John Lithgow’s role as Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” series has sparked quite a conversation, especially considering he is not English. However, Lithgow reassured fans in a recent interview that he is taking the responsibility seriously. He plans to work with a dialect coach to perfect the accent.
In his interview with Collider, Lithgow acknowledged the controversy over an American portraying such a quintessentially English character. He stated, “He’s certainly an Englishman. In fact, there’s a good deal of controversy that an American has been hired to play him.”
Reflecting on his experience, Lithgow mentioned his acclaimed portrayal of Winston Churchill in Netflix’s “The Crown,” saying, “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.”
He also shared how warmly he was received by his English co-stars, saying, “The wonderful thing is, I was welcomed by every English actor I worked with on ‘The Crown.’ They had far more confidence in me and my Englishness than I did myself.”
For fans eager for more details about the “Harry Potter” series, HBO has kept information under wraps. Besides Lithgow’s casting, the only other confirmed actor is Paapa Essiedu, known for his role in “I May Destroy You,” who is being considered for the role of Severus Snape. This character, the potions master at Hogwarts, serves as Harry Potter’s adversary before being revealed as a tragic hero, a role famously portrayed by the late Alan Rickman in the previous film series.
The filming for the show is set to start in summer 2025 at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, where the eight original “Harry Potter” films were produced. Lithgow revealed in his Collider interview that he will begin his work on the series in August.
For further insights, watch the interview here:
For more details, check out the full article at TheWrap.
