“I’m afraid this is going to define me for the last chapter of my life.”
The Rock From the Sun star confirmed the recent rumor that he’ll be playing Professor Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series in an interview with Screenrant published on Tuesday. “It was a complete surprise to me,” Lithgow said. “I just got the call at the Sundance Film Festival for another movie, and it’s not an easy decision because it’s going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I’m afraid.”
The actor continued, “I’m very excited. Some great people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That’s why it was such a hard decision. I’ll be about 87 at the wrap party, but I said yes.”
Lithgow is the first actor to confirm his involvement in the series, and no official casting announcement has been made at this time.
Representatives for Lithgow and HBO did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly’s request for comment.
Lithgow is 79 years old, and the Harry Potter series is expected to debut in 2026 and adapt one of J.K. Rowling’s seven books each season. That means we’ll get about one season a year if all goes according to plan, and Lithgow will finish in 2033, when he’ll be 87.
Although Lithgow is American, he’s no stranger to playing British characters (and speaking with a British accent). Some of his most recognizable performances include playing Winston Churchill in The Crown and voicing Lord Farquaad in the original Shrek.
That said, Lithgow’s casting could represent a key creative difference between HBO’s upcoming Potter series and Warner Bros.’ previous series. The films opted to cast only British actors as witches and wizards, following an agreement between Rowling and Chris Columbus, who directed the first two films. (One of the only exceptions was Columbus’ daughter Eleanor, who played Susan Bones and ultimately never spoke on screen.) Lithgow’s casting suggests that more American and international actors could be part of the cast of the new series. Lithgow is a prolific and decorated actor, with more than 130 screen appearances to his name and dozens of stage appearances. He has two Oscar nominations for his supporting roles in The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment, and has six Emmys for his work in 3rd Rock from the Sun, Dexter, The Crown, and Amazing Stories. In recent years, he has played important supporting roles in films such as Conclave, Killers of the Flower Moon, Bombshell, and Pet Sematary.
