Harry Potter: Sir Ian McKellen reveals why he turned down Dumbledore role - BBC News
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- čas přidán 3. 04. 2017
- Sir Ian McKellen has said he could never have taken on the role of Professor Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films after the death of Richard Harris because he knew he disapproved of him as a gay actor.
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"I played the real wizard."
Shots fired!!!
TFS Cooler: "Kill the bald one."
He's not wrong though. I can see why he turned down Dumbledore. He would've had to commit to doing six Harry Potter films, so like that would've been close to 10 years of commitment.
@@jamesamick2945 As if Magneto and Gandalf didn't already chew up a decade or more. Lol
@@jamesamick2945 But he also did 6 movies LOTR and Hobbit
James Amick i’m not 100% sure so correct me if i’m wrong, but wouldn’t it have only been like 4? bc the first dumby died after chamber of secrets (2), and dumbledore clocks out in half blood prince (6), so wouldn’t he have only been in 3,4,5 and 6? (still a lot of work tho)
"You're A Hobbit Harry"
I like your comment, I disapprove of your profile pic.
You can never disapprove shirtless Sesshomaru!
You can disapprove of everything Inuyasha, everything...
Not Sesshomaru you can't.
"You're a Blizzard Harry"
Harry: So Dumbledore my final exams are coming up and...
Dumbledore: YOU SHALL NOT PASS!
Dumbledore (watching Quidditch): Fly you fools
@@kiastevens6506 Underrated comment right above.
I rate that comment
@@bywyjimma
Dumbledore: Allow me to introduce to you, your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Gandalf. Professor? Any words for your new students?
Professor Gandalf: You....shall not....Pass!!!!
Dumbledore: Thats a bit harsh! Classes havent even started yet...
This is the best 😍😍😍😂😂😂
Would he have said “Did you put your name in the goblet of fire, Harry?” calmly?
Michael Gambon freely admits he isn't a character actor. He says he just acts upon different emotions he himself has. He wasn't playing dumbledore. He was playing himself being angry. He was awful and ruined the films in so many ways.
drd444 nah. I liked Michael Gambon. He actually portrayed Dumbledore really well in the 6th film. The headmaster-student dynamic was brought out in real life really well through Gambon and Radcliffe’s joint acting. But when he just started out in the 3rd and 4th movies... lol... meme-worthy moments.
LOL that's the video that i just watched before :D
He would have said, Fool of a Potter, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire!
Love that scene. I get that it’s not faithful to the books but I don’t care, Gambon was my favourite Dumbledore and perfectly captured his quirky essence.
I think it would actually have been weird to have him both as Gandalf and Dumbledore. Once he put the beard on and stuff people would automatically think Gandalf, so I am not sure it would have been the best of choices.
Precisely, it's the most obvious thing. Aside from Richard Harris not approving of him, it was just a too similar part in terms of both character and appearance!
Id love that cross-over idea actually.. Hogwarts being what Gandalf did in his spare time..
Agreed! Him portraying both characters would be so weird! Just like having Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine and The Punisher. Same thing.
tbh Hugh Jackman can play any character, and everyone would still see him as Wolverine; Wolverine who knows how to sing and dance that is..
Alan Frost so he should've been better than Gambon
Unbelievable the amount of respect he's shown for a fellow actor, who he knew didn't appreciate his acting.
Nothing wrong with not getting offended. It may be the future.
The word you're looking for is "class".
It’s funny how you see it as a positive thing when I thought it was a shame he turned down something on that basis, if it was the only reason he didn’t take the role. But I respect his decision and understand it.
@@mmc1086 He also probably would have felt weird playing Dumbledore after already playing another wizard in another fantasy franchise
@@joekaput747 yeah I wouldn't be able to see him as Dumbledore. I'd just see Gandalf. Would have not worked out as well as some think I feel.
Honestly, that was the most respectable diss someone could give. "I'm going to respect his wishes and legacy by not taking his part"...proving he has passion.
From what I've read, Harris didn't even want the part in the first place, but he did it because his granddaughter pushed him into it.
nonsense
@@PsychicWars Yeah. She threatened to never speak to him again if he didn't play Dumbledore!
@@PsychicWars Apparently the story here isn't true either. Sir Ian later said: "People come up to me and say 'My son's seen all the Harry Potter movies' because they think I'm Michael Gambon. When Richard Harris was ill, I was asked if I'd consider being in the movies [as his replacement] and I said, 'Absolutely.' But I never heard anything else about it. "
I love both books, but anyone saying that Dumbledore is more powerful than Gandalf is either delusional or haven't read LoTR. The fact that Dumbledore showed more feats of magic doesn't make him more powerful than Gandalf. Gandalf isn't even human, he's one of the Maia who has literally existed since Creation. This means he's an angelic being who took a human form to blend in with the world. The reason why we don't see a lot of magic from him is that the Istari are forbidden to use their full powers in Middle-earth. Dumbledore might be the greatest sorcerer of all time, but Gandalf is essentially a demigod, which makes this a lot like comparing Usain Bolt with a plane. Usain Bolt might be the fastest human alive, but he is obviously slower than a Boeing 777.
