“It Was a Huge Decision”: John Lithgow on Playing Dumbledore in HBO’s “Harry Potter” Series
John Lithgow is the first, and currently only, confirmed actor for HBO’s Harry Potter TV series, and while fans are eagerly awaiting the announcement of further actors, Lithgow has opened up about his upcoming role as Professor Dumbledore.
In a recent interview with Variety, Lithgow admitted that stepping into the role is both exciting and daunting. While he’s an accomplished actor with an extensive career spanning decades, he said he has “a lot of catching up to do” when it comes to Harry Potter.
I don’t know the ‘Harry Potter’ canon by heart as 98% of the world’s population seems to.
He explained that he didn’t accept the role lightly, especially given his current age of 79.
It was a huge decision because it involves the next several years of my life. And I’m not young. I mean, this is the last big role I’ll probably play. My big question to them was, ‘What is new about this? Why do more with the canon when it’s already been done so well?’ They just made it all sound very new.
With the show set to span seven seasons (one season per book), Lithgow is excited that viewers will have the chance to see a more layered portrayal of Dumbledore that evolves as the series progresses, much like in the books.
As the kids grew older [in the books], you learn more and more about Dumbledore, and he became a much more surprising, complicated character. They have described this to me, and I’ve got to discover it for myself and make it my own.
The actor also mentioned a magical connection he has with the late Sir Michael Gambon, who played Dumbledore in six of the Harry Potter films after the passing of Richard Harris, also stating he was a “huge admirer” of Gambon and that while he never met him, he “always kind of idolized him.”
Michael Gambon and I happened to have the same birthday, so I thought that was a kind of wizard-like touch.
Taking on such an iconic role is no small feat, and now, as John Lithgow prepares to step into Dumbledore’s robes, Harry Potter fans eagerly await his interpretation of the wise and enigmatic headmaster.
