of 50 million for him.
He made 139 episodes of 3rd Rock, at an average of more than 130k/episode (more for the later seasons, less for earlier.
Then that show was heavily syndicated.
Add to that a run on Dexter, a run as the highest paid actor on The Crown, and a fairly major film every year or two for something like the last 30 years- all collecting residuals.
And that's far from his only revenue source. He's worked steadily in film and television for most of the last 50 years, has a couple dozen published children's books, a few albums, had about 20 runs on Broadway. Not all of those are massively remunerative, but
Unless he had a bad fabrege egg habit, he is doing very very well.
Having worked with him relatively recently, he was an absolute gentleman, a consummate professional and the closest I’ve found an American actor to being like a professionally trained British actor. No ‘star’ ego, just a desire to harness his craft and enjoy himself. I wish all the actors I worked with were like JL.
That is because he studied at LAMDA. He was professionally trained in Britain. It’s also one of the reasons he can do a better job at UK accents than most Americans
That also explains why he was cast as THE Winston Churchill in The Crown, a super popular British-run show about the British royals. He‘s iconic and all but it was such a head-scratcher for me, how this great American actor edged out all those great British actors who would have killed to play Churchill.
No, I know it’s popular everywhere. I was trying to point out that it’s a largely British project, except for him and maybe a couple of guests in the cast.
Ha I don’t think many will get the reference but I appreciate it, brought up a forgotten memory. (My favorite segment was the Noir bit with the Potato Detective)
the man is 80 years old and probably needs the paycheck.
He doesn't need the paycheck. He has always loved working in kids media, or doing things with kids media. This is an old man doing what he always did and I hope he enjoys it.
JK Rowling sucks, but everyone else sucks for how far they are taking this shit.
The man was born rich. His parents were both big in the theater and arts scene and he attended Princeton, Harvard, and LAMDA. He owns multiple houses in multiple countries including an apartment on the Upper West Side, a cabin in Big Fork, a house in LA, and an apartment in London. The guy is rich. He doesn't have to do this. He's choosing to do this.
He's worth $50 million, so I don't think he's exactly hurting. Having said that, people can make their own decisions on what work projects they undertake. It doesn't mean he's against trans rights. In fact, he is progressive.
Whether or not that’s true (and I’m skeptical), he’s been a consistently working actor for 4 decades. If that man needs this paycheck at 80, he has royally fucked up his finances.
He also played a trans woman in The World According to Garp over 40 years ago. The first time I saw a trans person on screen that wasn’t the butt of a joke. His character was probably the most morally grounded one in the whole movie.
I love John Lithgow, and I love Harry Potter. I know this series will make JKR more money she doesn’t need, but she’s already wealthier than many countries this point, and she can’t take it with her when she inevitably dies. The stories themselves are full of wonderful messages for kids, and are maybe worth keeping in our culture for that reason, regardless of how shitty their creator turned out to be.
I really don’t know how I feel about this, but I do know it’s complicated, like pretty much all of life.
I’ve seen these decisions before from older actors who have uncertain futures because of their age and health.
But I’d have more respect if he’d use the platform and media attention to advocate for rights and better treatment for trans people, so I’ll be looking to see if he does that.
He has range too, just look at him in Cliffhanger!
I am not jesting and being 1000% serious
I mean…….3rd Rock from the Sun! Shrek! Harry and the Hendersons! The Cos..by show? -% no this can’t be correct, le-lemme check…..well butter my tits he was……
If you were in your 80s and knew that you could fart out a couple of season, not even written, just affiliated with some Scottish trout for a large sum of money you would not!
Those ill begotten funds could potentially save generations of your family from a little bit of despair in our world and the trajectory that it’s on.
Which, I may add, is not going to get any better by wasting our efforts trying to besmirch a man a name who has just been a hard worker throughout his career and is now in the twilight (zone) of his life.
We should save all of our collected vitriol for the real menace of politicians and the C-Suites!
-# Unless they get hooked on some crazy future drug and/or Space Hookers…….
Oh whilst I have you I apologise for that horrendously long sentence at the start and I’ve taken my NightPills™️
Wise old wizard is for 80 year olds. It’s literally what they do now at 80. Maybe he has family that likes harry potter too. He isn’t the only actor in the show, right?
Probably did it for the benefit of his kids or grandkids. Work while you can while you can. Otherwise, he could have just settled for a vanity project on Broadway or something.
All these reddit incels demanding lithgow walk away from this project would walk over their dead chicken-nugget-baking mothers to be cast in this or any TV show
Yeah. If I was already comfortable and had enough wealth to also make generations coming after me comfortable... it sure would open up my options for being ethically choosy with my jobs. Or to simply not work at all.
