With J.K. Rowling's help, Jude Law builds a new Dumbledore

LOS ANGELES — When Jude Law met with J.K. Rowling about portraying the younger version of Albus Dumbledore, the two discussed how to rebuild the fanfavorite character from the "Harry Potter" films.

Law spent an afternoon jotting down notes from Rowling who talked to him about Dumbledore's life before becoming the world's most powerful wizard. The British actor walked away with a vote of confidence from the famed author, alleviating some pressure on him.

"When the boss says 'I like you,' it gives you a little bit of comfort," Law said of Rowling, screenwriter of the "Harry Potter" prequel series that is based on her 2001 book "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." ''You can't help but step into something like this, playing a part like this without feeling a sense of responsibility, a fear of letting someone down. But when the creator gives you the thumbs up, it's a blessing."

Dumbledore was a Hogwarts headmaster in the "Potter" franchise commonly known for his silver hair and long beard, sporting a loose robe. He was played by Michael Gambon after inheriting the role from the Richard Harris, who died in 2002.

Law's youthful version enters in his mid-40s wearing a three-piece suit with short auburn hair in the sequel "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald ," which will be released Friday. It's the second part of a five-film franchise that started with 2016's "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," which grossed $813 million worldwide.

In "Grindelwald," Law's character works with his former student Eddie Redmayne's Newt Scamander to thwart the divisive wizard leader Gellert Grindelwald, played by Johnny Depp. The film also stars Katherine Waterston, Zoe Kravitz and Ezra Miller.

For research, Law read several Harry Potter books that referenced Dumbledore, rather than solely watching the previous films featuring the elder character. With the help of Rowling and director David Yates, they wanted to build from the "ground up."