John Lithgow has confirmed that he will portray the Hogwarts headmaster in HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” series, which will begin filming this summer. Lithgow, 79, said in an interview with ScreenRant that the invitation to play the beloved character came “as a total surprise.”

The Emmy-winning actor, hot off a SAG Award for "Conclave," said playing the Hogwarts headmaster would "define me for the last chapter of my life."

In an interview with Screen Rant, Lithgow said that he has accepted the role of the Hogwarts head wizard in HBO’s forthcoming series: “I’ll be about 87 years old at the wrap party.”