Mark Rylance had to decline the role of Albus Dumbledore in the HBO “Harry Potter” TV series, as he lost his wife tragically just a month ago.
In November 2024, Variety stated that Mark Rylance was at the forefront of casting choices to portray Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series. At that time, HBO didn’t verify the news but instead expressed, “We understand that a high-profile series like this will generate much discussion and speculation. As we progress through pre-production, we will only validate details once we finalize contracts.
It was revealed on Wednesday, February 12th, that instead of Rylance, there are plans to consider John Lithgow for the role of Dumbledore.
As reported by Jeff Sneider’s The Insider, Rylance declined the role due to the passing of his wife, Claire van Kampen, in January 2025.
“[This] led him to pass on the project so he could properly grieve,” Sneider wrote.
Mark Rylance is recognized for his roles in films like Bridge of Spies (2015), The BFG (2016), Dunkirk (2017), Ready Player One (2018), The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020), Don’t Look Up (2021), and Bones and All (2022).
Is John Lithgow playing Dumbledore in HBO’s Harry Potter series?
At present, it’s yet to be formally announced that Mark Lithgow is joining the cast. When Deadline inquired about this, HBO simply echoed the statement they made when Nicholas Rylance’s casting was revealed.
At present, no further castings for the Harry Potter series have been disclosed. For now, specific storyline details are being kept confidential, but it’s widely assumed that the series will be a loyal portrayal of the original Harry Potter books.
In the initial two Harry Potter movies, Richard Harris took on the role of Dumbledore. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2002, and Michael Gambon stepped into the character for the next six films. However, in the Fantastic Beasts prequels, Jude Law portrayed a younger version of Dumbledore.
A premiere date for the Harry Potter show has not yet been announced.
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2025-02-13 20:41