Dumbledore Actor Michael Gambon Never Read A Single Harry Potter Book
The esteemed Michael Gambon, most famous for stepping in to play the wise Albus Dumbledore throughout the later movies of the "Harry Potter" saga, has sadly passed away at the age of 82 ... but this has also given movie lovers and fans of the actor an excuse to celebrate his life and legacy anew. As a performer whose unmistakable voice and innate sense of gravitas did much of the heavy lifting, hardly anyone ought to be surprised that he took a more languid and self-confident approach to portraying the lovable fantasy wizard. While diehard fans may cry foul, it'd be difficult for the rest of us not to appreciate his reasons for committing perhaps one of the biggest genre faux pas of all: purposefully choosing to avoid reading any of controversial author J.K. Rowling's books.
Who else but the great Gambon could get away with the decision to keep the source material separate from his work on the adaptation? In a Los Angeles Times interview conducted just prior to the release of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," the outlet caught up with the man behind the Hogwarts headmaster. Here, he opened up about his mindset in allowing his work to stand on its own:
"You'd get upset about all the scenes it's missing from the book, wouldn't you? No point in reading the books because you're playing with [screenwriter] Steve Kloves' words."
Gambon had the unenviable task of needing to make an immediate impression as a fan-favorite character — despite coming in as a replacement to the late Richard Harris, who had originally been cast in the role until his untimely death in 2002. With pressure on all sides to gel with Harris' portrayal and Rowling's original vision, Gambon did what he did best. He made it his own.
A different Dumbledore
As alluded to in the LA Times interview, a few notable examples of Michael Gambon's acting choices and the general way he carried himself as Dumbledore rubbed some fans the wrong way. Gone was the gentle, more fatherly conception of the character that fans had grown used to when Richard Harris played the part in the first two movies. In its place, Gambon channeled a more fiery and oftentimes divergent set of sensibilities that ran afoul of the books. In addressing the unique style that the acclaimed actor unapologetically brought to Dumbledore, he had this to say:
"He's got to be a bit scary. All headmasters should be a bit scary, shouldn't they? A top wizard like him would be intimidating. And ultimately, he's protecting Harry. Essentially, I play myself. A little Irish, a little scary. That's what I'm like in real life."
Of course, Gambon would go on to win over the hearts and minds of countless fans worldwide. In the interview, he even reminisces about an instance where thousands of young fans waited in the soaking rain just to catch a glimpse of the cast during the premiere of "Half-Blood Prince." Describing himself as "really moved" by the display and concerned for their well-being, it's clear the actor never once took his impact and popularity for granted — in this role or in any other. That certainly goes a long way toward explaining the outpouring of love and adoration that has already poured in and will continue to do so in the days, weeks, and years ahead.