10 Awesome Movie Characters Everybody Forgot Was Recast

When it came time to film the first Harry Potter film, actors rushed to land any part they could. With J.K. Rowling's words and Christopher Columbus' direction, it was guaranteed to be a hit, and with a whole book series feeding the movie machine, it was one that offered work for quite some time.

One of the main roles not played by a child actor was that of Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The man who won the role was the world-famous actor of Camelot, Richard Harris. He played the character in the first movie and its sequel but didn't return for the rest.

The reason Harris didn't play Dumbledore in the third film is a sad one. Harris passed away before he could return for the role, and that left the filmmakers clamoring to find someone who could come close to replacing his brilliance on screen.

They were going to cast Peter O'Toole in the role, but seeing as he was the same age as Harris, it was decided to find someone a bit younger, which may seem morbid, but it's also sensible considering how many films were planned. Fortunately, they found Michael Gambon to keep the character going, and he did a remarkable job.