John Lithgow Thought 'Shrek' Seemed Like ‘Fun’ When Lord Farquaad Was Pitched To Him, But He Originally Had One Thing Wrong About The Movie

"Shrek" has become a cultural touchstone for multiple generations, as viewers of varying ages continue to be charmed by the gruff but lovable ogre's adventures. Moviegoers may not have known what to expect from the franchise's inaugural installment from 2001, and that was also true of cast member John Lithgow. The veteran actor was indeed impressed when he was pitched his character, Lord Farquaad. But it turns out the Hollywood heavy hitter had one thing pegged incorrectly about the film.

John Lithgow's been busy as of late, promoting his 2025 movie schedule release, "The Rule of Jenny Pen," following awards season. He'll also remain booked, as he's been cast as Dumbledore in Max's "Harry Potter" series. Ahead of that, though, the star caught up with Variety (via YouTube) to reminisce about his career highlights, starting with the villainous ruler of Duloc.