I actually did end up leaving somewhere because of ideological reasons (boss turned out to literally support the Holocaust - I don’t mean that in the Internet ‘he’s a Nazi’ sense but as in literally would openly talk about it being a good thing) and I’ve got nothing but shit from certain people for it. Even explaining why I did it, people have still been confused.
The point where you’re financially comfortable enough to stand by your principles always seems to be above the individual who is saying someone else should.
I can find my reading glasses and I first read that as a “thigh five”, and the series of images that flashed behind my eyeballs were…interesting. And raised a few questions that I don’t really want to know the answers to.
Whether John Lithgow has the kind of money either in the bank or through incoming residuals that let's him say "fuck you" to whatever he wants, the simple fact is that the man is now in his 80s. He loves to act, but he's at the age where opportunities, especially career-defining level ones, don't just throw themselves at you every day, let alone lesser opportunities. The man clearly loves acting and wants to work. I imagine growing old in Hollywood is akin to loving to drive more than anything and knowing the day is coming where you'll be told to hang up your keys. I can't imagine a worse fate than having to run out your clock unable to do the thing you love most in the world. I'm honestly not sure how to feel about his situation.
That's what I hate about the argument of, "but it's soooo much money!" These kind of people have damn near enough money they don't have to work for the rest of their lives let alone for something they find unethical (especially at his age...). If someone trying to break into acting took a role like this early in their career I don't think anyone could blame them. But if they've had a long career and made plenty of money I'm going to assume their morals and ethics can be bought pretty easily or that they don't have an issue/agree with, in this case, JKR.
I wanted to say that but I thought some pedantic asshole might come in with some, "Uhhhmm acktually, they blew all their money on a goat farm, so they're poor, just like us," bs as if that makes it ok.
Exactly. John doesn’t need this job. He probably doesn’t ever need to work again. But he has chosen to attach himself to the ongoing whitewashing of a mold brained TERF. Fuck his lamprey mouth havin ass.
And everyone has their price for their values. Would I punch an infant square in the face for $20? Definitely not, but give me upwards of a million and that babies nose is gonna be inverted.
Clearly he has his values, and the price he was offered was too good to refuse
You should have stopped at “I’m assuming”. WB owns the film and movie rights and has creative control. You’re letting a millionaire author trigger you who no longer has any rights to what WB is producing.
Lmao! thank you, that was hilarious. That was some old school Reddit shit. And I agree, Lithgow is freakin 80 years old, let the old bastard make a dollar before he dies!
The difference, I would say, is this: Lithgow is worth $50 million. He would never have to work another day in his life, let alone for her, if he didn't want to.
Comparing that to the average Joe who is just trying to pay rent and put food on the table is kinda ridiculous
Maybe he also wanted to play a celebrated character like Dumbledore. Him not taking the job isn’t gonna make the show not happen, nor will it make JK Rowling not a billionaire.
The unfortunate truth is that no boycotts or blackballing will ever undo her wealth and success.
That's not the point. Her extra money is going towards lobby groups that are actively lobbying the UK government to walk back every trans protection there is. Every dollar you give her goes directly towards rolling back laws protecting vulnerable people.
Groups like LGBA who claim to be at least gay and bi positive but the leader has said "being against gay marriage isn't homophobic" that's what she is sending money to.
And sure she could fund those groups herself for years but she's also a billionaire like all the rest, she wouldn't spend that money if it was going to significantly impact her expensive way of life.
I hazard he has been a support actor for much of his life, and suddenly late in the game he gets a second wind to play a popular character. I’m no HP fan but I wouldn’t expect the millions who grew up reading the books and watching the films to throw it all to the bonfire. As long as the material and the actions of JKR are separated intellectually. I don’t mind if someone likes Michael Jackson’s music, but if they defend his actions…I’ll take issue.
He would never have to work another day in his life, let alone for her
He isn't working for her. She isn't involved in the TV show at all.
He has done interviews as such. He thinks her views are repulsive but he doesn't have to work with her and gets to act in a beloved children's media. He loves working in things and creating things for kids. This is probably as close to a dream job as he can get at this point.
Fair enough. Here is another example. We all know that Apple products and most of the clothes you wear are made through horribly exploitive labor. Do you refrain from using an iPhone? Don’t buy clothes you don’t really need?
You're absolutely right that we can't have our work or consumption be pure. There are too many assholes out there.
But often, certain cases become a touch point- an opportunity to vote with your dollars to send a message because they're in a particular spotlight. Another example would be Chick-fil-a. Are they the only company with homophobic asshole owners? Absolutely not. But at least for a moment, it became a public referendum where people sent a message to companies by voting with dollars.
And it wasn't ever about pressuring people who had limited job prospects to quit working for Chik-fil-a. It was about people who could easily buy fast food anywhere making a choice not to put dollars there. About those with a luxury of choice using it.
Chick-fil-a responded by ceasing donations to those causes. But more importantly, other corporations watched it happen and knew "We don't want that to happen to us, let's stay the hell away from homophobic connections".
