Accio, John Lithgow as the illustrious Albus Dumbledore! The six-time Emmy winner was almost unrecognizable as he donned the persona of the revered Hogwarts headmaster during the filming of HBO's highly anticipated Harry Potter series in England on October 7. Echoing the iconic portrayals by the late Richard Harris and Michael Gambon from the beloved Harry Potter film franchise, Lithgow sported a long, flowing gray beard and half-moon glasses, perfectly embodying the beloved wizard. His look was completed with voluminous, dark robes that exuded an air of magical grandeur.
Despite the 70-year-old actor's admission that his casting "came as a total surprise," he confessed that the decision to accept the role was "not an easy" one. "It's going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I'm afraid," he revealed to ScreenRant in February, his voice tinged with a mix of trepidation and excitement. "But I'm very excited."
Lithgow elaborated, "Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That's why it's been such a hard decision. I'll be about 87 years old at the wrap party," he mused, contemplating the long journey ahead. After all, the actor disclosed, the show is set to encompass all seven of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels.
"The overall concept of this entire reboot of Harry Potter is that an entire season is devoted to a single novel," he explained during a March episode of the SmartLess podcast, revealing that he was "halfway through the second" book as part of his research for the role. "Dumbledore, he's kind of the nuclear weapon," he added with a twinkle in his eye.
As for the criticism over his accent—or lack thereof, compared to his silver screen predecessors, including Jude Law and Toby Regbo from the Fantastic Beasts spinoff movies—Lithgow remained unfazed. "I know there were plenty of people appalled that an American should be hired to play the ultimate English wizard, but I will do my best," he declared to BBC's The One Show in April. "I remind everyone that I did play Winston Churchill on The Crown and did just fine," he added with a confident smile.
