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09-26-2010, 11:28 PM
| | Michael Gambon talks Dumbledore's death, working with Cuaron in Prisoner of Azkaban
With the London production of Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape currently in progress, the star of the one-man play, Michael Gambon, opened up about his life, getting into the acting game, and work on stage and screen. In the middle of the rather long and in-depth interview with The Arts Desk, Michael gleaned over his work in the Harry Potter films, in which he plays Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Michael spoke about his reaction to when he found out Dumbledore died at the end of Half-Blood Prince, and some tips Prisoner of Azkaban director Alfonso Cuaron gave him the first time he portrayed the role on screen. Quote: Is Harry Potter a life sentence?
No I like Harry Potter. I died in the sixth one. How did you find out that you died?
Erm, I think I read it in the paper. I read I'd died. It was such a shock. I thought, Jesus Christ. Have you read the books?
I just read the scripts. I know people read the whole book but then you get cross about what's missing. A lot of actors get upset that their parts are a bit smaller. To what extent did you have to inherit Richard Harris's performance?
No one ever spoke to me about it. Not a word. On the first film I did which was directed by Alfonso Cuaron I walked in there and I'm naturally Irish and my first accent is Irish, I will speak Irish with my parents, and I played just a slight touch of Trinity College Dublin. That light lilt. I did that and Alfonso said, "What's the accent here?" I said, "Irish." He said, "That's OK." And no one's ever mentioned it. I'm a little bit more camp, I think, a bit lighter. A bit more ethereal.
Photos of Michael and Harry Potter costar Maggie Smith at the press night for Krapp's Last Tape from earlier this month can be found in our galleries. 
Michael reprises his role as Dumbledore in the final installments, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which will be out November 19, 2010 and July 15, 2011. |
09-26-2010, 11:44 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| Bugbear
Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Down Under
Posts: 32,132
Hogwarts RPG Name: Cody Liam Evans Seventh Year | HP, Harry & Ginny ♥ | Music Girl ♫ | | BW, JB, CS, 1D, Glee, AVPM/S Lover | Pray &
I can't wait to see all of the older HP actors to reprise their roles in DH. It's going to be great of what there going to do.
__________________ ♥ HARRY POTTER FOREVER ♥ Thank You For The Three Best Years!  I Am Busy As A Bee. Please Bear With Me As I Will Come On SS As Much As Possible. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ |
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09-26-2010, 11:55 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| Jarvey
Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 602
Hogwarts RPG Name: Elizabeth Plotts Sixth Year |
Aw I can't wait! Michael Gambon is my favorite Dumbledore. I thought he played Dumbledore better than Richard Harris because he played the part in a lighter way.
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09-27-2010, 12:20 AM
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#4 (permalink)
| Bundimun
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 34
| Quote:
Originally Posted by insanelysyd95 Aw I can't wait! Michael Gambon is my favorite Dumbledore. I thought he played Dumbledore better than Richard Harris because he played the part in a lighter way. Except GOF, of course
Seriously, though, I really do sincerely love Michael Gambon's performances apart from that film. He really makes me laugh in that dry, strange, Dumbledore-ish way, but he also gives off a very strong, powerful aura. I don't get it when people say he doesn't have the *twinkle* in his eyes, because I think he had it even more than Richard Harris, EXCEPT for like three or four scenes that some people can never ever seem to let go. And I choose to chalk that up to Mike Newell's poor adapting skills, considering Dumbledore isn't the only thing wrong with that film, as far as how it relates to the book. Ugh. I so wish someone else had made it :/
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09-27-2010, 12:22 AM
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#5 (permalink)
| Formerly: hrmy_lvr_4evr  Love Detective Jobberknoll
Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pigfarts?
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Hogwarts RPG Name: Aurelie Rylen Sixth Year | Fiyero ♥ | RED VINES! | FOR NARNIAAAAAAAAAAA | "Always." ♥| SupermegafoxyAWESOMEhot!
Aww. I can't wait! I miss Richard Harris though, he was closer to Dumbly from the books I think, like appearance wise. Costumes and the white beard and all of that. But Michael Gambon is an AMAAAAAZING actor!
