Yet another reason that this guy should not be playing Dumbledore. The part to him is just another role to him, but to millions of fans Dumbledore is someone close to their hearts and represents many things. It’s horrible how any casting agent can sit around and allow him to do this.

I’ve liked Gambon in other films, but his Dumbledore just doesn’t do it for me. Something’s missing, but I’ll be darned if I can tell you what it is.

I didn’t like him in GOF, but then I didn’t like anyone in GOF except Miranda Richardson and Brendan Gleeson.

If the filmmakers waited to cast someone who was not only a talented actor, but someone who viewed the role of Dumbledore as the highlight of their career, the movies would never be made. Also, Gambon is a highly respected actor who is cast in roles by directors and producers not a casting agent.

Gambon, like the late Richard Harris and nearly 99.9% of actors of their generation, view their parts as “just another role.” Besides, after reading the entire interview, how does Gambon give the impression that he does not appreciate playing Dumbledore?

LOL Having recently read that Dan occasionally gets mistaken for Eliah Wood,

It is almost disturbing how much the two look alike. If Daniel Radcliffe by some freak accident would not be able to take HP in the next movie, Eliah Wood would be an acceptable replacement.

and he isn’t much taller than Dan, so who would notice the difference.

(ps Dian Little, oh please shut up, you are beating a dead horse.)

I think Michael is a wonderful actor and a good Dumbledore especially for the later part of the series but I have to admit that I did not fancy him in GOF. All I can think of was the scene where he grabs Harry and very gruffly asks him if he put his name in the goblet.

Dina – fail.

As for the actual topic at hand: movie Dumbledore will never be done properly as far as I’m concerned. You just kind of have to learn to deal with what you’ve got. Michael seems like a nice guy though, and very funny.

Dina—I’m just curious as to why you are still on a harry potter fansite if you are no longer a fan….it seems to me that you can’t really make up your mind or something. Like someone said before, if you don’t like it, then get outta here! There’s no use arguing about it anymore. It’s done. it’s over. Anyways, I think that if Michael Gambon would have played Dumbledore in the first 2 movies, people would be more accepting of him. People compare him to Richard Harris, and Richard Harris was the perfect Dumbledore. I would much rather have Harris playing Dumbledore, but there is nothing that can be done about that. I’ve just forced myself to accept Michael Gambon as Dumbledore.

“Dumbledore is gay? 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.”

Just when we thought it was safe to talk about JKR and her wonderful books again…UGH!!!!! Yes, JKR has sold a “gazillion” books and this same old tired argument has been repeated a “gazillion” times!!!!!

Wow. I never thought Gambon and I would have something in common—I don’t like seeing him in film either, well at least the HP films. He should be playing DD as was written in THAT book, not with the forward knowledge of what he will be like in 1, 2, or even 10 years from that point. I still find Harris to be the better DD. When I just replay the movies in my mind, regardless of the movie or scene, I only picture Harris. I actually replace Gambon with Harris when remembering the movies and recalling DD’s voice.

TexasFan, how does Gambon play Dumbledore as if he knows the future? If he doesn’t read the books or care about the character, as most people inaccurately claim, how does he know what happens? How does his performance in PoA not reflect the book?

Keep in mind that a lot of an actor’s performance is shaped by the director’s point of view. Cuaron was whimsical so Dumbledore was whimsical. Newell put forth an anarchist perspective in which everyone from Snape to Madame Maxime was overly physical. Yates focused on Harry’s isolation so Dumbledore was basically out of the picture until the end. There simply isn’t enough Dumbledore dialogue written into the script to allow a fuller more canon depiction. This is the fault of Kloves and Goldenberg not Gambon.

All I really have to say is that I am surprised that MG doesn’t actually watch the movies. He is a very good actor none the less.

all gabon does is shoot his scenes and cash in the paycheck, he dosnt know who dumbledoor is. he hasnt read a word of the books, and probly only reads his parts in the scripts, or even bother watching the films. we need a dumbledoor who’s in it for the fans not for the paycheck!

Michael Gambon must have read some of our critics, or someone informed him about them. His portrayal of DD, in the last film, was closer to what the character is in the books. Finaly I could watch his character witout wincing. He should be better still in the next films.

What a silly remark about is unapparent (unnoticeable)homosexuality. What does it change? He did not make a pass at Harry, to my knowledge, nor Colin Creevy. He is not a pederast he is\was a homosexual at 17 years of age. People change. He could be a non praticing homosexual. Who cares?

It’s cause he can’t stand watching himself in the films XD I wonder why! lmao Gandolf!

Gingerlibby, personally speaking, my feelings about Michael Gambon’s Dumbledore isn’t about how he is in this scene or that scene so citing examples in that manner is not conducive to relaying my feelings about it. It is his characterization that I find unworthy. I do believe he behaves like a “drunk pirate” (as I said earlier). I don’t think it’s fair to put all the blame on Mike Newell (although I really didn’t appreciate his choices in GoF but that’s beside the point) since it’s all a partnership – the scriptwriter, the director, the actors. Ultimately, the actor inhabits the character. An actor can work around a director’s desires and still present the character properly. It’s not easy. But if it were, we wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a good performance and a bad performance. I’m sorry but MG as Dumbledore makes me cringe. I do think that reading the books would help him understand Dumbledore better instead of simply making it up as he goes along. There’s a reason why so many actors chose to read the book when they make adaptations.

By the way, it’s quite alright if you don’t feel that my (or anyone else’s) argument is not adequate. The point of comment boards such as this is to give us a place to express opinions – yours included. Nobody should feel that can’t simply express a basic opinion. Expressing a negative opinion isn’t necessarily an act of uncivility. It’s just the expression of an opinion. This is a community, after all.