10 Actors Who Turned Down The Harry Potter Franchise

Getting an invitation to Hogwarts is a Harry Potter fan's dream. The idea of playing Quidditch, riding a hippogriff, and practicing wand skills during a Defense Against the Dark Arts class sounds like a blast. Visions of such moments danced in the heads of readers for a few years until the series took to the big screen in the early 2000s, beginning with 2001's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Just like the books, the films took off, creating a film franchise of massive proportions and launching the careers of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. Of course, it was a prediction that many could have guessed based on literary success. 

Despite the largely unnoticed recasting of one of the franchise's most hated characters, many of the characters and scenes are still beloved today. Established stars of the time, like Kenneth Branagh, Helena Bonham Carter, and the late Alan Rickman, created characters and moments that became core pop culture memories for kids who were growing up with the films. It all makes the idea of someone turning down a role in a Harry Potter film all the more surprising, but it was a move that some well-known actors made for various reasons. 

Here's a look at 10 actors who turned down the roles of popular Harry Potter characters before the portrayals that we know and love hit the big screen.

Film icon Peter O'Toole, who starred in "Lawrence of Arabia" and appeared in "Troy," almost became Albus Dumbledore in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban." This potential casting followed the death of his dear friend Richard Harris,who portrayed the headmaster of Hogwarts during the first two films in the franchise, offering a portrayal centered on the wizard's kindness and observing nature. Chris Columbus, who directed the first two films, told The Hollywood Reporter, "He got sick and passed away pretty quickly. ... It was stunning and heartbreaking, and a total shock."

Peter O'Toole and Richard Harris were best friends, according to Columbus' interview with Business Insider. Adding O'Toole to the cast meant that they would be adding an actor who earned eight Academy Award nominations throughout his career, including a nomination for his work as the title character in "Lawrence of Arabia." It's a role that is similar to Dumbledore given their legendary status in their respective worlds and their wit in making pivotal decisions. While placing Harris in the role of Dumbledore seemed like it would be the right decision, he stepped away from the idea out of respect for his friend. Columbus told The Wrap, "I remember an interesting thing because ['Prisoner of Azkaban' director] Alfonso [Cuaron] and I met with Peter O'Toole about playing Dumbledore, and he was close, except Richard was his best friend, and he felt it was intrusive from an acting point of view, so he decided not to do it."

Tim Roth has a reputation for playing brooding villains that audiences love to hate, from playing Pumpkin in "Pulp Fiction" to Emil Blonsky and his alter-ego Abomination in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the Harry Potter franchise, the character of Severus Snape is introduced as a brooding villain before revealing his heroism. So the idea of Roth leading potions class at Hogwarts is totally plausible, and it almost happened.

During an episode of the TV series "There's Something About Movies," Roth explained that he was offered the role when he was approached to do Tim Burton's incarnation of "Planet of the Apes," which was an intriguing idea for Roth (via PA Media). When it came to the Harry Potter films, the actor said, "I was like, 'OK OK that's interesting' and then I just thought, 'I'll be on every lunchbox or whatever it is, but that will be it really, I'll be known for that."

Roth gave a more in-depth explanation during an "Ask Me Anything" session in the subreddit r/movies. When asked if he regretted his decision to reject his invitation to Hogwarts, Roth replied, "But no, I think the better man for the job did the job." Roth said he had a whole different approach compared to how Alan Rickman portrayed Snape. "Alan took it and ran with it, and that was that." Rickman's portrayal of the character became a beloved part of the series, even though he didn't like the movies himself. While Roth is okay with how everything worked out, he told "There's Something About Movies" that it is a decision that his kids still bring up. 

Portraying two all-powerful wizards in two blockbuster film franchises adapted from highly acclaimed books. That was almost reality for Ian McKellen who was asked to take on the role of Albus Dumbledore following the death of Richard Harris. However, he turned it down. During an episode of BBC's HARDtalk, host Stephen Sachur talked with McKellen about a comment made by Harris, who named McKellen in a list of actors that he called technically brilliant but passionless actors. McKellen said it was that comment that informed his decision when he received the call from the Harry Potter team, who did not disclose which part they were offering. "I worked out what they were thinking, and I couldn't. I couldn't take over the part from an actor who I'd known didn't approve of me," he said.

McKellen is considered by /Film to be one of the best actors who has never won an Oscar. His career includes decades of hit films, and he spent part of the early 2000s appearing in blockbuster films like "X-Men" while enchanting "Lord of the Rings" fans with his portrayal of the mighty wizard Gandalf, which earned him an Academy Award nomination in 2002. He plays the role with a quiet fierceness, and that quiet fierceness mixed with his delivery of sage advice would have been the perfect foundation for a new Albus Dumbledore. However, McKellen is still very proud of his role in "Lord of the Rings." He joked on BBC's HARDtalk, "I played the real wizard."