Feats prove more than race. Being Maia/demigod doesn't all of a sudden make you powerful. There are plenty of demigod type characters in plenty of lore that are not as powerful as weaker races in the same lore. Magic was not nearly as destructive in all of LoTR as it was in Harry Potter, so saying Dumbledore is more powerful due to the context of magic in Harry Potter vs Gandalf is absolutely correct.
Surely being a demigod does make you more powerful than any human being that just seems logical. Even if you don't exhibit such power the fact that you possess it counts for something. It's like if I decided I was gonna run track against Usain Bolt but the night before the race I broke into his house and attacked him with a hammer. I'd probably win but Bolt can still prove that he'd totally have won if I hadn't fractured his tibia.
I disagree. Just for example I'll take Thor from the MCU as an example. There are plenty of humans from that same Universe that are stronger than Thor (demi-god). Just because historically demi-gods are portrayed as more powerful than the average human doesn't mean that exceptional humans haven't been portrayed as more powerful than demi-gods in certain situations. Also the fact that they are 2 completely seperate universes we're discussing you have to take an estimation of power from characters from both to compare them to. Was there more actual destructive power displayed in LoTR than HP? I doubt it. There were no major magical feats or references to state Gandalf was superior to Dumbledore in pure destructive power. There was more telekinesis, mind control/influence and stuff going on in LoTR than fireballs and explosions.
I mean it's a stupid thing to argue about honestly but it's just my opinion.
Gandalf was the same "race" as Sauron. If he had chosen to use his power, he would be just as powerful as Sauron. Are you going to tell me Dumbledore was as powerful as Sauron?
At what point in any of the books did it imply that Gandalf was more powerful or equal to Sauron? Do you think you are stronger than the mountain from game of thrones because you're human? You think Sauron was just born, and was immediately as powerful as he was in the events of the book? Hey man body builders can lift 800 pounds, must mean you can too since you're a human like them.../endsarcasm. Like I said, feats trump race. Hell dude it's even stated in the books if I remember right that Sauron was the most powerful of the Maia. Just like Gandalf was considered the strongest of his group.
According to feats, yeah Dumbledore was stronger than Sauron. Sauron raised an army and waged a war, you know who did the same thing...Voldemort. He did not single handedly conquer middle earth. Literally everything it implied Gandalf could do, fire and lightning, manipulation, telekinesis, ect Dumbledore could do but on a much larger scale.
I like Ian McKellen but I'm glad he didn't play Dumbledore after playing Gandalf. He probably just would've end up being typecast in those sort of roles if he'd done that. Plus it probably would've been weird and confusing for casual movie-goers to see the same actor play characters so alike in two different movie franchises. I prefer Richard Harris as Dumbledore over Michael Gambon though since I think Harris is closer to the book-version of the character.
PhillipRottingham harris captured the essence of Dumbledore perfectly. Too bad Gambon took a completely different route.
PhillipRottingham I liked Harris, but he was too feeble as Dumbledore. I realize that he was ill, but his Dumbledore didn't have the unspoken strength that was present in the books.
I much prefer Gambon in the role.
I think (with all due respect) that Michael Gambon arrived to the franchise JUST IN TIME. When Harry was a little kid, warm and friendly Richard Harris was perfect. When Harry started to become a young man and the franchise got darker, there was Michael Gambon, who knew how to be a sympathetic and wise father figure while also make a believable most feared wizard for any bad guy and rough when he needed to be. Richard Harris was perfect for the early Dumbledore but Michael Gambon could've pulled that off too, while I will never be able to imagine Harris doing the shit Dumbledore did later in the franchise
PhillipRottingham Youre right. And harry potter is stolen from lord of the rings.
PhillipRottingham miechel ganbon killed it
“You’re a Jedi, Frodo”
-Gandalf
well yes, but actually no
Sam is a Jedi
It was actually Magneto who said that
this is what happens when you binge watch all Lord of The Rings Movies, Star Wars Movies (including christmas specials) and Harry Potter movies in a month without going outside and getting drunk afterwards
Should’ve made it from Dumbledore
Harry Potter and the Fellowship of the Ring
Elijah Radcliffe.
rupert astin
The One Ring being Voldemort's last Horcrux.
Hairy Baggins
Or the spider of the lair vs spider in the forbidden forest
Sir Ian's retort "yes, nonsense" was brilliant and epic.
Epic? lol
*"I played the real wizard"* ABSOLUTE LEGEND
Ian McKellen passionless? He's got more passion than a passionfruit. There could be criticisms to make on Sir Ian's performances, but lack of passion isn't one.
