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Many of today’s audiences may not realize just how accomplished an actorJohn Lithgowactually is. That’s simply because he’s often been happy to play secondary roles and supporting parts. As a result, it’s easy to see him as just a familiar face that you may have seen in some famous films and television series while you’re busy focusing more on the main stars in them. However, Lithgow actually has a formidable acting catalog and is far more accomplished than most modern audiences may ever realize.
A large part of that is down to the fact that some of his best work came early on in his career. However, he’s now into his fifthdecade as an actor, so some of that happened over 40 years ago, during a time when many audiences of today may not even have been alive. For instance, in 1982 (The World According to Garp) and 1983 (Terms ofEndearment), Lithgow received back-to-back Academy Award nominations.
Amid his many more prestigious award nominations and wins since, he’s landed one of the most coveted upcoming TV roles today. Having confirmed thathe will play Albus Dumbledorein thehighly anticipatedHarry Potterseries, due to hit Max in 2026, this has ignited an unsurprising frenzy among fans, who are nowdebating whether Lithgow is a good choicefor the role. While many believe he is, there are some detractors. Here’s why we believe John Lithgow already proved, through one of his best-ever roles 16 years ago inDexter, why he’ll actually make an amazing Dumbledore.
A Psychologically Complex Role in ‘Dexter’
Dexterhas become a pretty iconic series itself over the years. Withits own franchise in the makingnow, the show was famous for its dark appeal as it dealt with serial killers and issues of gray morality. With Dexter himself being its most famous killer, there were others who appeared on the show, and some became central antagonists. Among these, the character known as Arthur Mitchell, AKAthe Trinity Killer, is often regarded as the most memorable and infamous.
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That character was played by John Lithgow back in 2009 when he was still a sprightly 63-year-old (he’s currently 79). Even after all this time and the amazing list of acting credits John Lithgow has to his name, his portrayal of Arthur in Dexter is often consideredsome of his finest work ever.He played the character in 12 episodes and, by the end of them, firmly cemented himself as one of the most iconic parts of the originalDexterseries. None of this went unnoticed by critics either, and Lithgow was rewarded with a Primetime Emmy win for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
What Made the Role of Arthur Mitchell in ‘Dexter’ So Great?
Dexterwas a deep and psychologically complicated show as a whole. Dealing with highly contentious and complex themes like vigilantism, the nature of evil, and self-identity, it was often brilliant at using psychological suspense to drive home its most nuanced thrills. This was also an apt way to describe what made Arthur Mitchell such a great role. He was apsychologically sophisticated characterwho was as horrifying as he was tragic.
However, what brought all of these nuances together was how exceptionally John Lithgow played the role. Given his other famous roles, like those inThird Rock From the SunorOrange County,it’s easy to see him as a comedic actorsince he has such great comedic timing. However,the contrast between roles like those and how intense and scary he could be as Arthur inDexteris something to behold. It was one of the defining roles of his career and one that magnificently displayed the full range of his acting talent, and many audiences took notice.
Why John Lithgow Would Make an Amazing Albus Dumbledore
Now that we know John Lithgow has been cast as Albus Dumbledore, an inevitable criticism will likely be why an American actor was cast for a British role. However, this isn’t unprecedented by any means, and casting choices often go in the other direction — asChristian Bale and Robert Pattinson’s roles as Batmanor Tom Holland and Andrew Garfield’s casting as Spider-Man prove, for example. The issue isn’t so much whether it was okay to do it, but rather, would he be up to pulling it off convincingly?
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As if there was any doubt, right?
Fortunately, in that sense, we do have an actual precedent that emphatically answers that question in the affirmative. That answer comes from the fact thatJohn Lithgow had already played a prominent British role — as Sir Winston Churchill inThe Crown—no less.When he was questionedabout why he was given that role, his answer perfectly summed up why it wasn’t an issue in the end, and many audiences ended up loving how he played the role.
I went to drama school in London many years ago, so there’s sort of this English thread. I’m about as English as an American actor can get, to a point of pure pretension.
John Lithgow Is a Decorated and Multi-Talented Actor
John Lithgow may not be British. However, what we do know from how exceptionally he’s handled roles like the Trinity Killer and Churchill is that he’s more than capable ofplaying complex characters. After all, he’s a multi-talented actor who has won multiple Emmy Awards and has been nominated for two Oscars, BAFTAs, and even four Grammy Awards since he’s musically inclined too. He’s also won two Golden Globes and two Tony Awards.
In fact, amid his range of awards, those two Tony awards are another reason he’s likely to excel at playing a role like Dumbledore. After all, there’s a special kind of gravitas and dignity that’s required of an actor to excel at stage acting at that level. At the same time, Harry Potter fans everywhere know all too well thatAlbus Dumbledore is the kind of manwho oozed an innate gravitas as a wizard and always held an air of natural dignity that made him such a favorite among them.Here’s a glimpse of John Lithgow at his finest in the trailer forThe Rule of Jenny Pen.Dexteris streaming onParamount+andNetflix.
