Are you a Harry Potter fan? Want to know why Dumbledore’s actor changed? Yes, we are talking about Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. To be more precise, he served as the headmaster of Hogwarts, the wizarding school.
Dumbledore was previously played by Richard Harris in the Harry Potter series. Later, the actor was changed, and Michael Gambon took his place. With this replacement taking place early in the franchise, fans were shocked, wondering what went wrong.
The former, Richard Harris, served for the first couple of the Harry Potter series. Following the recast after the second installment, Michael Gambon played Dumbledore’s role in six series of the same. Initially, actors like Patrick McGoohan and Sean Connery were targeted for Dumbledore’s character. But they didn’t make it happen, and Richard Harris got selected to serve until the franchise’s end.
What do you think about his performance? Well, as the head of Hogwarts and also as Harry’s mentor, he did an incredible job. But, his recast was indeed very surprising. There should have been some valid reasons. If you are looking for the reason behind the change in Dumbledore’s actor, here are your answers.
Also Read: How Did Dumbledore Destroy The Marvolo’s Ring? The Ring Mystery is Solved!
Reason Behind The Dumbledore Actor Change Revealed
When did the recast of Harry Potter’s Dumbledore actor take place? That was right after the Chambers of Secrets. But why? Before the release of Chamber of Secrets, the Dumbledore actor, that is, Richard Harris’ health, turned bad. When? It was in November 2002 when he was hospitalized. When diagnosed, the doctors found him to be suffering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In case you aren’t aware of the illness, it’s a life-threatening cancer disease in the part of the immune system.
Despite being so sick and struggling, Richard Harris told the director not to recast his character. The actor was hopeful enough to make a comeback and deliver his best, A always. But it didn’t happen like that. Dumbledore actor got recast.
Well, the producers were bound to. The higher authorities of the Harry Potter franchise didn’t want to change the Dumbledore actor. But, the situation went beyond their control. It was not in their favor. Why? What happened? With the illness mentioned above, Richard Harris passed away at the age of 72. He failed to keep his promise about his return.
The process of changing the Dumbledore actor was not easy but very delicate. The actor who starts right at the beginning brings a great impact and significance, not just on his character but on the story as a whole.
So, everybody wanted an actor who could continue and complete the franchise. It took a lot of care from the entire crew of Harry Potter. Even Christopher Lee was thought for the role. But, he failed to commit because of his busy schedule. Another star, Ian McKellen, was also thought to do it but he didn’t do it because of his rocky bond with Richard Harris. So, it was Michael Gambon.
The new Dumbledore actor, Michael, did an incredible job in performing the role. No doubt about that. However, his version was way different from that of Richard. So, initially, fans were a bit disappointed but later ended up loving him because of his versatility and longevity in the franchise.
You must be wondering why there was a difference, despite playing the same role. That was because Michael Gambon didn’t copy the style of Richard Harris but made his own.
What did Dumbledore’s actor end up with? Well, he died in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. His death was pretty much iconic. However, he was unhappy with the series’ reunion, mostly because of his absence.
Also Read: How Did Dumbledore Get The Elder Wand?
