You would think that an actor's preparation for a work of adapted fiction would involve intense study of the source material. But in a recent interview with The Los Angeles Times, veteran actor Michael Gambon — star of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which opened today — said that this is not the case with his prep for any of the Potter movies.
Gambon, who portrays Professor Dumbledore, said that he and co-stars Alan Rickman and Ralph Fiennes — professors Snape and Lord Voldemort, respectively — have refrained from reading a single word from any of J. K. Rowling's famed series.
You'd get upset about all the scenes it's missing from the book, wouldn't you? No point in reading the books because you're playing with [screenwriter] Steve Kloves' words.
The article also discussed Gambon's take on Dumbledore, which is decidedly different from that of Richard Harris, who played the role in the first two movies before his death in 2002. Many fans were put off by Gambon's gruff and edgy portrayal, which better illustrates the character's mischievious nature at the expense of losing much of his grandfatherly nature. Gambon reflected upon his interpretation:
He's got to be a bit scary. All headmasters should be a bit scary, shouldn't they? A top wizard like him would be intimidating. And ultimately, he's protecting Harry. Essentially, I play myself. A little Irish, a little scary. That's what I'm like in real life.