John Lithgow attends The Old Man" Season 1 NYC Tastemaker Event at ... [+] MOMA on June 14, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/) The first confirmed actor in the upcoming Harry Potter live-action TV series is John Lithgow who will be playing Hogwarts headmaster and wizard legend,

HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” series has found its Professor Albus Dumbledore in actor John Lithgow — known for his previous roles in “Conclave,” “The Crown” and “Footloose.” Lithgow confirmed to Screenrant that he had committed to the role as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

John Lithgow has confirmed that he will portray the Hogwarts headmaster in HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” series, which will begin filming this summer. Lithgow, 79, said in an interview with ScreenRant that the invitation to play the beloved character came “as a total surprise.”