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Ezra Miller: Dumbledore's Queerness Is Explicit in Fantastic Beasts
"I find Dumbledore’s queerness extremely explicit in [The Crimes of Grindelwald]."
Ezra Miller is setting the record straight...erm...queer.
Earlier this year, Fantastic Beasts director David Yates said that Dumbledore's sexuality would be mostly avoided in the upcoming sequel, The Crimes of Grindelwald. But in a new interview with Total Film, Miller revealed that that's not the case.
"It’s a funny idea to me that every form of representation has to look the same," Miller began. "For me, personally, I find Dumbledore’s queerness extremely explicit in this film. I mean, all around."
Though it was never explicitly stated in the Harry Potter series, in 2007, author J.K. Rowling confirmed Dumbledore was gay and in love with his neighbor turned archnemesis, Gellert Grindelwald, whom he eventually defeated in a historic duel. Both wizards are featured prominently in The Crimes of Grindelwald, so it makes sense that their tragic romance would be explored.
Miller continued: "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."
"I think it's also really powerful to have characters who are fascinating, dynamic people, doing magical works in the world, and that the story does not only pertain to their sexuality."
The openly queer 26-year-old commended Rowling for making Dumbledore's sexuality known at all.
"People have to also take a moment and acknowledge the gift that Jo Rowling gave us by writing one of the greatest characters in literary history, one of the most beloved characters across the whole spectrum of civil society, and the beliefs and ideologies there; one of the most beloved characters; 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."
Miller also calls out those making assumptions about how the movie is handling Dumbledore's sexuality before they've even seen the film.
"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. Follow your heart, and really, really investigate situations before you identify yourself and pick a side, and start throwing things at the opposition. Because that’s what’s totally screwing everything up right now. And it polarizes us. We’re all human, and there’s a lot of things we can agree on."
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