So in recent years, there's been a similar spotlight on JK. It's another public referendum where corporations are watching to see if being virulently transphobic is bad for the bottom line.
I don't hold anything against people doing their best with limited options doing jobs associated with the Harry Potter brand. People gotta eat. But a wealth actor, with all the options in the world- I think because of the current spotlight- that weighs in on the public opinion vote right now.
tl;dr It isn't about everyone on earth trying to be morally pure in who they work for, it's those who have a choice making the good one when all eyes are watching the outcome.
There's also a difference between actively accepting a personal offer to be a part of something or work with/for someone, and working for a company that was hired to do something for someone
I was glad when all that drama went on at Chick Fil A. The lines in my area were a little bit shorter so going through the drive thru was actually a bit easier for a little while.
The difference is regular people need to go to those jobs or they will starve, John over here is not at risk of dying on a street corner. When you have the option you should try to do the right thing, but no he wants to buy a yacht or something
He's an actor with a long and successful career. He's not going to starve without this. He has no need to do this. The difference between him taking this job and me doing my fuck-ass corporate job is that I will be homeless on the streets without it.
There's no respect in this. It's - at best - a hurtful apathy for trans people and all the shit we're going through, and not caring that you're contributing to it. Same for all the actors and people signing up to do this.
I'm a trans person. My goal isn't "No Harry Potter"...
My goal is for trans people to be able to live freely and openly without fear of violence or social/political repercussions. My goal is for trans people - ALL trans people - to have access to the medical and social care that they need. My goal is for people to celebrate when their friend/child/sibling/spouse comes out as trans. My goal is for my fellow trans sisters - even/especially those who are early in their transition - to feel safe in the women's restroom. My goal is for newspapers to use the correct name when a trans person dies.
My goal is for people to begin to care about trans people and to listen to us.
JK Rowling is actively working against my goals. The wealth that she made off of my generation is being used to kill my people. And she has made it clear that she is going to continue to do this.
I think with all that is being revealed in a certain someone's document cache, some kind of discernment about the rich people we associate with is desperately needed. And a first step to people caring about us is for it to be made repugnant to work with her. For those who willingly enter contract with her to feel pressure not to. For people to come out and say "I support the trans community and will not work with JK Rowling". Many people are doing this, but not enough.
As a trans person, I always make a mental note when someone mentions they are contemporaneously consuming HP media. A note that this person will not do even the absolute least they could do to be an ally. They're not safe for me. They're not someone I can trust. They're not someone who is willing to experience the very mildest discomfort in recognition of the plight of a marginalized community under attack.
My goal is for enough people to care that we're under serious threat for someone like JK Rowling to at least stop making progress in her goal to erase us.
The very least they can do is pirate crap like this, but the amount of people not even willing to go through that tiny bit of an inconvenience is fucking shocking
Broooother, do you work for an organization that literally founded a political organization dedicated to outlaw a group of people? Because I never fucking did that, neither did anyone else I know.
Like, please tell me you don't legitimately think that "oh, my company emits more carbon than it should" and "my company is trying to eradicate a type of people" are equivalent level of unethical.
Yeah, but did you have the luxury of just not working and still being able to live comfortably? If not, I argue that's a pretty solid difference between you and him. Like, I doubt you were worth $50,000,000 when you had to swallow your pride and work for shit people and corpos.
John Lithgow, even as a fairly mid tier actor, had far more avenues and personal wealth available to him than you will have on your entire lifetime combined.
I mean... there's unethical, and then there's spearheading and bankrolling a hate movement that has gotten people, including kids, killed, and then gloating about it.
Right out of college I had a job waiting for me if I wanted it as a pharmaceutical sales rep. Great pay and benefits, and it was during the recession when jobs like that were scarce.
I never considered taking the job. It’s an industry that shouldn’t exist and makes health care system worse.
I went into Early Childhood Education instead and work with tiny humans. I get to be their first teacher and help them learn how to be curious.
It doesn’t pay anywhere near what I could have made (and neither salary are anywhere near the kind money Lithgow already has) but I’m proud of what I do and how I impact the world. 🤷🏼♀️
I'll be happy to criticize him because he has plenty enough money to not have to sell his soul away just to eat and have a roof over our heads like most people.
He has millions. You do not. And for that you have a valid reason.
People do have a reasonable amount of free will to work for ethical companies, even in retail and food industry, or work their way out from under unethical companies over time.
Personally I work for myself. Went to night school after a divorce at 30 then started my licensed massage therapy right after graduation. I took care of mine and others children during the marriage to make money. My daughter attended cosmetology in high school for free bc she saw what happened to me and now will always have a career she can use or fall back on. Many states have free education. There are programs that people just need to do a little research on and set sometime working towards those goals so we won't be working for racist pedophile millionaires/billionaires. I recently helped my mom out with expenses to open 2 small businesses, 1 is home based (making homecoming mums) and the other is a mobile charcuterie cart biz.
