Fantastic Beasts' Jude Law: 'The World Is Ready' for Gay Dumbledore

Jude Law has spoken out about the gay identity of his character, the young Albus Dumbledore, in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Earlier this year, director David Yates incited backlash when he said that Dumbledore would not be "explicitly" gay in this particular prequel to the Harry Potter franchise. Author J.K. Rowling revealed that the wizard is gay in a 2007 interview, yet his sexuality was not apparent in the children's book series or films.

"He didn't say that to me," Law told The New York Times in response to Yates's statement. "Every time I asked [about Dumbledore's gay identity], it was, 'Yes, he is.' In my mind, he is," teasing that he had performed "very sensual" scenes.

Law also discussed how Fantastic Beasts addresses Dumbledore's "intense, intimate, passionate" relationship with Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), who, according to Rowling, had been the great love of the wizard's life. This relationship is shattered after Grindelwald turns to the dark arts.

"Put it this way: This film is not about his homosexuality, nor does his sexuality define him," Law said. "But that relationship is certainly a defining element of who he is and what he's about. I also don't think he's someone who has given his heart or his soul to many people. The aftermath of their relationship left him reeling, and he's packed his heart in ice, to be honest, and no one's quite thawed it."

The Times asked Law if there would be a romance between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. "I have no idea," replied Law, who nonetheless said it was past time for a gay children's icon.

"I think the world is ready for it, and if it isn't, it bloody well should be," he said.

In a review of Fantastic Beasts,Advocate contributor Jessie Earl took the film to task for not having an explicitly gay hero. She noted that while there are scenes that "clearly nod to Dumbledore's queerness, they are intentionally filmed to be open to interpretation so that those who do not wish to see Dumbledore's gayness can simply ignore it."

"It's queer-baiting in prime form, recalling the unfortunate days of the Hollywood's Hays Code. As a result, we still are left with zero queer representation of actual consequence within the franchise," she concluded.