John Lithgow Claps Back at “Appalled” Harry Potter Fans Over Dumbledore Role!

John Lithgow, the latest actor to don the robes of Albus Dumbledore, is asking Harry Potter enthusiasts to embrace his new role despite the magical stretch of imagination required to see him as the iconic wizard.

The twice Oscar-nominated actor expressed both excitement and nervousness about stepping into a role that has been previously filled by actors like Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, and Jude Law, according to his recent appearance on BBC’s The One Show.

Lithgow humorously remarked, “I will be following the great Michael Gambon. I’m not an Englishman, but I’ve portrayed one on TV,” referencing his role as Winston Churchill in The Crown, where he received critical acclaim.

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Lithgow continued, “Of course, it’s an incredible thrill. I understand there are quite a few people taken aback by an American playing such a quintessentially English character. Nevertheless, I’m committed to giving my best performance.”

The announcement of Lithgow’s involvement as Dumbledore in the upcoming Max series by Francesca Gardiner, as reported by Deadline, also revealed that Janet McTeer will play Minerva McGonagall, with Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.

Richard Harris was the first to portray Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) and The Chamber of Secrets (2002) until his death in 2002 at age 72. Michael Gambon then took over from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) through to The Deathly Hallows — Part 2 (2011). Jude Law played a younger Dumbledore in the more recent films, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) and The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022).