John Lithgow First Cast Member Confirmed for “Harry Potter” TV Series

Last we heard, Mark Rylance was being considered for the role of Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming Harry Potter television series on HBO. It appears, however, that the distinctive half-moon spectacles are being passed down to John Lithgow instead, as revealed by the decorated actor himself in an interview with ScreenRant.

The spontaneous announcement was met with no little surprise, given how tightly wrapped HBO has been keeping news of the series and its casting. The question of the actor’s age is also not insignificant. John Lithgow is 79, older than both Richard Harris and Michael Gambon were when they took up the role, and old enough to raise eyebrows, given the presumable time commitment. Lithgow commented that he expects to be 87 at the wrap party, and with the series set to start filming at Leavesden this summer, this implies a filming schedule that is certainly, perhaps overly, optimistic.

Also notable is the fact that Lithgow is American, which means the show is not putting the same emphasis on hiring actors from the United Kingdom as the film series did. Regardless of his nationality, however, the actor assured fans in another interview with Collider that the beloved headmaster will reflect the solidly British interpretation of works past. Joking that he is half-English, Lithgow referenced some of his recent work as evidence of his mastery of the accent.

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. 

Lithgow played Churchill in the Netflix series The Crown and won an Emmy for the portrayal. He will be on stage as Roald Dahl on the West End until August 2, just days before being available to work on the Harry Potter TV series. 

With over 50 years to speak of in his career and one Oscar to go before achieving EGOT status, John Lithgow has shown himself equal to a wide variety of roles and genres. Neither age nor nationality will prevent him from providing a masterful performance as the eccentric and esteemed Albus Dumbledore. Lithgow’s comments on it thus far speak to a performer willing to do the necessary work. “I’m really excited about it and just revisiting Harry Potter in depth these days,” he noted. “I just want to do it justice.” Arguably, that’s all we’re asking for.