Current Events > Which Dumbedore actor did you like more?

(+) Yeah! (+)

did you like the actor from the first 2 movies more? Richard Harris. r.i.p. to both of them

Stupid doors.....

I kinda like the guy from Fantastic Beasts, despite that franchise falling off hard after the first film.

The thing with Dumbledore is his character evolved over the course of the books.

Richard Harris was the perfect early Dumbledore. Wise, kind, reserved, but wily.

Michael Gambon was the perfect late Dumbledore. He keeps those qualities, but better sells the darker, more dire plot, and has better chemistry engaging with Harry about these darker issues. This is the Dumbledore that can square up to voldemort, and won't be cowed by anyone; but his imperfections and humanity still crack through.

The real limbo zone is movies 3 and 4. Michael Gambon really d8dnt know what he was doing for a while (we all know the meme), and it leads to Dumbledore being this erratic, unhelpful, borderline psychotic ass for a while. I'd say the scene where he comforts Harry after the climax in Goblet of Fire is the first time Gambon really nails his Dumbledore performance. And he holds it for the rest of the series.

So interns of average performance, Harris technically wins, by virtue of having less to work with, lighter source material, and a stronger start. But Gambon, once he found his footing, did a much better job selling EVERYTHING Dumbledore was supposed to be.

Second one was bettter. Rip

They were both good at hitting different parts of the character.

Ian McKellen

Michael Gambon is dead?! Oh no!

I preferred Michael Gambon. He had this commanding voice and was quite eloquent. Even if he mucked up some parts of the character, it didn't bother me. It was not the book and that's all that mattered.

If Michael Gambon did an audible for the Harry Potter novels, I'd listen to it with such intensity.

TIL there are 2 Dumbledore actors

Big_Nabendu posted...

TIL there are 2 Dumbledore actors

3

dameon_reaper posted...

Michael Gambon is dead?! Oh no!

Clearly, there's a "dumbledore curse".
Jude Law better watch out, twenty years later.

dameon_reaper posted...

3

'o'

Gambon. He was just a fantastic actor.

Not saying Richard Harris was not good, Ive just never seen him in anything else.

Michael Gambon. Richard Harris as Dumbledore would have been jarring by the last few movies since Dumbledore ended up being a prick and he just seemed too nice for that.

DarkBuster22904 posted...

The thing with Dumbledore is his character evolved over the course of the books.

Richard Harris was the perfect early Dumbledore. Wise, kind, reserved, but wily. What he doesn't do is sell any of the "only wizard Voldemort ever feared" ferocity, nor any suggestion of the flaws under the surface Dumbledore had. He's just a kindly old mentor. Which, again, for Stone and Chamber is totally fine.

Michael Gambon was the perfect late Dumbledore. He keeps those qualities, but better sells the darker, more dire plot, and has better chemistry engaging with Harry about these darker issues. This is the Dumbledore that can square up to voldemort, and won't be cowed by anyone; but his imperfections and humanity still crack through.

Oh that is a real good take. Even though I prefer Richard Harris to the extent that he embodies the illusive better-than-thou part better (he feels less grounded and more like a deity almost which is also how Harry sees him in the books I feel) it would be hard picturing him in the later Potter movies. Would be real interesting though to see how he'd pull off that dark streak.