The Harry Potter films were once upon a time a depository for every British and Irish thespian in the business — Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, Richard Harris, and Michael Gambon — the list goes on. Now though, an American actor could potentially take the wand of one of the franchise’s most beloved characters.
John Lithgow, who is American, is nearing a deal to portray Professor Albus Dumbledore in HBO‘s upcoming “Harry Potter” series reboot, according to a report in Deadline.
When reached, HBO reps declined comment on the report. HBO told Deadline, “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”
No cast has been announced for the Harry Potter series as of yet, which is showrun by writer Francesca Gardiner and also comes from director and executive producer Mark Mylod. Author J.K. Rowling has been “fairly involved” in the casting process, HBO content chief Casey Bloys has said. He added that Rowling’s controversial stance on transgender individuals “hasn’t affected” who has been interested in taking part in the series.
Deadline had previously reported that the network was eyeing Paapa Essiedu — another British thespian known for “I May Destroy You” and “The Outrun” — to play Professor Snape. Several other actors have been rumored for various roles, and HBO has looked at over 32,000 submissions for who will be the next Harry, Ron, and Hermoine.
Any casting on the series is going to be met with scrutiny from fans, and casting an American as the Hogwarts Headmaster is certainly going to raise some eyebrows. Lithgow has done the accent in the past, previously playing Winston Churchill on “The Crown” and portraying author Roald Dahl in the London West End production of “Giant” on stage. Lithgow most recently starred in “Conclave” and in the Sundance drama “Jimpa.”
Dumbledore was played by Richard Harris in the first two Harry Potter films, but following Harris’ passing, the role was played by Michael Gambon. In the “Fantastic Beasts” films, Jude Law played a young Dumbledore.
Gary Oldman, who previously played Sirius Black in the Potter films, told IndieWire that should he return to the franchise, perhaps he could be the one to play Dumbledore. In a separate interview, Oldman endorsed Cillian Murphy as the new Voldemort. “I would bet my money that they will get a whole new cast of people,” Oldman told us. “Maybe in a few years, I could do Dumbledore.”