I mean, he is a bit of a psssionfruit himself, is he not?
Harry gets on broom
Dumbledore: "Fly you fool"
Richard Harris was pretty awesome as Dumbledore, in my opinion. It was really sad when he left us and the role needed to be replaced by anyone. I would have really liked to have seen how Harris would have played the potion drinking scene in the cave in Half Blood Prince.
Agree.
Very true, it would certain appeal to the movie 1/2 fans for sure. But I’m so glad Gambon brought it all home for us in the end
Even though he was near his end, Richard was determined to keep playing Dumbledore
Too bad he didn't get to continue on with this vow
The guy that replaced him did not do the character justice. Nothing like the book. Harris was spot on.
Gambon played that scene with perfection so I'm glad Harris wasn't around
It was just me probably… but i spent most of my childhood thinking the actor who played gandalf and dumbledore were the same
you're not alone
Children arent known for their genius and discernment.
"I played the real wizard"
I'm a harry potter fan and I don't even disagree
I mean, same.
Gandalf isn't really a wizard tho he's an entity
I'm quite soft for Harry Potter, but damn you are correct. But Gandalf is not actually a wizard, but a lesser angel carved as a wizard by the Gods.
It also helps that Gandalf has just been Ian. I adore Gamdon as Albus but there are lines given by Ian throughout the series that are just too incredible. 'Time that is given to us' speech to Frodo gets me every time.
"You shall not pass," Gandalf said calmly.
Remove the 'gay' part from the description of the video. Harris' disapproval of McKellen has nothing to do with his sexual orientation.
it had. He didnt like gay people.
happy to see that i'm not the only one finding this bit disturbing. :)
Where is that said, that he didn't like gay people? I'm just interested, I haven't heard about this side of the story before.
I've read an awful lot about Richard Harris and seen a few documentaries about him. I have never heard of ONE instance of Harris saying or doing anything homophobic. An alcoholic and a womanizer, most certainly, but please show me one verifiable instance of Harris saying that he didn't approve of gay people. By the way, Harris' comment included Kenneth Branagh, who is not gay.
Branagh IS gay, but it's still irrelevant.
Ian McKellen is truly above all that. A masterful actor and a great human being.
I love that level of respect that one actor shows to another. Its so pure and humble and honest.
He played a Maiar no need to downgrade himself after that.
Ian is a phenomenal actor there's no doubt in my mind that he would have been a fantastic dumbledore but refusing to accept the role because harris didn't approve of him shows a lot of respect
It's pretty ridiculous. Harris was a hateful person who had no respect for Ian so why should he show him any respect?
@@MH-bw9ztIt didn’t sound hateful, he also said he was brilliant. It was critical, but that’s not hateful.
@@crazycatpetera1404 that's like saying if you don't like black people, you're not hateful, you're just being "critical". Come on, be honest
@@MH-bw9zt That’s a terrible analogy because being Black isn’t a career or a skill.. it’s someone’s ethnicity that they are born with. A more accurate analogy would’ve been something like “Mariah Carey’s a great singer, but I don’t listen to much of her music because it lacks substance.” That’s not hateful, just critical.
@@crazycatpetera1404 only he wasn't critical of his acting skills. He didn't like him because he's gay....
“I played the real wizard.” YOU’RE GODDAMN RIGHT YOU DID
Hell yeah he did
Ironically, I think Michael Gambon brought a bit too much Gandalf to the role #didyouputyournameinthegobletoffya?
heh yeah that part was a bit different in the book eh..
calmly
I think you're right, but only because the Dumbledore in the latter half of the books did take on a war wizard type personality, as was warranted. Gandalf consequently, is a war wizard as well. I think Gambon played the change over beautifully.
chucklesburk no, he sucked. War or no war, Dumbledore was always calm and collected, throughout all 6 books.
How is that ironic xD
I think he would have been a brilliant Dumbledore. He has the same amount of silly fun Dumbledore possessed, and the same level of gravitas. He was also brilliant as Gandalf, for much the same reasons. It's just a shame that both movies were done at the same time. It's also likely that, having played one role, which ever had come first should there have been a number of years between them and not at the same time, he would have still turned the other down for fear of being typecast as old wizards. It's too bad we didn't see that. Richard Harris was fine. Michael Gambon did a great job. But I still wonder what the role would have been like if McKellen had played the part.
0:29 SHOTS FIRED ! SHOTS FIRED !
IMAO
It's a shame really...I think he could have pulled it off.
Richard Harris (may he rest in peace) was too passive, Michael Gambon was too aggressive, but from Gandalf, this guy could clearly have woven both in well.
This is a perfect observation.
I wouldn’t say he was too passive, he was certainly very warm and welcoming but not passive.
