Later this year, John Lithgow will step into the role of iconic British wizard and Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in HBO's upcoming TV show based on J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. The role was previously played by stars Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, with his younger iteration being played by Jude Law in the Fantastic Beasts movie. Lithgow will be the first-ever American to play Dumbledore.
You might find yourself thinking it's preposterous that an American has been cast as Dumbledore. But fear not. Lithgow already has plenty of experience, having played Winston Churchill in the Netflix series The Crown. Furthermore, Americans have done great jobs in British roles over the years; look no further than the unbelievable job Peter Dinklage did as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones; sure, Tyrion isn't technically British, but Westeros is based on England so close enough. In any case, it's not something we should be worrying about.
"I know there were plenty of people appalled that an American should be hired to play the ultimate English wizard," Lithgow admitted on the BBC's The One Show, per Parade. "But I will do my best."
"I'm not an Englishman, although I’ve played one on TV. I remind everyone that I did play Winston Churchill on The Crown and did just fine," Lithgow said. The actor also explained that he's reading the books again in preparation for stepping into Hogwarts.
It marks a nice change to see an American playing a Britishman. Think of all the times British stars have played seminal American roles. We're talking Tom Holland as Spider-Man, Henry Cavill as Superman, Robert Pattinson as Batman, or Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln.
2025 has been a big year for Lithgow so far. One highlight for me is horror movie The Rule of Jenny Pen, where he stars alongside Geoffrey Rush, playing a man who causes chaos inside a care home.
HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series will begin filming later this year. No release date has been set, although fans can expect to see it hit screens sometime in 2026, or even early 2027. For more casting announcements, check out the full list of official cast members here.
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