'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMH/8QAIBAAAQQBBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQACBBEDBRIxYQYUQf/EABUBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEx/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDDNP0H1ou+RkLjJBxtDHEBh+O74KmPFZpFsmY9h4u7rtEU0mv/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On February 12, 2025, fans of the franchise woke up to the shocking news that the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series may have found its Dumbledore in John Lithgow. While some find this rumored choice pretty good because Lithgow may embody Dumbledore's calmness, others are having difficulty believing it because of one important rule.
In the 1990s, when Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was produced, author J.K. Rowling had one demand, only Irish, Scottish, or British actors be cast in the film. This is why Robin Williams was turned down for Hagrid despite being a massive fan of the book series. However, breaking this cardinal rule could also be one of the ways the HBO series can differentiate from the movies.
John Lithgow's casting in HBO's Harry Potter explained:
Casting rumors for the upcoming Harry Potter show based on the first book have been swirling across the internet for a while. Initially, the two actors who were in the running for the role of Dumbledore were Mark Strong and Mark Rylance. Now, John Lithgow finds himself on the cusp of making history. Lithgow is a respected actor with decades of experience, who gained popularity as the Trinity Killer in Dexter's fourth season.
Lithgow is a wild card entry in this rumored casting choice. The actor has played Winston Churchill on Netflix's The Crown, for which he won numerous awards, and author Ronald Dahl on stage for the play titled Giant, written by Mark Rosenblatt. Therefore, playing British pop cultural figures is nt new for him. However, it should be noted that his casting choice hasn't been officially confirmed yet.
HBO representatives had something to say regarding this rumored casting choice. Nellie Andreeva, the TV Co-Editor-in-Chief of Deadline, who broke the news regarding John Lithgow's casting choice, reached out to HBO for a comment. The network refused but it did put out an official statement reading:
“We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”
Considering that the Harry Potter series is scheduled to be produced in the summer of this year, we should get official casting announcements for all the characters soon enough. However, did you know that despite Rowling's insistence, two American actors managed to appear in the movies?
Who were the two American actors in the Harry Potter movies?
The two American actors who managed to sneak into the movies appeared in the first two films directed by Christopher Columbus. One of them is Columbus's own daughter Eleanor Columbus, who appeared as Susan Bones, a Hufflepuff student in both Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets.
The other American actor was Verne Troyer, who was in Philosopher's Stone as the goblin, Griphook.
There's a catch though, while you can see them on screen, you can't hear them. Eleanor isn't given a line, while Troyer's lines are dubbed. Griphook's lines in the first movie are dubbed by British actor Warwick Davis, who would later go on to even physically play the role in Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
Trending
Do you think that John Lithgow is a suitable choice for the Harry Potter show? Give us your opinion.
Your perspective matters!
Start the conversation