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09-27-2010, 12:33 AM
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#6 (permalink)
| Jobberknoll
Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mexico.
Posts: 4,063
Hogwarts RPG Name: Ginny First Year |
Dame Maggie Smith looks so good! (considering how ill she was)
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09-27-2010, 12:48 AM
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#7 (permalink)
| Cutie Streeler
Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Vermont, USA
Posts: 229
Hogwarts RPG Name: Alexandra Cullen Second Year | Quote:
Originally Posted by insanelysyd95 Aw I can't wait! Michael Gambon is my favorite Dumbledore. I thought he played Dumbledore better than Richard Harris because he played the part in a lighter way. I totally agree!!! Michael Gambon is my favorite Dumbledore, too. I liked him much better than Richard Harris. |
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09-27-2010, 01:01 AM
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#8 (permalink)
| Puffskein
Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pembroke Pines, FL
Posts: 1,129
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He is awesome but Richard Harris was just as ethereal! They are both excellent!
RIP Sir Richard Harris!!
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09-27-2010, 01:30 AM
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#9 (permalink)
| Imp
Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Hogwarts
Posts: 436
Hogwarts RPG Name: Witches Seeker Fourth Year |
~ Nice interview.
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09-27-2010, 01:46 AM
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#10 (permalink)
| Puffskein
Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Wonderland ❤
Posts: 1,367
Hogwarts RPG Name: Ferosa "Roe" Collins Second Year | ℭreative-tastic| ✿ Color Magnet ✿ Quote:
I know people read the whole book but then you get cross about what's missing.
Or the fans get cross over what goes missing in the character.  It's okay not to read the books when you are sucessfully able to pull off the character, like Alan Rickman, but it doesn't work when you become an angry, screaming banshee like in GoF and even OotP.
I don't mean any disrespect to him as an actor, which I know he is brilliant at, but he is honestly terrible as Dumbledore. I know Alfonso Cuarón was okay with his accent, but it is up to Sir Michael Gambon to fix his technique and do research on his role. However, he did do a lot better in HBP so I do have to give him credit for that.
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09-27-2010, 01:55 AM
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#11 (permalink)
| Snidget
Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: GMT +7
Posts: 2,819
Hogwarts RPG Name: Hanna H. Holtby Fourth Year | MiaSanMia! | Bavarians ♠ Mrs. Gale Hawthorne
Nice interview |
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09-27-2010, 02:27 AM
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#12 (permalink)
| Hinkypunk
Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: At the close.
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Yeah, I've never thought that he really sounded Irish.
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09-27-2010, 02:28 AM
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#13 (permalink)
| Gnome
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 254
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Originally Posted by Looneybird Or the fans get cross over what goes missing in the character.  It's okay not to read the books when you are sucessfully able to pull off the character, like Alan Rickman, but it doesn't work when you become an angry, screaming banshee like in GoF and even OotP.
I don't mean any disrespect to him as an actor, which I know he is brilliant at, but he is honestly terrible as Dumbledore. I know Alfonso Cuarón was okay with his accent, but it is up to Sir Michael Gambon to fix his technique and do research on his role. However, he did do a lot better in HBP so I do have to give him credit for that. It's not missing if it's not the book character. This is the movie character. I'm glad they are not the same thing because they should not be. I don't want the book on screen. It would have been too repetitive and boring.
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09-27-2010, 02:32 AM
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#14 (permalink)
| Murtlap
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 54
| I think that the way the movies were directed were hit or miss. Newell DIRECTED Gambon to act out Dumbledore in that manner in GOF, as well as Yates did in OOTP. I don't think their efforts were entirely poor. Directors strive during the entire film making process to establish a tone or overarching flavor to a film. Being that this was a series, you can't blame directors for trying to take artistic choices that they thought would only benefit the end result. |
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09-27-2010, 03:01 AM
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#15 (permalink)
| Puffskein
Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Forest of Dean
Posts: 1,394
Hogwarts RPG Name: Elizabeth Sophie Real Third Year |
He is great but I really like Harris.... Job well done Mr. Gambon! |
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09-27-2010, 03:38 AM
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#16 (permalink)
| Mooncalf
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,309
Hogwarts RPG Name: isabella Macmillan Sixth Year |
nice pics... |
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09-27-2010, 03:57 AM
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#17 (permalink)
| Kappa
Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: GMT +3
Posts: 14,517
x6
| Dalliesa | Ab-Bot | Hogwarts Trojan War |
Er... yep, well, thanks Mr. Gambon for those precious words. The actor is really good for Dumbledore's role anyways.. not better than Harris mind you |
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09-27-2010, 04:04 AM
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#18 (permalink)
| Billywig
Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: The OC
Posts: 3,786
Hogwarts RPG Name: Jenny Takahashi Fifth Year | Moooooooo. :) || Have a supermegafoxyawesomehot Christmas.
