John Lithgow was recently cast as Albus Dumbledore for the Harry Potter movies are currently the definitive adaptations of the beloved book series, and with that comes a justified skepticism. The film adaptations rounded out their casts with only British actors in major roles, and though it may seem harsh, it resulted in consistently impressive casting choices across the board.
With John Lithgow's casting as Dumbledore, after the role was previously interpreted by two legendary actors, Richard Harris and Sir Michael Gambon, it makes sense that viewers might not be immediately sold. That said, John Lithgow has worked in film, television, and stage for over fifty years, and some of his most notable credits include famous British characters and historical figures. He's a six-time Emmy winner and a two-time Golden Globe winner who only just recently won a SAG Award for his contributions to the cast of Conclave.
4 The Crown
Winston Churchill
John Lithgow played a recurring role as Winston Churchill, one of the most well-recognized Englishmen to ever live
The Crown is another project known for its extensively British cast, including outstanding actors like Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville, and Olivia Colman. In the show's early seasons, John Lithgow played a recurring role as Winston Churchill, one of the most well-recognized Englishmen to ever live. Not only was John Lithgow an outstanding part of a colossally successful British series, but he also won a Primetime Emmy for his role in the season 1 episode "Assassins." He also earned a Critics' Choice Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal.
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3 Cliffhanger
Eric Qualen
1993's Cliffhanger isn't one of John Lithgow's best movies all around, but it was one of the biggest at the time of its release. The Sylvester Stallone-led action thriller blockbuster grossed $255 million at the time of its release. Opposite Stallone's action-hero character, John Lithgow played a psychopathic British gang leader named Eric Qualen, who orchestrates a group of thieves for the movie's main heist on the US Treasury.
If one were to watch Cliffhanger alone without any knowledge of the cast, they could possibly be sold that John Lithgow was a British actor. Lithgow has always been phenomenal in villain roles, with his characters in Dexter and Blow Out being among his most successful. Of course, Dumbledore isn't a villain, but consider the fact that Michael Gambon had also developed a reputation for playing bad guy characters prior to taking over as Albus Dumbledore in The Prisoner of Azkaban.
2 King Lear
Lear of Britain
Plenty of John Lithgow's most impressive work has been on stage, and most great stage actors have done their rounds in Shakespeare plays. In 2014, Lithgow played the titular character in a rendition of King Lear, which is just one among his many Shakespeare roles. Lithgow grew up in New York, but plays were among his earliest training as an actor, with his father being a theatre producer who staged Shakespeare festivals.
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In 2022, John Lithgow spoke to RadioTimes about playing British characters, saying, "I think of myself as pure American, but my formative years were all around a Shakespeare Festival, hearing an awful lot of lofty Shakespearean language." The article also explains that he studied drama in London during the Swinging Sixties, stating that he observed the trade from legendary actors like Maggie Smith and Laurence Olivier.
1 Giant
Roald Dahl
One of John Lithgow's most recent projects, which he'll continue to partake in until August, is the play Giant. The Mark Rosenblatt-written play premiered in 2024, with Lithgow playing iconic British author Roald Dahl on the West End in London. Anyone needing a sample of Lithgow's ability to perform as an Englishman can go see him live on stage in the critically acclaimed play for the next handful of months. Filming for Harry Potter will begin just afterward in late Summer 2025, meaning he'll be diving into Dumbledore very soon.
Sources: Collider, RadioTimes
Harry Potter
- Showrunner
- Francisca Gardiner
- Directors
- Mark Mylod
- Writers
- sca Gardiner
- Franchise(s)
- Harry Potter
Cast
Dominic McLaughlinHarry Potter
Janet McTeerMinerva McGonagall
Albus Dumbledore
Nick FrostHagrid