We didn’t get to see that dumbledore in action in contrast to Gambons version.
Richard was the wise wizard, Gambon was the powerful wizard. That’s how I’d describe them and both were excellent in their portrayals of it.
@@BrunoDarcoletoMalavolta you do realize that like... they're actors? they don't exactly get to choose what and how to say things. in by far the majority of films actors are given lines and given direction on how to perform those lines. gambon was acting likely according to direction, the aggressiveness was an adaption to make the scenes not incredibly awkward.
Can you imagine the name flying out of the goblet and dumbledore just nonchalantly being like "whatever" in the book it works because it's a book read over hundreds of hours, you can have more human reactions in books, if needed scenes can run as long as needed to have natural swings in emotion. In a movie you have a limited amount of time and every scene needs to have a fluid coherent feeling as well as contribute to the overall emotional rhythm of the film, you can't have dumbledore dissipate the perilous atmosphere because in this part of the film you're building tension.
what's with the description saying that harris was homophobic? neither ian mckellen nor the interviewer ever say that
Poodle Cuss who reads the description BEFORE watching the video???
wait, how can it be clickbait when it said that in the description, not the title or thumbnail
I think he would have been a better Dumbledore than Gambon.
I think Gambon was too intense as Dumbledore and too angry sometimes, whereas in the books Dumbledore is described as a calm man with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
But my second Dumbledore (after Richard Harris) would be James Cosmo (Lord Commander from GoT). In Narnia he played Santa Claus and he played it in such a nice and friendly way, i think that he would have been an amazing Dumbledore.
MegaGothmog Peter O’Toole would have been a fantastic choice too. Gambon for me didn’t have that touch that Harris had somehow. I think O’Toole would have been a better man to take up the role after Harris than Gambon
Dumbledore is a REAL wizard, Gandalf is basically a demi god
I think he was pretty good in Prisoner of Azkaban and Half-Blood Prince. Goblet of Fire was pretty weird for everybody, really. The acting was pretty universally overdone from the whole cast in that movie. I blame the director. Order of the Pheonix, he was alright, but underused. I really wish they had delved more into the conversation between Dumbledore and Harry at the end.
Tim Nieuwenhuis Thank you, angry and intense as opposed to how he is in the books, you are absolutely right and I it was hard for me to explain because in the end you get used to the actor, now would be weird for me any other person playing Dumbledore but yeah, I always hated Gambon because of his impatient intensity that I think worked in the island with the inferi, only there his energetic demeanor was in accordance with the book.
Tim Nieuwenhuis czcams.com/video/IdoD2147Fik/video.html
“I played the real wizard”
I totally agree.
Im soft for Harry Potter but damn you're right
Richard Harris was one of the "angry young men" that came into British cinema in the early 1960's along with Oliver Reed, Peter O'Toole, Alan Bates, Laurence Harvey and Albert Finney. These actors brought with them an intensity and edginess to their performances that had not been seen previously in films. More often cast playing harden working class men dealing with struggles in their lives.
By comparison, McKellen, Derek Jacobi and later Kenneth Branagh were stage actors whose approach to acting was very different. Theatre requires a careful detail take to character with subtlety and nuance. Film tends to be more expressive allowing room for a broader range of emotions to be displayed.
That said Harris's remarks come off as being dismissive and disrespectful when speaking of follow actors.
This is a really interesting perspective, thanks for sharing it 👍
Very interesting perspective. I tend to think that theater requires exaggeration for dramatic effect due to the inherent constraints and the very real need for single take delivery as opposed to movies where more subtle expressions are far more easily expressed.
I love both these actors. Richard Harris was no stranger to controversy in his younger years, and he was as brash as brash can be, but needless to say, both Sir Ian and Richard Harris are undoubtedly giants of British cinema
Disrespect for others was a big part of Harris’s makeup if you even believe half of what you read and it wasn’t only directed at ‘luvvies’. He famously loathed Julie Andrews on the set of the 1966 film Hawaii and the feeling was mutual. Miriam Margolyes, who is never shy about expressing an opinion, said he was vile on the set of Harry Potter and relentlessly disagreeable in complete contrast to the delightful Michael Gambon. It’s a shame because I always enjoyed watching Harris and I think he brought an ethereal aspect to Dumbledore which fitted the character so well.
the irony that harris's character was actually gay
how's that ironic?
Ada Le wtf dude
Stephen Battaglio how is it *not* ironic that a homophobic actor's character turned out to be gay? Most people confuse irony with coincidence, this is what irony actually looks like.
Irony: "a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result"
SidV101 Homophobic? This is actually the first I'm hearing of this. I thought he just didn't like McKellen's acting. Is there somewhere I could read more about it? Google is turning up nothing.
Grendy I was taking the BBC at their word (see the description of the video), there's all sorts of open secrets in the movie industry that don't get out - such as the fact that Kevin Spacey is gay.
