The Harry Potter
TV show’s new Dumbledore actor, John Lithgow, addresses the “controversy” of an American being cast as the iconic character. Following the eight movies that released from 2001 to 2011, Warner Bros. is now set to adapt J. K. Rowling’s beloved fantasy novel series into an HBO TV show, with showrunner Francesca Gardiner at the helm. The Harry Potter TV show’s cast has remained shrouded in mystery so far, but, after some early reports, Lithgow just recently confirmed to ScreenRant that he will be playing Albus Dumbledore, a role previously played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon.
In a recent interview with Collider, Lithgow addresses his Dumbledore casting, touching on what it means to be an American joining the show. He confirms that Dumbledore will remain British and won’t be Americanized. Lithgow also recognizes that not everyone will be on board with an American playing a distinctly British character like Dumbledore, but he cites his recent performances as Roald Dahl in the Giant stage play and Winston Churchill in The Crown as proof that he’s up for the task. Check out his comment below:
“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 80, I’ll be 86 or 7 at the wrap party for this one. It’s a wonderful winding down role. That’s how I see it.
I know that I’ll be working with, at the very top of the food chain, these are superb people. And I will be working with among the best English speaking actors in the world. I mean, the talent pool right there in London is at their disposal. I’m really excited about it and just revisiting Harry Potter in depth these days. I just want to do it justice.”
“[Dumbledore’s] certainly an Englishman. In fact, there’s a good deal of controversy that an American has been hired to play him. He’s such an icon. I’m half-English. I’ve just played Roald Dahl. I’ve played Winston Churchill. I’ll spend some time with a dialect coach. Don’t worry about that. But no, I mean Dumbledore couldn’t possibly be anything other than English. I just have to do my best. The wonderful thing is, I was welcomed by every English actor I worked with on The Crown. They had far more confidence in me and my Englishness than I did myself.”
Lithgow also reveals when he expects to start filming the Harry Potter TV show, sharing that he won’t have much downtime between his work on the stage and the start of the series:
“I do Giant, the Roald Dahl play right up until, August 2nd. I’m available to work on August 4th, so I go right out of the frying pan and into the fire. I’ll be doing makeup and hair tests for the last couple of weeks that I perform Roald Dahl on the West End.”
What Casting An American Means For The Harry Potter TV Show
John Lithgow’s Casting Sets An Interesting Precedent
The cast of the eight Harry Potter movies is made up primarily of British actors, with no Americans playing any of the main characters. Rowling herself was born in England, and the books and movies are all set in areas around the U.K., with filming also taking place there. It marks an interesting shift for the show, then, that an American actor has been cast in such a prominent role, and it could be a sign of what’s to come with the rest of the show’s cast.
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As of writing, nobody else has been officially cast in the series. According to HBO, which provided a statement to ScreenRant, not even Lithgow’s deal has actually been closed just yet. Still, Lithgow’s casting does open the door for more American actors to join the show. Recent reporting has not suggested that any other Americans are actually being eyed for prominent roles, but it’s entirely possible that surprises are in store regarding casting announcements that are still to come.
British actor Paapa Essiedu has been reported to be in contention for the role of Snape.
Our Take On An American Playing Dumbledore In Harry Potter
More Divisive Creative Choices Are Still To Come
Lithgow’s past work suggests that he’ll be sporting a convincing British accent as Dumbledore in the Harry Potter TV show. The actor certainly seems confident he can deliver in this regard, which is a promising sign. Even so, the decision to cast an American in such a prominent role is sure to be a divisive one, especially since the franchise has remained so inherently British.
Even if Lithgow was British, however, his casting would be divisive. In fact, all casting announcements that are to come will probably be divisive, too. The love for the Harry Potter universe remains so strong that there are certain to be strong feelings, positive and negative, about all creative choices made regarding the series. With Lithgow’s casting now more or less set in stone, more potentially divisive Harry Potter TV show news could be on the horizon.
Source: Collider
Harry Potter
- Showrunner
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Francisca Gardiner
- Directors
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Mark Mylod