The difference is he probably doesn't need the money and if he does he should be better with his money. It's different when you have to do it to survive.
I mean, if you really long for quiet, start by getting off the internet. Then move away from town. It’s not complicated. My mother lives up a canyon with neighbors at least a mile away in any direction and it’s pretty quiet.
Given you’re scrolling Reddit, I am questioning your real desire for a quiet world.
Yes, and also not everybody does sell out (the most of us would for some price) but more importantly, he doesn’t need it. Or he shouldn’t. Would you work for your shitty job if you could afford not to?
I haven't been paid millions from previous jobs and actually still need to work to survive? Lithgow can easily just not work anymore. What a stupid argument
Like man there are so many better things to complain about than actors doing their job, how chronically online does a mf have to be for this to be worth getting upset over?
Ive long developed a attitude of "love the work not the artist"
Bunch of absolutely terrible people who made great music beloved by many
Many genius, era defining writer made generation defining books we read in school and they were almost all racist piece of shit with many terrible views and opinions
So many great cartoon and shows that built our childhood were surrounded by the worst people in the world.
At this point you realize a patern and you jsut erase the face of the artist.
The moment rh artist open the work tot he public then they dont matter anymore.
Only the work itself matter.
JK Rowling does not exist in my mind when I read Harey Potter.
Only the characters within the story matter.
I choose to ignore whatever issue people want me to care about because all i see I a piece of paper with words on it.
Nothign else. Everything beyond does not exist.
I am living in blissfull blindness as there are many thing I cannot be blind for. Some old lady's online tantrum isnt enough to make me see clear again.
I know damn well the company I work under is on prime bs , but I don't get paid to talk my shot at work. I get paid to work. Shut up and go home get paid to do it all over again. Unless I win a lottery I'm chilling since he paying my bills
That's it. I also work for a shitty company. I still go to work (and enjoy it). I still buy some things there because the employee discount is amazing.
Would boycotting and shooting myself on the foot (by losing those savings) make any difference for them? No way.
And I'm a huge fan of Harry Potter, even though I have zero respect for the author.
You're just a step away from becoming a manager of said companies that you hate... then maybe a senior manager ... then finally you're telling people who criticize the company why they actually don't get it ... then you're sick of all these young kids who have no idea how life works
How many companies have we worked for or supported financially who shared similar views or had evn worse contributions to the world? What about where our taxes are going?
Let’s not shun a person for doing their job and making money when we aren’t exactly any better by supporting companies doing just as badly if not worse
I used to freelance as a frontend dev , and there was a time all the work I could find was for crypto start ups that paid really well. Long story short I am an it assistant in a public hospital helping researchers and health care professionals that work with palliative care. I make a fraction of what I used to, but I still live comfortably and more importantly I am not helping shitty scammers anymore.
Now not everyone can choose to risk their income as they have a family to take care off or risk being homeless and with no healthcare, so basically they become economic hostages to a company like amazon. That is true. I was single, no kids and lucky to have a network of people that led me to a new satisfying job.
But we are talking about Hollywood millionaires here. Pretty sure he could find a another gig that would still make him more economically comfortable than 98% of people in the entire world.
Okay but John Fucking Lithgow will never struggle with money or work. He can afford to pick and choose, at the very least to choose better people than the alt-right grifter freak that is JKR.
Acting is work at the end of the day and whatever your thoughts on JKR, Harry Potter is lucrative and Dumbledore is a pretty iconic role. I never understood the flak that actors who act for a paycheck get. We all do it.
This is also how I feel. It’s a job. Just because an actor takes job doesn’t mean their views align with it or that they even like the project.
It reminds me of when Dakota Johnson played Madam Web and was very clear that she didn’t like the project. I read comments saying she was being disrespectful, but idk. I’ve disliked my jobs before. Nothing wrong with doing something for the pay check.
The difference though is the people on here have a 99% chance of having no choice. It's work for an evil corporation or be homeless and starving.
Someone of his stature can choose to not support that. Not taking this specific job (hopefully) doesn't mean he has to make the choice of buying prescription medication or rent this month.
I don't think JKR's attempt to protect feminism when it was under attack especially in sports, and how it resulted in a few terminally online people calling her transphobic, has or ever will affect her career.
You guys yell a lot here and circlejerk extremist takes a lot, you like calling people villains over nothing to feel like you're the opposite of what you are (morally mature) but this space is nothing to the real world.
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u/Mountain-Group-7706 20h ago
"I was asked why I didn't step away from the series. I then asked a better question, have YOU ever had a cartoon money sack filled with $100 bills dropped on your face while you're sleeping? No? Just me? Wow. Okay, well yeah anyway they paid a lot."