We can always cast any other Middle Earth characters but we're lucky to have lived in an era where it was perfectly played by sir Ian McKellen. And sadly, there are not enough projects with middle earth. I hope the amazon one won't disappoint.
@Matej Juhás You don’t like Jackson’s LOTR? It’s literally the best film trilogy of all time.
As far as the other stories go I don’t think the family wants to sell the rights, they seem pretty disappointed by what they did to the lotr and hobbit movies.
Well, the Amazon one disappoints indeed.
"you're a hobbit harry"
"you're a mutant harry"
"I'd like to introduce our new teacher for Defence Against the Dark Arts, Professor Gandalf"
"You... shall not... pass!"
"Well thats a little harsh... classes haven't even started yet"
😂😂 Greatest crossover dialogue.
Hishe reference
I am currently reading all the Potter books again and the only actor I’ve ever imagined in my mind to play Dumbledore is Peter O’Toole. Again however, he would have been too old. But that twinkle in the eye description and the voice alone always makes me think of him as Dumbledore.
Gandalf vs Dumbledore who win???
Your mom
Gandalf.
Gandalf would win.
Dumbledore would win
it’s not debatable. gandalf will pawn dumbledore.
0:31 You Said It Gandalf..........THE REAL WIZARD GANDALF!!!!!
thug life
*0:27
Dr Boom So why didn’t he burn the armies of orqs the way dumbledor did those water creatures in the 6th film, it would have been more effective than sword fight.
The best piece of magic Gandalf does is "You Shall Not Pass".
Dumbledore is far more badass and far stronger Wizard than Gandalf. He basically kills an army of inferi with a single spell (most likely fiendfyre) while he was poisoned to death.
After all, He is the Only One I Ever Feared.
Dr Boom Dr Boom You have definitely not read Harry Potter but I have read Lord of the Rings.
Gandalf might be a demigod almost on the level of sauron but still the fact remains his magic is really lame.
Dumbledore can do nothing is an understatement. They set in completely different universes so comparing is not really possible. Each universe is governed by a different set of rules making a direct comparison not possible but your arguments that Dumbledore is shit are not valid at all.
He didn't died to a kid. He was on a one year death clock after he wore the ring with the resurrection stone (2nd deathly hallows) that Voldemort made a horcrux because it could bring his dead mother, sister (who were murdered) and father back to life. Because the thing he desired the most was to see his family whole and alive. He planned Snape to kill him and the end of the year in the attempt to prevent Draco and Snape from dying.
Your argument that Dumbledore can do nothing is also bullshit. He could kill Balrog with Avada Kadavra (unblock able killing curse), Fiendfyre (enchanted dark flames that can't be extinguished can destroy Everything often kills the kills the wizard who cast it if he/she mastered to control it. Heck it can destroy pieces of soul in horcruxes). Let's just say none of them work in this universe. Dumbledore can simply turn anything lying there into a port key with a casual flick, make Balrog touch with another casual flick and transport him anywhere he likes under the ocean, on the moon, etc.
Don't even start about the Nazgul. You can deter them with something as lame as a flood. Aquamente will deter them again :P. If not Port key solution.
Ian McKellen is a Gandalf, not a Dumbledore in my opinion.
And you're a smeagol, in my opinion.
Poodle Cuss your replied destroyed me XD
Ho would have been a great merlin too, the inspiration of gandalf.
Granted it can't be help but Richard Harris *is* Dumbledore.
He's Magneto
Peter O'Toole would have been perfect for Dumbledore: "the trick, [Harry] Potter, is not minding that it hurts."
Sir Ian McKellen is right about one thing in my eyes. At some moments Dumbledore alias Michael Gambon really looks a lot like Gandalf alias McKellen.
On the whole I must say that all three, Ian McKellen, Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, are all great actors in their own right. If you prefer Harris or Gambon as Dumbledore ultimately is a matter of taste. Both of them bring their very own take on the role into their respective performances. Of course, it is a tragedy that Harris died after the second HP-film, for himself and for the continuity of the film series. But, on the other hand, you could not expect Gambon to merely copy what Harris started.
It is also very honorable of Sir Ian McKellen to respect that Richard Harris might not have appreciated him to be his successor! Although McKellen does not explicitly mention it in this interview, I could perfectly understand if he did not want to be typecast as the powerful wizard again in Harry Potter!
Truthfully said, the first time I see Dumbledore, I thought that's the same person who played Gandalf 😅😅🤭🤭🤭
For once I would've love watching Sir Ian playing the "Did you put your name into the Goblet of fire, Harry?" scene
„Fool of a Potter, throw yourself into the goblet of fire next time!“ Obi Wan said calmly
Considering Dumbledore is gay, Richard Harris' disapproval is quite ironic.
