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Following in the footsteps of Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, John Lithgow is set to play Dumbledore in the new Harry Potter TV series. Set to join the 2026 TV schedule in December, we’ll get to see the 3rd Rock From the Sun actor sporting the long beard and being a magical mentor to The Boy Who Lived. Speaking of magic and The Boy Who Lived (in the movies), Daniel Radcliffe actually ran into Lithgow at his show, and naturally, they talked about Harry Potter.
Last month, Daniel Radcliffe did wish to meet John Lithgow and speak about the anticipated Harry Potter series. Well, dreams came true at the Lithgow's Broadway show Giant. The Harry Potter alum told People what meeting the new Dumbledore actor was like, and, of course, his magical new HBO series was involved:
I got to go backstage, and he was so lovely. We didn't really talk about details particularly. But he was telling me about how well it's going and how fond he is of the kids.
Aww, that already sounds like something Albus Dumbledore would do. It’s a breath of fresh air to know Lithgow is bonding well with the young stars and that filming is going well. Previously, the Dexter star spoke of what a “big decision” it was to take on playing the Hogwarts headmaster, knowing it would be at least an eight-year commitment.
As Lithgow assumed this could be the last big role he’d do in his career, he picked a great one, as he'll get to spread Dumbledore’s wisdom to a new generation. Plus, you’ve gotta admit he looks kind of like Richard Harris when he portrayed the magical role in the first two Harry Potter movies.
Back in 2019, Daniel Radcliffe said he knew a reboot series would be inevitable, but would be “intrigued” to see when that moment came. Now that we’ve got an HBO series coming to the streaming schedule in December, here’s the Tony winner’s reaction to John Lithgow’s positive praise of his new series:
It's very, very sweet. And it's nice to know it's, you know, all going well.
With The Wizarding World coming back to life once again with a new generation of actors in the iconic roles, it’s good that everything is going swimmingly. As Daniel Radcliffe has taken on movies, TV shows, and Broadway since his Harry Potter run, he’s already said we shouldn't hold out hope for a cameo in the HBO series. I can’t say I blame him, as the upcoming TV show should be a project of its own.
However, the Miracle Workers actor did say he’s already looking forward to watching the fantasy revival series once it hits streaming. I already can’t wait for him to send out positive praise for the new series and John Lithgow’s performance.
If Daniel Radcliffe is going to meet the new Dumbledore backstage at his Broadway show, you know Harry Potter is a given conversation. But I’m sure Radcliffe loved hearing about how well the new show is going for everyone.
Make sure to add the upcoming Harry Potter series to your watchlist, as it will be available to stream with an HBO Max subscription on Christmas Day. You can also watch the original film series on the streamer or with a Peacock subscription.
