1
Credit: Warner Bros.The casting of one of the most pivotal characters in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot has been revealed, signaling a shift in one of JK Rowling’s strictest rules for adapting the beloved series.
Rebooting beloved films is always controversial, but the backlash around HBO’s readaptation of Harry Potter has proven particularly divisive. Once again bringing the story of The Boy Who Lived onto our screens, this will see new actors step into the roles of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, and follow the three through their years at Hogwarts amidst the rise of the evil Lord Voldemort.
Considering how popular the films were – and still are to this day – replacing the entire cast and starting from scratch was never going to go down well. What has infuriated some fans, however, is the fact that this reboot is happening against the backdrop of Rowling’s newfound career as a keyboard warrior against transgender rights.
The writer’s outspoken thoughts on gender identity have sparked criticism from the franchise’s former stars, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. Rowling’s opinions have also caused some former Potterheads to turn their back on the franchise, with some calling for boycotts of new projects (this reboot included).
Regardless of the backlash, the reboot is very much going ahead. We may not have our new Golden Trio just yet, but several big names have been linked to roles in the show’s first season, which will adapt “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (or “Philosopher’s Stone,” if we’re going to remain faithful to the original text).
The First Actor Confirmed For ‘Harry Potter’
Yesterday, we received the name of the first actor to join the show. In an interview with ScreenRant, actor John Lithgow confirmed that he has been cast as Hogwarts headmaster – and Harry’s personal mentor later in the series – Professor Albus Dumbledore.
While Lithgow’s name has been linked to the role (which was previously played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon in the original series, and Jude Law in the spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them films) for some time now, this is the first time he’s officially commented on the part.
“Well, it came as a total surprise to me,” Lithgow said.
“I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival for yet another film, and it was not an easy decision because it’s going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I’m afraid. But I’m very excited. 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, but I’ve said yes.”
ScreenRant has since noted that while Lithgow has accepted the role, the 79-year-old actor’s deal has not officially closed just yet. “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation,” HBO said in a statement. “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”
Lithgow’s Casting Marks A Huge Turning Point
Having starred in the likes of Interstellar (2014), Shrek (2001), The World According to Garp (1982), and Terms of Endearment (1983), securing Lithgow as Dumbledore is a huge achievement for the series.
It does, however, mark a massive turning point in Hollywood’s approach to adapting Harry Potter.
Back when casting was underway for the original films, JK Rowling – who has long remained famously involved in projects related to the series – had one requirement: the actors needed to be 100% British. For that reason, rumor has it that when Robin Williams personally called Chris Columbus and requested to star in the films (some say as Hagrid, others say as Lupin), the director had to say no.
While there ended up being a few minor exceptions to this rule, such as the casting of American actor Verne Troyer as the goblin Griphook in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) and Chris Columbus’ own daughter Eleanor playing Hufflepuff student Susan Bones in the same film, this mandate stood pretty firm throughout all eight films, with the main cast following Rowling’s strict criteria.
(Notably, Gambon was actually born in Dublin but relocated to London as a child, where he was later named a British subject).
This time around, it seems like this rule is irrelevant. Born in Rochester, New York, Lithgow is very much American.
To Lithgow’s credit, he has proven his skill in quintessentially British roles in the past. In 2016, Lithgow appeared in the Netflix series The Crown, where he portrayed Winston Churchill. Lithgow’s performance received extensive praise, with the actor receiving an Emmy for his take on the former British Prime Minister.
If Lithgow managed to pull off an impersonation of a real-life British historical figure with so much aplomb, then taking on the role of a fictional wizard should be no small feat.
How do you feel about John Lithgow playing Albus Dumbledore?