Michael Gambon was an incredibly well-respected and loved actor. Having had a very full life, he starred in many massively successful projects, with some examples being, The King’s Speech, Layer Cake, and Fantastic Mr. Fox. The most notable, however, has to be his work in the Harry Potter franchise as the deeply beloved character, Albus Dumbledore.

He left an impression on his audience through his acting, becoming an integral part of the childhoods of many through his work in the Daniel Radcliffe starrer film series, playing a paternal figure to his character. It is because of this that it is disheartening to learn Gambon recently passed away at the age of 82.

Michael Gambon Dies At 82

Michael Gambon passed away at the age of 82 after suffering from pneumonia, leaving behind his wife, Anne Miller, and his two children, Fergus Gambon with Miller and Michael Gambon Jr., and  Will Gambon, his sons with Phillipa Hart. His family broke this tragic news through a statement, according to Variety. In this, they talked about how devastated they were by this loss.

Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

“We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon,” his family said in a statement. “Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia.”

They then went on to add that the actor passed peacefully in the hospital with his wife and son, Anne and Fergus by his side. With this painful news, let’s look back at some of the highlights of this exceptional actor’s professional career, for example, how Gambon ended up getting the role of Dumbledore in the Harry Potter franchise.

Michael Gambon’s Years As Albus Dumbledore

Michael Gambon played the role of Albus Dumbledore for many years, getting the role after the passing of Richard Harris, who played the character in the first two films. The actor did an excellent job playing this deeply complex and mysterious character after Harris, appearing first in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. In the past, he has talked about this character, mentioning that he did not have much prior knowledge about him or any of the books.

Michael Gambon as Dumbledore

He confessed to having not read any and therefore did not know the significance and popularity of them. He was made aware of this when he started working in the franchise when he would frequently get approached on the street by fans of the franchise who loved his portrayal of a beloved character. It was only after this did he realized that he would go down in history as playing one of the most adored characters in one of the most famous franchises.

Source: Variety