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Mark Rylance Is Now A ‘Sir’: Could He Be The Next Dumbledore Too?

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 04:12 PST, Jan 19, 2017

Mark Rylance, aka Sir David Mark Rylance Waters KBE, is a playwright, director, and arguably Britain’s leading theater actor. And for those who weren’t aware that Rylance had been awarded a knighthood, it’s because it all happened rather quickly and under the radar. The Guardian reported that Mark Rylance was awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honors List, perfectly rounding out his phenomenally successful 2016, which saw him win two Baftas and his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Rylance, who was born in the United Kingdom in 1960 and is an alumnus of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, has earned the reputation of being the director of plays staged at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, and under his direction non-Shakespearean plays like Augustine’s Oak, The Golden Ass, and The Storm have also been staged at the famous theater.

Rylance, who turned 57-years-old on Wednesday, has proven himself to be an innovative theater director because it was under his direction that Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, a play with an all-male cast, was staged. Eddie Redmayne, the Oscar-winning English actor, was part of the Twelfth Night play, and under Rylance’s direction and guidance, he played the role of Viola.

Even though Redmayne had never been a drama school student, he managed to become a talented actor due to the experience he gained while working with actors like Mark Rylance. According to TV3, Eddie Redmayne expressed his indebtedness to Mark Rylance, who played the key role of mentor in Redmayne’s career.

“I was cast in Twelfth Night with Mark Rylance, who starred as Olivia. That was my training, playing opposite a virtuoso in Mark Rylance and really trying to listen and learn. I always feel incredibly grateful for that.”

Eddie Redmayne won an Academy Award in the Best Actor category when he played Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, and he can currently be seen in theaters playing Newt Scamander, a magizoologist in the J.K. Rowling-scripted Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Incidentally, it is also reported that Mark Rylance is being considered for a role in the planned sequel to Fantastic Beasts. The Independent reported that Mark Rylance is one of the strongest contenders being considered for the role of young Albus Dumbledore, the wizard who is the headmaster of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter film series.

David Yates, the director of the Fantastic Beasts film series, recently appeared at a press conference and confirmed that Dumbledore will appear in the next Fantastic Beasts movie, and that the character will be seen in a few scenes with Eddie Redmayne’s Newt Scamander. The Daily Express reported that David Yates has asked Harry Potter fans to come up with their suggestions for the actor who might best be suited for the role.

“In the second movie Dumbledore comes back. He’s got a couple of good scenes with Newt. We’re discussing who would play Dumbledore, any suggestions would be good.”

Dumbledore was previously portrayed by the late Richard Harris and Michael Gambon in the Harry Potter films. Filmmakers today are looking to portray a younger Dumbledore in the sequel to Fantastic Beasts. Besides Mark Rylance, other actors like Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, Paul Sparks, and Colin Firth are all being considered for the role of Dumbledore.

As Johnny Depp is playing Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts sequel, filmmakers are on the lookout for an actor somewhere between the ages of 40- and 50-years-old.

In other news, Mark Rylance is continuing to enchant theater lovers by returning to the West End Theatre to perform in the critically acclaimed play Nice Fish. The popular play is a comedy, and the theater has arranged a competition for enthusiasts who wish to win tickets to see Mark Rylance’s brilliant performance.

[Featured Image by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images]

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