James McAvoy reveals he turned down a role in the Harry Potter films. McAvoy is known for his roles in several other popular franchises, including as a young Charles Xavier in the X-Men prequels, like A Man With 23 Personalities in M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable Trilogy, as Sir Azriel in His dark materialsAnd like the mature Bill Denbrough in It chapter two. He is also known for his roles in standalone projects, with his performance in the 2024 horror remake of Speak no evil Received critical acclaim.
While on the Happy sad confused podcast, McAvoy shared that he was offered the part of a young Tom RiddleBut finally turned it down. Watch 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 going to do something else. McAvoy said he instead made a play where he “Paid, I think, 275 pounds a week” But don’t 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 almost in Harry Potter. The first movie, I think it was. Tom Riddle is 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 retainer. I hardly did any work, and I think after ten actors, they wanted to put us on retainer, so they could keep us and keep us to pick later.
And they offered quite a lot of money. For me at the time, it was a ton of money. It was like 40 thousand pounds or something like that. I did 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 Riddle in the Early Harry Potter Films could have launched McAvoy into stardom sooner. While McAvoy believes it could be the first Harry Potter film, it was more likely for the second installment, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secretswhich features a young Tom Riddle played by Christian Coulson. The Chamber of Secrets was released in 2002, a few years before McAvoy gained more widespread recognition.
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It wasn’t until his supporting role as Mr. Tumnus in 2005’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobeand his leading roles in 2007s atonement and 2008s Wanted That McAvoy became a more recognizable star in Hollywood. 2011s X-Men: First Class Solidified him as a compelling franchise leadWith the well-received prequel followed by three X-Men Sequels. He has since balanced franchise and standalone projects throughout his career.
Our take on the James McAvoy reveal
Young Tom Riddle was worth losing for the incredible roles James McAvoy went to play instead
McAvoy excels in every role he’s ever taken on, and I have no doubt he would have excelled in Harry Potter. I’m ultimately glad he turned down the role, though, like It may have prevented him from taking some of the parts he had in the mid-to-late 2000s. That shaped the trajectory for the rest of his career. I would have rather had McAvoy in these roles and in the roles he has had since, than as a young Tom Riddle, although it would have been an exceptional performance.
Source: Happy sad confused