Ezra Miller reveals how Dumbledore is 'explicitly gay' in 'Fantastic Beasts 2'
22 October 2018, 16:52 | Updated: 19 November 2018, 14:52
The film has already received flack for gay-baiting before it's even come out...
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald may not have come out yet but the film starring the likes of Ezra Miller and Jude Law is already dividing fans. Many people are outraged that Johnny Depp is still involved in the franchise and are boycotting the film because of it and then there are those who aren't happy about the plot twist that Nagini is actually human (yes, genuinely).
That's not all though. Harry Potter fans are also criticising the upcoming film for not centring Dumbledore's sexuality. In 2007 J.K Rowling revealed that Dumbledore is gay and was in love with Grindelwald. Since this wasn't clear in the books, people hoped that it would be in Fantastic Beasts 2. However director David Yates said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that it wouldn't be explicit.
The claims resulted in huge backlash but Ezra Miller has now revealed that Dumbledore is 'explicitly gay' in the film.
Speaking to Total Film about his role as Credence Barebone in the movie, Ezra then went on to discuss the controversy with Dumbledore. He said: "It’s a funny idea to me that every form of representation has to look the same. For me, personally, I find Dumbledore’s queerness extremely explicit in this film. I mean, all around."
He then revealed how it's made explicit. "He sees Grindelwald, his young lover who’s the love of his life; he sees him in the Mirror of Erised. What does the Mirror of Erised show you? Nothing more than the most desperate desire of your heart. If that’s not explicitly gay, I don’t know what is."
He also praised J.K: "she wrote one of the greatest characters in literary history, one of the most beloved characters across the whole spectrum of civil society…and then, at the end of writing that series, was like, ‘Oh, yeah, and he’s gay. What? Step to me.’ She is forever a god for that.”
Defending the film Ezra added: "Why don’t you wait until you see the film before you start talking shit on Twitter? Or wait to make up your own mind about something for once in your life. Do your own research. Make up your own mind."
Ezra has a point. We won't be able to judge the film until we see it. Still it's understandable that people are concerned about Dumbledore's portrayal when LGBTQ+ representation is still so rare in mainstream media.
