The Times Online has a new interview with Michael Gambon who gives a series of answers about his lengthy acting career, as well as some thoughts on the Harry Potter films. The award winning actor who portrays Hogwarts Headmaster Professor Albus Dumbledore says he does not watch too many of the films he is in. Quotage:
MG I just hate the idea of being well known. I know that is almost impossible if you’re an actor who has done okay, but I’ve always fought against it.
DW So when you come on stage, people don’t say, “Oh, there he is.”
MG Yes, so I’m just an actor playing a part .
DW So, why then accept a job on a Harry Potter film?
MG Because you’re wearing an enormous disguising outfit.
DW You don’t get recognised by kids?
MG A child did approach me in a restaurant in Cornwall, but he thought I was Gandalf.
DW Had you seen the films?
MG No.
DW Have you seen any now?
MG No.
DW Not even the ones you’re in?
MG Oh, hang on, I saw one.
DW Is that because you don’t like to see yourself in anything?
MG No, I find it really alarming. And the older I get, the worse it becomes. I nip in to have a quick look, then I walk out and have a cup of tea, then nip in again. You can hear it in the other room, where it feels better.
As seen by the photos and reports posted over the weekend from location filming, actor Michael Gambon is returning in his role as Professor Dumbledore for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which is due in theaters next year. Thanks Ryan!
I found JK Rowlings disingenuous outburst and
disdain for the families who fell in love with her books insulting.
It also smacks of a certain cowardice.
I mean…why did she not just come out from
the beginning identifying Dumbledore is gay?
Why wait till now after the series is over an
she already sold a gazillion of the books?
I think this kind of Switch and bait repulsive.
While the Potter fuhrer is over tho’...I will
quietly dispose of the books. I only allowed the
books because I gave her the benefit of the doubt.
You would be surprised that a certain practiced
indifference to the books also causes children to
loose interest…and find other books, movies more
interesting.
I personally will no longer look to see the new
Potter movies and I hope that people of conscience
all over will also stay away from any
future Potter works.
I hate him as Dumbledore. The problem is not that he doesn’t watch his own performances; it is that he has no idea who Dumbledore is. He’s making up the character as he goes along, rather than using his skills to bring an already created, well-known and well-loved character to life on screen. It’s a crying shame that he refuses to read the books. Since Gambon refuses to interpret Dumbledore as written, I wonder why the director doesn’t do a better job of guiding his performance. I will be very happy to see Gambon/Dumbledore put out of his misery.
I believe why he (Michael Gambon) did well in PoA and OotP is the directors were sure to at least guide him more towards Dumbledore’s personality. Mike Newell should of reshot the scene in GoF when he yelled at Harry and pushed him against the wall. Not sure what Newell was thinking, but I put the blame on him for not correcting this. But I think Michael Gambon over all has done a good job. I really couldn’t of seen Richard Harris doing well in Ministry of Magic scene in OotP. Dumbledore at times has been described as having a burst of young energy when in need, Harris was just too old in my opinion.
@dina little: How does it feel being a bigot? Your post was most disturbing, you would give up such great books because of the sexual preference of one of the characters? When would she of needed to mention Dumbledore’s sexuality, when would she of needed to have him (Dumbledore) openly say this. And how is this article about an interview with the actor have anything to do with Dumbledore’s (the character) sexuality.
If havent noticed Dina all of us REAL Potter fans are over the fact that DD is gay. If you dont like it then move on then. Stop posting on our comment boards and start your own IhateDD website or something. Either way get a life and leave us to our crazed, obsessive, discussions. Good Bye and have a nice day! :)
I think the most disturbing part about Gambon is that he is a good actor, and I’ve liked him in other roles. I think it would be hard to watch yourself in a movie—weird, really. But if he would just read the books, or even just the parts with Dumbledore, he’d have a much better idea of who Dumbledore is. Drunken pirate? Please! Although that does explain what he’s doing with the role. Funny, when I read the books that a description that never entered my mind. Quirky, wise, powerful, kind, caring, determined. . .
