John Lithgow’s Touching Answer to Critics Claiming He’s Too Old to Play Dumbledore in Harry Potter Series
- John Lithgow confirmed he's going to play Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming Harry Potter series
- Lithgow noted he was scared to take a decision but eventually decided to say yes
- Even though he's American, Lithgow will play Dumbledore as an Englishman
John Lithgow, who is widely known for playing Winston Churchill in Netflix’s The Crown, has been a part of some of the momentous movies, including Hillary and Clinton, 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and more. He has also portrayed the character of Arthur Mitchell in Dexter.
The veteran actor has been appreciated for his work on his projects, and fans and critics have especially mentioned that he is one of the few American actors who perform an English character with such sincerity. Lithgow recently shared that he had said yes to playing Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, which has had mixed reactions.
John Lithgow admits he’s ‘scared’ & ‘excited’ to play Albus Dumbledore for the Harry Potter series
Actor John Lithgow recently confirmed that he has said YES to playing Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series. In an interview with Collider, the actor mentioned that the decision to say yes to playing Dumbledore wasn’t easy, but he finally decided to do it.
Lithgow is excited to play one of the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter universe. Richard Harris and Michael Gambon have played the same character in the film series, whereas Jude Law played Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts.
Talking further about his new role, he was asked what was going on inside his mind before he said yes to playing an iconic character, given that he is 79 years old. He said,
It’s pretty scary, but it’s certainly not anything I would dream of saying no to. Look, I’m about to turn 80 next year. I’ll be 86 or 87 at the wrap party. It’s a wonderful winding down role. That’s how I see it. I just want to do it justice.
The actor is very excited for the new chapter to begin, as he mentioned some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter, which has given him this wonderful opportunity. He has big shoes to fill, and he is certainly ready to take on the challenge.
The Harry Potter series for HBO will be led by Francesca Gardiner and directed and executively produced by Mark Mylod. The series has been designed as a long-term adaptation, as it’s reportedly going to adapt one book per season.
John Lithgow confirms Albus Dumbledore will be an ‘Englishman’
The American actor is aware of the Harry Potter fandom and how deeply the fans are connected to the characters. Being American and selected to play an English character, John Lithgow assured the fans during his conversation with Collider that Dumbledore would be English. He said,
He is certainly an Englishman. In fact, there is a good deal of controversy that an American has been hired to play him. He’s such an icon. I’ve just played Roald Dahl. I’ve played Winston Churchill. I’ll spend some time with a dialect coach.
The actor shared that he’s going to spend time with a dialect coach to make sure he gets the accent right and does not disappoint the fans who are looking forward to the show. He also recalled that when he portrayed Winston Churchill on The Crown, the English actors on set had more confidence in him compared to how he felt about himself.
John Lithgow noted that every English actor welcomed him, and that has given him confidence, which is why he’d work on his accent with the dialect coach to make sure he gets it right. Lithgow also emphasized that playing Dumbledore is going to define the final chapter of his life and career, which is why it wasn’t an easy decision for him to take.
Max shared in 2023 in a press release (via ABC News) that the series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of fantastic detail, much-loved characters, and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for almost 25 years.
They mentioned that every season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and his incredible adventures to a new audience across the world. The network made sure to clarify that the original films will remain the core of the franchise that is available to stream globally.
The Harry Potter series is expected to be released in 2026 or 2027.
