Will Dumbledore’s gay lover be in HARRY POTTER and the DEATHLY HALLOWS films?
Comments(10)
- By abefroman
Back in 2007, it caused quite the controversy when Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling said that she envisioned the character of Prof. Dumbledore as gay and that she intended the character of Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to be Dumbledore’s lover. She didn’t specify that in the book, so it really made you wonder why she would make it a point to reveal that about the character. It doesn’t have anything to do with how good of a wizard he is or his relationship with the other characters. If it was important to the story, it’d be in the book… right?
Well it looks like they may address Rowling’s revelations in the film version of Deathly Hallows, which is being split up into two films. Actor Jamie Campbell Bower(Sweeney Todd), who is playing Grindelwald in the two Deathly Hallows films, spoke about his character’s relationship with Dumbledore while he was promoting his new film The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
It’s a safe bet that they may expand on Dumbledore’s homosexuality, as Bower refers to his character the same way Rowling did, saying:
He’s an old friend of Dumbledore’s, possible lover.
***SPOILER ALERT***
(for those who haven’t read the books)
Grindelwald appears as a vision in the book, as the character was killed by Voldemort before the events of Deathly Hallows. Bower will shoot for approximately two weeks total. It’s a small part of a film shoot that lasts more than a year, but it will be a pivotal role with that will amount to a significant amount of minutes on screen in both films.
Bower says of the schedule:
At the moment, I’ve only worked on it for about a week. So I think I’ve got another week and a bit to go. They’re still cracking on with both of them simultaneously, because they’ve obviously got such a tight schedule they have to do both side by side.
But what Bower had to say, in comparing his experiences in working on New Moon and Deathly Hallows, makes me wonder how in depth the Potter filmmakers have gone into the character with him.
It’s a machine, Potter. You go in, you do your thing, and then you go on, whereas with this, it’s a lot more finding out about everything and a lot more exploration to do in general.
So it’s possible Bower is just making his own assumptions and choices with the Grindelwald character. “Possible lover” and “go in and go on” just doesn’t sound like solid info to me. I hope like in the books, they only address the important non-trivial things about the character. What do you think?
What do you think?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I hits theaters Nov. 19, 2010 with Part II opening July 15, 2011.
Source: SciFiWire
As a gay man I'm of two minds — I don't think being gay matters and I'm always taken aback when people see a kiss between two guys (or girls) as a political act, where I just see a kiss — but I also don't want see someone neutered. In regards to Dumbedore being gay I guess I appreciated the gesture — but it didn't do that much for me one way or another. And as long as I'm writing, keep up the great work with the blog. I look forward to checking it every day.
Seriously, you can't even write the word gay but you want people to believe you are emotionally indifferent to it? Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised you are only imitating what we have all been taught about gay in society. Smile at it's face and stab it in the back. I think the gesture is a good one and I think the fact that the author is willing to bring up what was in her mind is a wonderful gesture because too often obviously gay characters are passed over and played off as straight. I mean where to people think gay people come from? Yes world, there are gay children out there and they also want to see themsleves reflected in their literature! It's just human.
Apologies Nick I didn't realize it was the site that was automatically editing your comment!! But I stand by my point that gay kids want to see themselves reflected in the characters they read as much as all children do.
wow GeekTyrant… You really have to look at the list of words that are auto-edited! This is a fairly mature site, especially compared to the many others where the comments and commenters are completely juvenile and ignorant. I think we've proved we can handle the responsibility… the above misunderstanding should never have happened.
Hey guys. Just a little info on why the word is censored. This is actually a very rare case in which it's actually being used correctly.
Up to this point, the word has almost ALWAYS been used in an inappropriate and offensive manner, often as a way of attacking people. Those comments get flagged and reported by other commenters instantly.
I agree that most of our readers our mature enough to handle it. We may have to go though and update, so you guys can better express your points on this subject. But I don't think this will be a reoccurring situation.
Thanks!
Recommend reading Abe's comment below on why the word "gay" was censored. We have removed the word from the censored list. If we get a lot of misuse it will go back on the list.
Also wanna note that we have 42 total words on the list, mostly variations on the same words. These words are negative toward women, various races, religions, orientations, vulgar description of anatomy, and other offensive terms. This list has be assembled over time from that handy report button on every comment.
As you can see the posts are not blocked only the offensive word is "stared out."
If you aren't able to figure out what the word is in contexts; perhaps its best to keep you mind innocent.
But if you do… your probably a Geek Tyrant
Well, if you look through the books thouroughly you will notice small details about Dumbledore indicating his sexual inclinations. Not that they're important at all. It doesn't really say anything about the character. I guess she revealed it because everyone always wondered about his love life, if he had any at all. Maybe a romance with McGonagall? Revealing it while the books were in their prime would've hurt the sales and popularity in the US as we all know America is full of conservative prudes who'll do anything to sabotage the wonderful series. But the detail might be revealed in the films because it'll increase the viewer demographic, having a wise, powerful, moral, and loving character "representing" a certain community. Also, his love for his gay lover was his ultimate downfall, furthering the theme in the movies of love being the best and worst thing in the world. But it's not consequential to the story really, so it could go either way.
For those who think it is a marketting ploy by JKR.
JKR revealed Dumbledore's orientation to Steve Kloves in order to remove a dialog conceived by Kloves in the 6th movie script where Dumbledore apparently talks about a high-school crush on a girl. This dialog isn't present in the book, and in the movie it was supposed to have been said during the scene where Ron mumbles Hermione's name when he is unconscious.
6th movie Spoilers:
For those who have seen the movie, it was supposed to come after the Dumbledore dialog "Oh to be in love and feel its keen sting."
I feel JKR left this out of the plot for the same reasons she ha d to do away with all the swearing by Ron.
If I remember correctly, she even alludes to Ron giving the finger-gesture in one of the books.
I don't see any marketing ploy here.
i'm not reading all these responses. but it was a good move on Rowling's part making dumbledore gay. it made the story so much better, the only person he loved turned into a horrible person and he had to kill him. tragic, and good.