Michael Gambon passed away last week September 27, 2023 at the age of 82. The Irish-British actor portrayed Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore from the third to the eighth Harry Potter films. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and other co-stars mourned his death, as did audiences worldwide. Besides that Harry Potter fans gathered for an emotional tributeto pay his last respects.
Harry Potter fans are honoring the late Michael Gambon with a re-enacted Dumbledore scene
Fans also had to say goodbye to Harry’s mentor in the films: In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Hogwarts’ headmaster is killed by Snape and falls from the Astronomy Tower. In the following scene, Harry sits crying next to his corpse while the The assembled teachers and students raise their wands to pay tribute to the deceased. It’s one of the most emotional moments in the series.
You can watch the scene after Dumbledore’s death again here:
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The fans continued this moving scene even after Michael Gambon’s death. At the Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, Florida, they gathered under Hogwarts Castle to raise their wands for the Dumbledore actor:
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In the 6th Harry Potter film, the Dark Mark is driven away by the glowing wands stretched skyward. In the real world it has Gesture has now become a tradition of a mark of honor. After Alan Rickman’s death in 2016, fans honored the Snape actor in the same way. And last year, after the loss of Hagrid star Robbie Coltrane, fans gathered with their wands raised.
For Michael Gambon, the wand honor has a special touch, not least because it draws a direct parallel to the passing of his character Albus Dumbledore. Both the fictional character and the star left a huge hole in the hearts of those who knew him.