James McAvoy reveals that he turned down a role in theHarry Potterfilms. McAvoy is known for his roles in several other popular franchises, including as a young Charles Xavier in theX-Menprequels, as a man with 23 personalities in M. Night Shyamalan’sUnbreakabletrilogy, as Lord Asriel inHis Dark Materials, and as the adult Bill Denbrough inIT Chapter Two. He is also known for his roles in standalone projects as well, with his performance in the 2024 horrorremake ofSpeak No Evilgarnering critical acclaim.
While on theHappy Sad Confusedpodcast,McAvoy shared that he was offered the part of a young Tom Riddle, but ultimately turned it down. Check out the video below:
When discussing the offered role and the terms with his agent, she told him,“Absolutely not. Don’t do that. We’re gonna go do something else.“McAvoy shared that he instead did a play where he"got paid, I think, 275 pounds a week"but does not regret it as:“It was part of the making of me. I was actually learning and doing all that.“Read McAvoy’s additional comments below:
I was nearly inHarry Potter.The very first movie, I think it was. Tom Riddle’s in the first one, right?
I remember it was right at the beginning of my career. I auditioned for it and I think they wanted to put me on a retainer. I’d hardly done any work and me and I think ten other actors, they wanted to put us on a retainer so that they could hold us and keep us to choose later.
And they offered quite a lot of money. For me at that time, it was a ton of money. It was like 40 thousand pounds or something like that. I’d done very little work and I wouldn’t be able to do any work for about seven months, I think.
What Turning Down Harry Potter Meant For James McAvoy’s Career
His Breakout Movie Roles Came Later
Playing a young Tom Riddlein theearlyHarry Potterfilms could have launched McAvoy into stardom sooner. While McAvoy believes it may have been the firstHarry Potterfilm, it was more likely for the second installment,Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which features a young Tom Riddle played by Christian Coulson.The Chamber of Secretswas released in 2002, a few years before McAvoy gained more widespread recognition.
The Chamber Of Secrets' Location Is Quietly Revealed 1 Hour Into The First Harry Potter Sequel
The 2002 Harry Potter sequel made full use of telling the story onscreen by giving an undeniable hint regarding how to access the Chamber of Secrets.
It was not until his supporting role as Mr. Tumnus in 2005’sThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and his leading roles in 2007’sAtonementand 2008’sWantedthat McAvoy became a more recognizable star in Hollywood.2011’sX-Men: First Classsolidified him as a compelling franchise lead, with the well-received prequel being followed bythreeX-Mensequels. He has since balanced franchise and standalone projects throughout his career.
Our Take On James McAvoy’s Reveal
Young Tom Riddle Was Worth Losing For The Incredible Roles James McAvoy Went On To Play Instead
McAvoy excels in every role he has ever taken, and I have no doubt he also would have excelled inHarry Potter. I am ultimately glad that he turned down the role, though, asit may have prevented him from taking some of the parts he had in the mid-to-late 2000sthat shaped the trajectory for the rest of his career. I would rather have McAvoy in those roles and in the roles he has had since, than as a young Tom Riddle, even though it would have been an exceptional performance.
Source:Happy Sad Confused
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students' time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.
