It's important to remember the ongoing controversial statements by the creator of the Harry Potter franchise. CBR supports the hard work of industry professionals on properties fans know and love and the wider world of Harry Potter that fans have adopted as their own. You can find CBR's continuing coverage on Rowling here .

In addition to The Boy Who Lived, Albus Dumbledore was the beating heart of the franchise. The Headmaster is one of the first characters to come to mind when the series is mentioned, and it is hard to imagine it without him. Dumbledore was a friend, a guiding light, and a parental figure to Harry when he needed it the most. There were times when he also let Harry down, but this was part of his appeal as a character -- he was flawed and completely real.

The role of Dumbledore was played by three actors throughout the Harry Potter franchise. This included the main Harry Potter movies, and the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them spinoff movies. The character was first brought to life by Richard Harris, followed by Michael Gambon after Harris' tragic death between movies. Both actors were thespians in their own right, and they brought out the best and worst in the character in their wonderful ways. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find The: The Crimes of Grindelwald reintroduced Dumbledore in a new light. He was depicted in his younger days when his association with Gellert Grindelwald was still very active. Jude Law brought the younger version of the future Headmaster of Hogwarts to life in two movies, but his arc could never be completed as the fourth movie in the spinoff series was canceled, leading to only three actors that brought out the best in the character.