Ian McKellen reveals why he turned down the role of Dumbledore in Harry Potter

14 February 2025, 13:17

The legendary thespian was offered the role of the iconic Hogwarts headmaster - but decided he 'couldn't do it'.

Sir Ian McKellen has revealed he was offered the role of Dumbledore in Harry Potter after the original wizard passed away – but shockingly turned it down despite being interested in the part.

The thespian, 85, who is known for his mystical portrayal of Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings, was called on by movie bosses to replace Richard Harris after he died.

But the award-winning British actor decided to decline the offer, explaining he "couldn't" step into the Hogwarts headmaster's shoes because of an insult made by Harris whilst he was alive.

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When quizzed during an episode of BBC's Hard Talk, he revealed: "When they called me up and said, 'would I be interested in being in the Harry Potter films?' They didn't say what part... I worked out what they were thinking and I couldn't.

He continued: "I couldn't take over the part from an actor who I'd known didn't approve of me."

The stage legend was referring to comments made by the Dumbledore actor, in which he described Ian's acting style as "technically brilliant but passionless" – an opinion he believed was "nonsense".

The Hamlet star continued to laugh about the controversy during the light-hearted interview, joking that he "played the real wizard" in the epic film series Lord of the Rings.

When the journalist said: "So, you could have been Dumbledore!" He replied with jest, saying: "Well sometimes when I see the posters of Mike Gambon, the actor who gloriously played Dumbledore, I think sometimes it is me!"

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Irish actor Richard Harris played the iconic professor in the first two magical films, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

After his death in 2002, aged 72, the role was up for grabs and was eventually taken over by BAFTA award-winner Michael Gambon.

He portrayed Professor Albus Dumbledore in the following six movies, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and part one and two of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Gambon passed away aged 82 in September 2023, leaving the Hogwarts wizard's role open once again.

That same year, HBO announced it was making the mystical story into a brand new TV series set to explore all the details missed in the movies.

The long-awaited show will begin filming over the summer this year at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden in Hertfordshire, the same place the eight other films were made.

The official cast is yet to be announced as fans grit their teeth with anticipation, but rumours have been circulating over who will don the Dumbledore cloak once more.

John Lithgow, Christopher Eccleston and Mark Strong have all been rumoured to play the legendary wizard.

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