[Photo by Warner Bros.]

'Fantastic Beasts' director clarifies comments about Dumbledore's sexuality

October 4, 2018

[Photo by Warner Bros.]

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them director David Yates is clarifying some early comments about Dumbledore’s sexuality.

He says viewers will know the wizard is gay, even though he won’t be “out” in the movie.

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Earlier in 2018, Yates said the film didn’t make it explicit Dumbledore is gay. “But I think all the fans are aware of that,” the director told Entertainment Weekly. “He had a very intense relationship with Grindelwald when they were young men. They fell in love with each other’s ideas, and ideology and each other.”

At the time, Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts author J.K. Rowling notes the writer has previously talked about it, saying that “there’s lots to unpack in that relationship.”

“You will see Dumbledore as a younger man and quite a troubled man—he wasn’t always the sage… We’ll see him at that formative period of his life. As far as his sexuality is concerned… watch this space,” she explained at a press conference.

Now, in an interview with Empire, Yates has shared some more insight about how much the movie will focus on Dumbledore’s sexuality.

Per the Telegraph, the director clarified his earlier comments, saying, “In that earlier interview, I didn’t say Dumbledore’s not gay. He is.”

Yates added that the wizard is not out in the film, but it will be clear to viewers.

“This part of this huge narrative that Jo is creating doesn’t focus on his sexuality, but we’re not airbrushing or hiding it,” he explained. “A couple of scenes we shot are very sensual moments of him and the young Grindelwald.”

“The story [of their romance] isn’t there in this particular movie but it’s clear in what you see… that he is gay,” Yates continued.