I think I like both Gambon and Harris as Dumbledore; they played him in their own special way. Of course, I didn't like Gambon's acting until the 6th movie, but yeah...they're just awesome.
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09-27-2010, 04:22 AM
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#19 (permalink)
| Wizarding World RPG Admin Minister for Magic
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While Harris will always be Dumbledore to me, Gambon brings something to the character that is magical.
__________________  When you're stuck in a moment and your spark has been stolen .................................................. ........... this is our time to own it, so own it..................................... baby we were born with fire and gold in our eyes |
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09-27-2010, 04:41 AM
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#20 (permalink)
| Flobberworm
Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Czech Republic
Posts: 11
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Richard Harris's Dumbledore was like a magical fairytale old wizard...
Michael Gambon's Dumbledore have a much better behavior and look to the books Dumbledore . I love that all actors ( RIP sir R. Harris ) have their role for H.P. movies done  It's like growing up with them  Love them all . BTW Love maily Alan Rickman like Severus Snape ! He is much more sympathic Snape than his books version  Didn't he ?
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09-27-2010, 05:25 AM
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#21 (permalink)
| Puffskein
Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Wonderland ❤
Posts: 1,367
Hogwarts RPG Name: Ferosa "Roe" Collins Second Year | ℭreative-tastic| ✿ Color Magnet ✿ Quote:
Originally Posted by YodatheHobbit It's not missing if it's not the book character. This is the movie character. I'm glad they are not the same thing because they should not be. I don't want the book on screen. It would have been too repetitive and boring. No, of course I'd never want a character word for word from the books. I agree; it would be boring. However, the thing is whatever else you bring into the movie character, you have to still retain something personality wise from the original character in order for you to recognize who the character is.
Take for example, Helena Bonham Carter. With just reading the books, you don't see Bellatrix as insane as she is in the films. However, with Helena acting as an extremely immature sadistic lunatic, you see just how much more interesting the character can get. She was able to translate the character from the pages into something much greater yet still stay true to the character's origins and even more. Sir Michael Gambon did the exact opposite. Mind you, I'd never want him to play Dumbledore exactly the way Richard Harris did it either but he could have at least tried a different approach, which he did in the 6th film. It isn't about reading and not reading the book, but rather how well you are able to bring what is on paper on to the screen.
Last edited by Looneybird; 09-27-2010 at 05:33 AM.
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09-27-2010, 07:39 AM
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#22 (permalink)
| Snidget
Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Posts: 2,751
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Nice interview..
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09-27-2010, 09:41 AM
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#23 (permalink)
| Snidget
Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: King's Cross ♥
Posts: 2,901
Hogwarts RPG Name: Gatty Natalia Piper Seventh Year | harry ϟ potter is a lifestyle
Michael Gambon's interviews always make me smile
I really liked his performance in HBP, it was much more the Dumbledore of my imagination. I wasn't keen on him in GOF as well, though remember that he doesn't actually write the script! I'm sure that's where a lot of the strange aggression in GOF originally came from.
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09-27-2010, 11:21 AM
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#24 (permalink)
| Dugbog
Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: damascus-syria
Posts: 127
Hogwarts RPG Name: ron lover First Year |
nice photos I love this man
sorry but lugen and other syrian members send me messages to tell me how to re-send any thing to you guys
I am new here so please help me I feel lost here help me please
hey we could go together and see the 7th movie
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09-27-2010, 11:55 AM
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#25 (permalink)
| Imp
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 408
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He made a great Dumbeldore ! I am waiting for the next movie !
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