No it isn't. He never mentioned gay. Harris is upset because Ian kicked his ass in the 70s.
What do you mean?
I posted the link down below.
Below where? There's over 300 comments, its pretty hard to find that link.
It's rocket science. Good luck.
I do wish he'd played Dumbledore from the beginning. He just fits the role so much better than the other two.
Harris was perfect as Dumbledore
@Kratos2591 Harris had the vitality of a man two steps from the grave. Not very Dumbledore.
Sir Micheal Gambon passed away today 28/09/23 at age 82. RIP good sir🕊. You will forever live on in our hearts as THE Dumbledore!!❤️
"you were in a different franchise, let's put it that way"
such a subtle euphemism
I think he would've been a better Dumbledore than Michael Gambon.
Whenever I read Harry Potter I always imagine it to be similar to Ian McKellens version of Gandalf
Harris was my Dumbledore really. It's a shame he passed away so early. I would Love to see his Dumbledore in the other Movies. If i could Change one thing in Movie History. It would be this.
What I dont get is when michael gamdon was playing dumbledore why didnt the directors or anyone involved in the films tell him to tone it down a bit and just explain to him that dumbledore in the books is supposed to be very calm. His character in 3 onwards isnt consistent with the first 2 movies...and it just bugs me
@@5c0tty5 I wish I could do that, I really do. I wish I could imagine someone else in the books but I just picture the faces of the actors and I cant not do it. Is there some trick you do to constantly imagine someone new in your imagination?
Personally prefer Harris' Dumbledore, wouldn't have minded McKellen in the role after, I think he would have been better in the movies than Gambon was in the beginning. Here is hoping that he gets cast in some role in one of the Fantastic Beasts sequel.
Let's hope they never make any Rowling second-hand shite into films that make kids more stupid than they already are.
Harry: "Ron, I only need 5 points more to pass the exam. Maybe Dumbledore can help out"
What do you think? What will Dumbledore say calmly?
A) You shall not pass
B) Muggels
C)Fool of a Potter
D) Did you put your name into the goblet of fire _(keeps ignoring the fact Harry failed the exam)_
You shall not pass
I really wish Richard Harris was able to play Lord Voldemort
Having seen him in 1997 live action Hunchback of Notre Dame he was terrifying in a subtle way as a half kind half tortured brute of Claude Frollo
He probably also didn't want to be typecast.
Poor decistion... in how many films did he play anyway? After LOTR?
Its better to be "always wizard" than unemployed :P
Little late to be worrying about such things...
Lmao Patient Grasshopper, I really hope you were being sarcastic. It's Ian McKellen, you can't type cast him this late in his amazing career, he's been acting since the the 60s both on stage and in films.
And you Deathlord Jesi... after LOTR he only starred in the Xmen movies (Magneto), Mr. Holmes (Sherlock Holmes), The Hobbit Moves (Gandalf), and various TV shows and stage plays in both the US and the UK. Nothing you'd recognize, apparently.
Typecast would imply there are serveral films featuring wizards he would be asked for...
After Harry I doubt he would have played a wizard again.
fun fact: in the italian dubbing, Gandalf and Dumbledore were voiced by the same - brilliant - voice actor, Gianni Musy.
I've met people convinced it was the same actor that played the characters, perhaps for that reason.
Russian voice for Gandalf in Hobbit was also voice of Dumbledore
I’m pretty sure McKellen wouldn’t of gotten the part even if he wanted it. They would’ve given him the opportunity to come in, audition and do a screen test, sure. But around 2002-03 a lot of the fans were split on who should replace Harris. And The Lord of the Rings franchise had just finished before filming the Prisoner of Azkaban. Many people thought McKellen playing another old, powerful wizard would be too distracting since he was already so iconic as Gandalf at the time.
Love Sir Ian, I can't think of a better Gandalf. As great as Gambon and Harris were in their Dumbledore portrayals, I reckon McKellen would have smashed it out the park!
Ian McKellen would have been perfect as Dumbledore IF he hadn't also been Gandalf, that would have been too much. Wish I could go to an alternative world where this would have happened. He would have found the right balance of strength, warmth, emotions, humour, gentleness, ruthlessness and eccentricity.
What a strange thing to say about Sirs Ian and Derek that they are passionless (I don't care much for K. Branagh). i adore Sir D J and after seeing them both in the TV series- Vicious, i absolutely love Sir Ian as well. i finished watching Rasputin only a few minutes ago (he played the Tzar)- his portrayal was remarcable and his eyes were always full of sorrow. wonderful.
It’s amazing how some people can be so disrespectful in such a respectful manner.
Thankfully he refused. I think Michael Gambon did s phenomenal job, to the point of outshining what Richard Harris had done. The attitude and energy he brought to Dumbledore made the character iconic in his own right and not due to implied reverence.
