Actor John Lithgow defended his decision to join the upcoming HBO series based on J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books, despite the author's controversial views on transgender issues, Fox News reported. The 80-year-old actor, who is set to play Albus Dumbledore, addressed the criticism surrounding Rowling's outspoken opposition to transgender ideology and her defense of women-only spaces.
Lithgow insisted that he took the criticism "extremely seriously" and described Rowling's views as "ironic" given the themes of her fantasy series, according to Fox News.
In other news, a documentary about former First Lady Melania Trump, titled "Melania," reportedly exceeded expectations during its opening weekend, Fox News stated. The film, which details 20 days in Melania Trump's life before President Donald Trump's second term in office, allegedly posted the best opening weekend for a documentary in over a decade. The Hollywood Reporter noted that this success was unexpected, as many predicted the film would "bomb" based on low pre-release ticket sales.
Meanwhile, in Norway, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre agreed with Crown Princess Mette-Marit's admission of "poor judgement" regarding her contacts with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the BBC reported. The princess appears hundreds of times in files released by the US Department of Justice between 2011 and 2014. This revelation comes as her son faces trial in Oslo on 38 charges, including rape and assault, according to the BBC. Crown Princess Mette-Marit said she regretted having any contact with Epstein at all.
Newly released interview footage also revealed Jeffrey Epstein being questioned with the line, "Do you think you're the devil himself?" the BBC reported.
In Syria, Hind Kabawat, the country's only female minister, is pushing for change as the Minister for Social Affairs and Labour in the transitional government, the BBC reported. Tasked with navigating Syria's transition from war to peace, Kabawat stated, "On the first day, I asked 'why are there no more women?'" Kabawat, a former opposition leader in exile, acknowledged the government has made mistakes. She told the BBC that she would not stay in the role if she was not free to set her own strategy.
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