HBO maintains a neutral stand as John Lithgow confirms being the first American actor to be part of the Harry Potter series

While Harry Potter fans could not be happier with the news of a Harry Potter series in the making, a recent casting update seems to have thrown fans into a state of surprise because of the huge shift it has made from a rule established by J.K. Rowling.

As is known to everybody, Rowling had one strict instruction when it came to casting for the HP movies. She ensured that all the actors in the films were British. While this was maintained through all of the HP films, the rule stands broken with the confirmation of John Lithgow joining the series as Dumbledore.

The fact that Lithgow, an American actor, has been selected to portray an important character like Dumbledore has sparked mixed opinions online, with a majority of the fans not supporting the decision.

While Lithgow has confirmed the news of his casting in a ScreenRant interview, HBO has decided not to release a final statement regarding the same. Instead, they mentioned (as per ScreenRant):

“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.”

Let us now see in detail what Lithgow had to say about this and how the internet reacted.

---

John Lithgow has confirmed his casting as Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series

As mentioned previously, in an exclusive interview with ScreenRant, Lithgow confirmed his role in the Harry Potter series. The veteran actor mentioned:

"Well, it came as a total surprise to me. 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."

He further added:

"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."

His words clearly show how excited he is to be a part of the project, and given his legacy in Hollywood, it won’t be too much to expect that he will nail the role.

---

The internet has reacted mostly critically to Lithgow’s casting as Dumbledore

While there is no doubt of Lithgow’s capabilities as an actor, the internet has reacted rather strongly to his casting mainly because it marks the end of the tradition of only American actors being hired for the franchise.

One user posted:

"Is he English?"

Another one quipped:

"I'm not a Harry Potter fan and I don't want this."

Another user was straightforward with his opinion, as he said:

"I’ll give it a chance but I don’t like the idea of non-British people starring in it."

However, Lithgow responded to this negative feedback regarding his casting and in an interview with Collider, talked about the same. He said:

“He’s certainly an Englishman. In fact, there’s a good deal of controversy that an American has been hired to play him. He’s such an icon.”

He then referred to his previous roles to prove his competency for playing a British character:

“I’m half-English. 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.”

As the reactions continue to be mixed and anticipations rise about the Harry Potter series, it now remains to be seen when HBO officially confirms Lithgow’s involvement in the project and how the final product turns out.