Its alright, Ian Mckellen is all good with LOTR. He belongs to LOTR while Michael belongs to harry potter. Both suit each role perfectly, there is no need to compare who will be better in each role. I like both of them as where they all.
When I was a kid I really thought they were both played by the same actor...
I am glad sir Ian played Gandalf. It just felt too perfect.
I just wish the original Dumbledore didn't sadly pass. He was perfect perfect, the guy who we all imagined Dumbledore as. Gambon never really felt like the real Dumbledore to me.
I agree. Regardless of whatever attitude he may have had, he played the role to perfection.
As much as I like Michael Gambon in his other roles (he was great in Doctor Who), he wasn't the right kind of Dumbledore. He brought too much energy and sapped away his wise appearance.
Exactly. Dumbledore is supposed to be mostly calm. Michael Gambon as Dumbledore didn't work. Honestly, Warner Brothers *need* to select their cast more carefully!
@@catguy4996 I wouldn't solely blame Warner Brothers for picking him even though I did not like his portrayal. The blame is more for Michael Gambon because he did not read the books to understand the character. He prefer to use his own method and that is why I never liked him for that. I'm not saying he's a bad actor but what he did to Dumbledore is he butchered it, same could be said about Ralph Fiennes portrayal as Voldemort. He was too goofy and not a terrifying, vicious psychopath.
I think I’m the only one who couldn’t tell the difference when I was a child😂 only up until when the last movie came out was when my sister told me that Dumbledore was played by two different characters
When I first watched the Harry Potter movies, I was confused as to why Frodo and Gandalf are in these too.
Or was it the other way round?
Shikhar Awasthi gandalf...yah i can see that but not frodo/elijah wood.
Where's the full interview??? 🫤
The calmness of Harris can never be replaced. If only he was there to ask Harry calmly.
How Harris could have said any of these three brilliant actors - Ken Branah, Derek Jacobi, or Ian McKellen - were "passionless" is beyond me.
I prefer the real wizard ...
I said the REAL wizard ...
Perfection ...
yeah... BUT, he would have taken the role of Grindelwald in cameo in HP7 (in Nurmengard) !! It would have been SO COOL
In Tolkiens Book Wizard cant help too much Human/Hobbit or Dwarf War... In Potter book Dumbledore let all wizard trying because Potter book about Magic and Tolkiens book not only use magic...
I understand, I still think he should've taken the role to show how it should've been done then
"I played the real wizard."
It's true.
Because I think what he meant is that Gandalf is supernatural himself, while Dumbledore is a mortal trained in magic.
Nah, he meant it as a joke. In the HP universe humans can be wizards, it's not a race.
@@martinchuma
My comment was about an immortal vs a mortal. No one is talking about race.
@@jrong1092 Ffs, Maiar, his race, are immortal. That's why he is immortal. Because of his race. But you can be a wizard in the HP universe regardless of race.
@UCPdPhzdUtn0RUhkpzQYOI_g Yeah srry, I can get, erm- Passionate about meaningless stuff 😅
@@martinchuma
It's cool. I'm both a ringer and slytherin. I was just wondering why you were swearing/mad. Heheh
That could have been amazing. He always has such presence in his movies. Even in X-Men he was standing out so much compared to even the heroes :)😊😉👍
The OG shade thrower I love this guy so much lol
I love Ian and he’s amazing as Gandalf and magneto (he got a deserved Oscar nomination for Gandalf) but if I was in a fantasy quest and could choose a wizard to help me on said quest, I’d still pick Dumbledore. He just seems to throw his magic around more often and would probably be more useful in a fight.
More useful in a fight? Are you on crack?
It would of been great to have Sir Ian McKellen playing Dumbledore but I must say Michael Gambon did an absolutely amazing job. He really brought a sense of power to the character, there was the "Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?" but I reckon that was a fault due to the director more than anything else.
He was a terrible Dumbledore
@BBCNews could you pl share the source behind the claim in the description that Richard Harris disapproved of Sir Ian McKellen because he was gay? It's not part of this video clip, so not sure why it's part of the description.
I thought for years when I was a bit younger (but not that much younger) that Dumbledore and Gandalf were played by the same actor (of course referring to the second Dumbledore).
For the longest time I actually thought that Sir Ian McKellen was Dumbledore.
WOW SOMEHOW after watching a bunch of the behind the scenes of the Hobbit and LOTR, when he said "I played the real wizard" I was like.. "magneto...?" WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME ARGGGGH
Gandalf(from Hobbit) and Dumbledore were dubbed by one person in my country. So, I can see some parallels between these characters.
I LOVE Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf, but I think it is good that he didn't play Dumbledore too because Dumbledore already gets mistaken for Gandalf (and the other way round), if it had been the same actor too, the two would be seen as one person now, I could imagine.
