HARRY POTTER Star Miriam Margolyes Reveals Why She Turned Down A Role In Marvel Studios'

After playing a witch in the Harry Potter franchise, Miriam Margolyes reveals that she turned down a similar role in Marvel Studios' upcoming WandaVision spin-off, Agatha...for a pretty surprising reason!

By JoshWilding - Mar 17, 2024 07:03 AM EST

Filed Under: Agatha: Coven of Chaos

Many of you will know Miriam Margolyes best for her role as Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter franchise, but it sounds like she came close to joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

When News.com.au caught up with the outspoken actress, they learned that she recently turned down a role in Marvel Studios and Disney+'s WandaVision spin-off, Agatha.

"They contacted me and said, 'We’re doing a story about witches.' I thought, 'Oh God, not witches again, because I’ve done that with Harry Potter.'" Ultimately, though, it was shooting in the U.S., a country she's not overly fond of, which proved a sticking point.

"I don’t like America and I didn’t want to be in Georgia for four months," she admits. "So I just said, 'Well, I want a million pounds,' and they said, 'You can have half a million,' and I said, 'No, I don’t want to do it,' so it just stopped."

"Really it’s a story about my own greed rather than anything else," Margolyes concluded with a laugh.

Back to the Wizarding World, and it's fair to say the Harry Potter books and films remain beloved, particularly among those who grew up on them. The franchise is being rebooted by Warner Bros. Discovery as a Max TV series, but there's one original cast member who thinks those older fans need to move on.

The outspoken Miriam Margolyes, who played Professor Sprout in two Harry Potter movies, has doubled down on her belief that the franchise is for children, and children alone.

Talking in the video below, she said "If your balls have dropped, then it's time to forget about [Harry Potter.]" She doubled down on that by adding, "No, seriously...it was 25 years ago, grow up!"

This comes after another recent interview where Margolyes declared, "I worry about Harry Potter fans because they should be over that by now. You know, it was 25 years ago and it’s for children. I think it’s for children. But they get stuck in it."

"I do Cameos and people say, 'I’m having a Harry Potter-themed wedding,' and I think, gosh, what’s their first night of fun going to be? I can’t even think about it. Harry Potter is wonderful, I’m very grateful to it. It’s over. That’s what I think."

While the Harry Potter star won't be part of the cast, Agatha will feature the return of many familiar faces from WandaVision, including Emma Caulfield Ford (Sarah Proctor), Debra Jo Rupp (Sharon Davis), David Payton (John Collins), David Lengel (Harold Proctor), Asif Ali (Abilash Tandon), Amos Glick (Dennis), Brian Brightman (Sheriff Miller), and Kate Forbes (Evanora Harkness).

Kathryn Hahn will lead the ensemble, of course, while other noteworthy additions include Aubrey Plaza, Joe Locke, Patti LuPone, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, and Maria Dizzia.

Agatha is set to premiere on Disney+ later this year.

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20 Comments

mountainman - 3/17/2024, 7:21 AM

Some of that well known British old lady charm. Love her!

ChrisRed - 3/17/2024, 10:52 AM

@mountainman - She's Australian though

Apophis71 - 3/17/2024, 12:35 PM

@ChrisRed - She was born and grew up in Oxford, England however then attended college in Cambridge (Dad Scottish and Mother from Liverpool).

Technicaly however oft stated as both a British AND Australian actress as since the start of her long term relationship in the late 60's (with an Aussie) has split her time between the UK and down under.

ObserverIO - 3/17/2024, 7:38 AM

She did play Despair in Sandman though. The woman loves good literature and Neil Gaiman is good literature.

Apophis71 - 3/17/2024, 9:39 AM

@ObserverIO - Yeh but mostly she loves the stage, openly states frequently she only ever does film/TV to pay the rent and not overly keen on the whole process.

Love her to bits for how blunt and honest she is, even when I disagree with her, lol.

vectorsigma - 3/17/2024, 7:42 AM

Didnt want to work for Marvel but will do for a huge payday. Smart.

SuperiorHeckler - 3/17/2024, 8:04 AM

Margolyes was clearly channeling the performance of William Shatner from his now iconic SNL appearance:

"..y'know... hundreds of miles to be here, I'd just like to say... get a life, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it's just a TV show!" 😄🤣

TheVisionary25 - 3/17/2024, 8:15 AM

She was probably up for Patti LuPone’s role going by the cast but oh well , she’s in her 80’s so I doubt she wanted to travel aswell.

Also she’s a legend and has always been good in the work I’ve seen of hers but man , she has such a close minded view of the HP fandom…

Sure the movies and books were made for kids but they appealed to everyone because they were good stories so let people enjoy what they like without having to judge or put them down for it , there’s enough negativity in the world already.

S8R8M - 3/17/2024, 8:23 AM

I love this old bag! She always cracks me up.

bkmeijer1 - 3/17/2024, 8:41 AM

I'll be a witch and stay in the US for four months for half a million dollars

TheVisionary25 - 3/17/2024, 8:44 AM

@bkmeijer1 - hell , I’m already here so there’s one part done lol

DocSpock - 3/17/2024, 2:29 PM

@bkmeijer1 -

So the rumors that you are already doing that aren't fully true?

JustAWaffle - 3/17/2024, 4:43 PM

@DocSpock - my grandma did it for free before she died. 🤪

bkmeijer1 - 3/17/2024, 5:58 PM

@DocSpock - yes, there have been rumblings. I can't disclose such things though, that's up to Marvel to confirm or deny

ChrisRed - 3/17/2024, 10:53 AM

Love Kathryn Hahn so I'm glad she got the role.

MahN166A - 3/17/2024, 2:39 PM

I like her.
Direct and to the point.
And set a price. They didn’t give her what she asked for and said, No.

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

dagenspear - 3/17/2024, 3:59 PM

Very blunt, much more than I expected.

JustAWaffle - 3/17/2024, 4:46 PM

I had people calling me constantly to buy my house. One day I answered and told them I’d only do it for a full million, no more no less. Never got a call from anyone again.

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HARRY POTTER Star Miriam Margolyes Reveals Why She Turned Down A Role In Marvel Studios'

After playing a witch in the Harry Potter franchise, Miriam Margolyes reveals that she turned down a similar role in Marvel Studios' upcoming WandaVision spin-off, Agatha...for a pretty surprising reason!

HARRY POTTER Author J.K. Rowling Fires Back At Daniel Radcliffe & Emma Watson For Trans-Rights Support

AGATHA: DARKHOLD DIARIES Has Received Yet Another Title Change - Will This One Stick?