‘Harry Potter’ Franchise Pays Tribute to Sir Michael Gambon

The official Harry Potter social media pages posted a tribute to Sir Michael Gambon on Thursday morning as news of his passing spread online. Gambon played Professor Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter film adaptations from the third movie onwards. According to a statement from his family, 82-year-old Gambon passed away “peacefully in hospital” due to complications with pneumonia.

“We are incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Michael Gambon,” read the post from the Harry Potter franchise accounts. “He brought immeasurable joy to Harry Potter fans from all over the world with his humour, kindness and grace. We will forever hold his memory in our hearts.” Commenters flooded the replies with condolences, fond memories and grief of their own. Many remarked on how large Gambon’s performance had loomed in their lives at a formative age.

“In less than a year, we lost Robbie [Coltrane] and now Michael… My heart is beyond any Reparo,” one fan wrote. “We will see him again at Kings Cross, waiting for us to catch the last train…” Another added: “Wands up for our Dumbledore, this news is so deeply saddening.”

The official statement from Gambon’s family, published by The Guardian, read: “Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia. Michael was 82. We ask that you respect our privacy at this painful time and thank you for your messages of support and love.”

Gambon was an accomplished theater actor in the U.K. and worked extensively in the British film and TV industry before he gained global acclaim for his performance in the Harry Potter franchise. He took over the role of Dumbledore starting with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban after the previous actor, Richard Harris had passed away. He appeared in six out of the eight movies.

While Harry Potter was already a global sensation when Gambon joined the cast, he admitted that he had never seen any of the previous movies. However, his performances were beloved by fans and critics and he told an interviewer from Future Movies that the role was not hard for him to inhabit. He said he did not “have to play anyone really. I just stick on a beard and play me, so it’s no great feat. I never ease into a role – every part I play is just a variant of my own personality. I’m not really a character actor at all.”

Fans are still sharing their fond memories of Gambon on social media today as the news of his passing spreads. Some are revisiting his work, including the Harry Potter movies which are streaming now on Max.