What a better world we'd have if we would all just accept one another and stop judging others over matters that don't even concern us! The very private concerns, like who we love, or how we want to live are no one else's business as long as we aren't hurting anyone! I just love his movies, his amazing talent and these charming interviews!
When I was a kid I thought they were played by the same actor
"You shall not pass" Dumbledore asked calmly
"Nonsense" every work ian mckellen says is amazing
That would have been way too confusing to cast gandalf as the Harry Potter version of Gandalf.
People still mix him up with Michael Gambon for some reason
I could honestly see him as Dumbledore.
I'd have loved to have seen him and John Hurt in the same film. To my mind, Hurt was our spare McKellen.
That scarf-cravat! Hello, sailor! x
Harris > Gambon
I loved Harris' Dumbledore but Gambon's Dumbledore was just plain unlikable. Not only that but Harris had this kind, gentle, frail elderly man demeanor but Gambon was angry, snide and had the grace of an intoxicated rhinoceros, stomping around the set and gesticulating as though he was on speed.
The Outsider but real Dumbledore book-based is not “frail”. He emanates energy and despite his age people still respect him. For that reason alone I say I prefer Gambon. Dumbledore wasn’t supposed to be viewable as frail, soft kind of grandfather as Harris did.
@@chemallow7696 wrong.
dumbledore died from his fall,,, gandalf survived fought a giant demon up a mountain to the point of physical exhaustion and was able to last and push through just long enough to defeat his enemy, then died. He also came back to life even more powerful. Dumbledore has nothing on him even if he uses more magic than Gandalf, Gandalf is technically way more powerful being a demigod who is actually forbidden from using his full power and interfering to much in the world. If gandalf could be his true self he would wipe the floor with dumbledore anyday.
Balrog is not a demon you stupid fuck.
A Balrog is a Maia that was corrupted during the war of the wrath, when Melkor walked the earth, creating the first dragons. For all intents and purposes, a Balrog can be called a demon. Melkor is the source of all evil in the entirety of the world. A being created from pure darkness and despair could be called a demon. It makes sense.
Dude... your comment is so wrong, you must be trolling. Dumbledore didn't die from a fall, he was dead before the fall. Balrog isn't a demon. And why are you even comparing their endurance? Obviously an angelic being will survive more than someone in a human body, a wizard, yes, but still a human. So what? The character doesn't get more interesting just because he's more powerful. That's why many people like Batman more than Superman even though Superman would defeat him in less than a second. Someone prefers Gandalf, someone Dumbledore, but only an idiot would say, "I like Gandalf more because he's more powerful."
The name Balrog is sindarin for demon of might
Yeah and Goku can shoot lasers from his hands so he'd kick all their asses!!!! So that means he's a better character RIGHTT
Magneto the grey almost also playing "doubledoor"
Casting Gambon as dumbledore was one of the worst casting choices ever. Dumbledore was supposed to be soft spoken, calm and gentle yet Gambon brought everything the opposite of that to the table.
Ian should have accepted the role of Dumbledore just to prove that Richard Harris was wrong about the statement he made
Nipun Sharma But if Sir Richard was dead by the time the film hit theaters there wouldn't be much point on bragging...
Nemo
Death is not the end.
It is the greatest tragedy of the Harry potter movies that Ian McKellen didn't get cast as Dumbledore from the beginning. He is literally perfect for that role. His voice is the same deep as I always imagined it when described. His looks above average height, blue eyes and a relatively large nose. He can also be that super warm and friendly, whilst switching to the greatest wizard ever.
Harris captured the warm old man and Gambon the powerful wizard but neither captured Dumbledore.
No
@@Andriy_Sklyar why?
@@lidular because Dumboldor is not such a character as Gandalf, he is exactly two-faced and fate arranged so that two actors played two sides of his personality.
Ian McKellen played Gandalf so well because LOTR is a story about Good and Evil. He played the hero, a demi-god in fact, who has everything written on his face. And Dumbledore is a difficult, complex character, he is a man of mystery, of great strength and unremarkable at the same time. The film about Harry Potter should have been about Harry Potter, here he is the main character and the person we think about, if Gandalf appeared there, the little boy would have to share the audience's sympathy with another character, but we must constantly forget about Dumbledore, so that he suddenly appeared and surprised us with his wisdom, knowledge and strength.
@@Andriy_Sklyar i never says that Dumbledore was like Gandalf. I said that Ian McKellen could play a really good Dumbledore. There is a reason he was asked to play the role after Harris died.
@@lidular my point the same, he to bright for this role/
Kenneth Cranham was great in Hellraiser 2 as "Dr. Channard".
For some reason I always saw Sean Connery as Dumbledore after Richard Harris of course. I kept picturing his angry face as Dumbledore in GOF when JK Rowlings described how angry and dangerous Dumbledore looked when I took out Barty Crouch jr.