Harry Potter’s television series could be on the risk-taking crisis. This week’s report suggests that John Lithgow is in discussions to play Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming small screen refit of J.K. Rowling’s book. This is not dangerous, especially for Lithgow – he is a great actor with a legendary career – but because he is an American.
When Rowling first sold the rights to the Warner Bros. film series books, she maintained a considerable amount of creative control. It certainly applies to casting, where Rowling was keen on the idea that she wanted the British actor to play all the important roles of the series.
This was a controversial choice. All eight of the Potter films were co-produced between the UK and the US, but half of that equation must be in time with an array of British acting legends, not a Hollywood A-listers available for sale. did. It has a long history of casting proximity driven by this unshakable rule.
Naturally, this decision from Rowling was most prominently applied to the young actors cast to play Harry, Ron and Hermione. The open casting calls held for each of the three roles were open only to children in the UK. Former casting director Susan Figgis quit after opposing the idea with director Chris Columbus. Columbus was reportedly keen to bring in American stars like Hailey Joel Osment, the sixth sense, and young Anakin Skywalker actor Jake Lloyd to play Harry.
It was later revealed that Columbus was about to cast actor Liam Aiken as Harry, and previously worked with him as the stepmother in the film. Rowling publicly tickled the rumors and said she called Columbus to make sure this was not happening.
Read more: Why casting a Harry Potter TV show is so challenging (Yahoo Entertainment, 5 minutes read)
The author wins the battle and Columbus appears to be happy to bend over as an adult cast. Robin Williams, for example, wanted to play the role of Hagrid, but opposed the Rowling rule against Americans. Meanwhile, Rosie O’Donnell approached Columbus about playing Molly Weasley, but was once again denied under the US star ban. These roles were eventually played by Robbie Coltrane and Julie Walters.
After this early food stall was set up, we cast rumors about our actors and dried up for the rest of the franchise. The message was clear. Potter was strictly British and Irish production from a casting perspective. Americans do not need to apply.
However, when Potter’s new take arrives on a small screen, it appears to be about to change. Lithgow is a great option for Dumbledore, except for his birthplace. He also has many forms to portray Winston Churchill in the crown and play British characters. He won Emmy for his performance.
Read more: The Harry Potter series explores more “detailed” books than films, says the Warner Bros. TV boss (Variety, read 2 minutes)
However, it broadens the field of potential actors who can play a major role. Certainly, finding high quality adult actors in the UK is difficult. The UK hasn’t appeared in Harry Potter yet, so it will serve as a distraction. It’s understandable that the casting team wants to spread the net slightly.
And now it’s not so important to “protect” our franchise against interference. Potter is currently firmly established as one of the UK’s most profitable entertainment exports, with the UK at its heart. The presence of a small number of American actors does not completely airbrush the identity of the series, but in the early 2000s this felt like a much more authentic risk.
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So the story will inevitably turn into the future. Apart from rumours linking Paapa Essiedu to the role of Snape, things were pretty quiet at the forefront of casting for the Potter series. But the possibilities are endless as doors to the large halls now appear to be open for actors all over the world.
The whole world changed quarter a century after Potter’s first casting call called for British. It seems that the world of wizards is about to change too.
The Harry Potter TV series has no release date yet.