Oh, well. Dumbledore will be out of the misery that Gambon has put him in soon enough.
Oh please, as if Ian McKellen would even consider playing yet another wizard after playing Gandalf? Get real!
As far as I’m concerned, I think Michael Gambon did a great job in PoA and OotP, I thought some of his delivery in both movies was very funny, like the “Did what?” after Hermione’s and Harry’s timeturning adventure, or “Brian” in OotP. I also enjoyed that lovely speech he gave about dreams in PoA… Anyway, Mike Newel’s direction wasn’t Mr Gambon’s fault, he did what the director required of him. I admire Mr. Gambon for not playing a carbon copy of Mr Harris, but giving Dumbledore a more dangerous and conflicting side which is exactly what the movies require as their atmosphere gets more and more sinister.
I like this guy. I think knowing what we know about DD he is actually much better as DD than Harris. Can you imagine Harris as gay…. No. But you can imahine Gambon with an old flame…
He ahs life and energy that DD needs. I like the guy. But I agree with most people the GOF was a mess. BUt Mike Newell I think did not manage any of the characters well. Even the kids acted kind of bad. The only one who was thier regular self Alan as Snape and that’s because Alan tells the director what he would and would not do because he feels it is out of character. Remember at this point Rickman knew Snape’s loyalties and his motives… so if they wanted him to do something that he thought went against it he simply said no. But Poor Gambon doesn’t know a thing and is relying on the director to guide him as Dumbeldore. Sadly, the director doesn’t know a thing either.
@dina little and Jason: We are SO over all of that. Can we PLEEEZZZE move on! I’m with you, Monique! It’s not so much that Mr Gambon has not read any of the books….he’s relying, somewhat, on his director. Too bad his director was clueless!
Posted by Confederate Lady on October 29, 2007, 04:57 PM
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Whenever anything is posted about Gambon, be it a birthday announcement or an interview about another one of his projects it seems Potter fans can’t resist taking the mere mention of his name as a cue to start berating the man’s performance as Dumbledore. Furthermore, the posts criticizing Gambon only ever go so far as to say “I hate him as Dumbledore” or “I wish he was recast” usually pointing to just one scene in GOF fire that they didn’t like. Please provide us with at least 3 other occasions in the films when Gambon’s performance was defective, keeping in mind the influence a director and a writer can have on the portrayal of a character. Also, please explain how reading the books would add something to his performance. For instance, describe how the performance of the scene in OotP when Dumbledore is appearing before the Wizengamot would differ in a noticeble way if he had read the books. I’m sorry, I just don’t think there is a lot of subtext to Dumbledore’s character, at least not until the last two books. He is supposed to be an enigmatic figure. Sorry for the rant. I’m just annoyed by the way some fans use unsophisticated arguments, are quick to judge, and are willing to attack at the drop of a hat. Let’s all be civil to each other and to the people who work on bringing Harry Potter to life.
I like Mr Gambon and he has said he does not research his parts but he will do whatever is needed to deliver the director’s vision. So the problem alas in GoF was Newell’s vision.
Mr. Newell wanted the Headmaster to show that he had lost control of events and Mr. Newell also wanted to ramp up the tension. If Dumbledore had seemed to be not at all bothered by Harry’s name being picked then the audience would think there was nothing to worry about. The way Mr. Newell chose to show Dumbledore’s concern was not at all in keeping with the Headmaster’s character.
I think it is fair to say that if Mr. Gambon had done some research he could maybe have pursuaded Mr Newell to change his approach.
Thankfully David Yates understands Dumbledore better.
LOL Having recently read that Dan occasionally gets mistaken for Eliah Wood, I found the Gandalf comment doubly funny. Guess some folks just have trouble remembering which wizard is which. :)
"Harry... maybe Moody thinks [i]Snape[/i] put your name in the Goblet of Fire!"[br]"Oh Ron," said Hermione, shaking her head sceptically, "we thought Snape was trying to kill Harry before, and it turned out he was saving Harry's life, remember?"
It is just a shame LOTR beat HP to getting Sir Ian McKellen, especially with what we know now about Dumbledore.