Tilda Swinton is known for immersing herself in unique characters that steal scenes on the big screen. From Mason in "Snowpiercer" to Dr. Hickenlooper in "Asteroid City." She's no stranger to franchises either thanks to roles like the White Witch in "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and The Ancient One in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Adding the role of Divination professor Sybill Trelawney to her long list of credits would have not been a stretch for Swinton. However, in 2003, CBBC Newsround reported information from studio insiders who said that scheduling led to her decision to turn down the role that first appears in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," the best film in the franchise, according to /Film's rankings.

In 2016, Swinton told The Scots Magazine that she actually doesn't care for the Harry Potter franchise because of how it portrays boarding schools, which were a part of Swinton's education. "That's why I dislike films like Harry Potter which tend to romanticize such places. I think they are a very cruel setting in which to grow up, and I don't feel children benefit from that type of education. Children need their parents and the love they can provide," she said, while reflecting on her time at West Heath near London. The role of Professor Trelawney would eventually go to Emma Thompson, who has also solidified herself as an actor who can make wonderfully quirky characters jump off the screen.

Rita Skeeter, the nosy gossip columnist who is spreading rumors about Harry's life, was almost played by Rosamund Pike, who would later wow audiences in the thriller "Gone Girl." The Daily Prophet writer first appears in the franchise's fourth installment, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," as she tries to conjure up romance rumors focused on Harry Potter (Radcliffe) and his best friend Hermione Granger (Watson). In an interview with FTV (via Beyond Hogwarts) Pike said that she was offered the role of Hermione's least favorite writer, but she turned it down. 

Rita Skeeter pops up every so often in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," getting just enough screen time to cause some chaos with her Quick-Quotes Quill, and her gossip trail doesn't stop there, since she also appears in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." It was that lack of screen time and a contractual agreement to appear in the fifth film that led Pike to turn down the role, and she turned it down despite wanting to work with Mike Newell, who directed the fourth film. "I just regret not doing the movie because I love Mike [Newell], and I owe him a favor; I don't know who replaced me, but I wish her the best of luck!" she said to FTV. The role would later go to Miranda Richardson, who is known for her roles in 1999's "Sleepy Hollow" and "The Hours." 

The matriarch of the Malfoy family almost appeared as Bellatrix Lestrange instead. Helen McCrory first appears as Narcissa Malfoy in the sixth film, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." However, McCrory was supposed to appear in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" as Bellatrix, before she left the production to put her family first. She told Parade in 2011, "But then I got pregnant with my first child, and insurance wouldn't cover pregnant witches! It was lovely that they invited me back and wanted me to be a part of it somehow."

The filmmakers would then pivot to Helena Bonham Carter to play Bellatrix in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." She told Entertainment Weekly, "So they came to me. And I loved it. ... I was all too happy to play a witch." Bellatrix is Narcissa's sister, and the two would go on to share dramatic scenes that would help send the later Harry Potter films down a dark rabbit hole that would ultimately result in Harry's final battle with Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). 

Sadly, Helen McCrory died from cancer in April 2021, according to her husband Damian Lewis, who announced her death in a post on Twitter (now known as X). According to the Daily Mail, Carter was one of the Harry Potter stars who attended a memorial service for McCrory in London a year after her death. 

Despite Hugh Grant's horrifying role in the cult-based horror film "Heretic," he has been charming movie audiences for decades with beloved rom-coms like "Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Notting Hill," and "Bridget Jones's Diary." That charisma and thousand-watt smile are just some of the reasons why he would be a shoe-in for the role of Gilderoy Lockhart. The swoon-worthy wizard and author teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" before everyone finds out that he lied about his heroic deeds. However, Grant reportedly turned down the role, so he could add another rom-com to his credits.

Teletext spoke to Grant's agent, Karin Smith, who said that Grant closed the door on Hogwarts because he had already signed onto "Two Weeks Notice," which also stars rom-com staple Sandra Bullock (via The Guardian). Teletext also received a statement from Warner Bros. that shared how the production was not able to accommodate Grant due to scheduling (via Empire Online). "To have Hugh on board we had to bring the production forward three months, which we can't do. So sadly he's forced out," said the spokesperson. The Guardian reported that Grant had gone as far as to dye his hair blonde before closing the door on Hogwarts. Kenneth Branagh would end up taking the role of Lockhart.

While many of James McAvoy's characters have been endearing, many have been equally evil in the most compelling way. He has shown his ability to terrify in psychological thrillers like "Split" and "Speak No Evil." Since "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is a psychological thriller itself, due to the mind-bending mystery set before Harry and his friends, having McAvoy as Tom Riddle would make that intensity fly off the screen, but his decision to not enter the Chamber of Secrets ultimately came down to career strategy.

During an episode of the podcast "Happy Sad Confused" with Josh Horowitz, McAvoy explained that he auditioned for the role of Tom Riddle during the early stages of his career. He recalled that he and about 10 other actors were in the running to play the young Lord Voldemort, and they wanted to put them on a retainer, so they could choose Tom Riddle a little later. "It was a really strange thing, and they offered quite a lot of money for me, at that time, it was a ton of money. It was like £40,000 or something like that. And I'd done very little work, and I wouldn't be able to do any work for about seven months," he said. His agent, Ruth Young told him that it would be best to turn the role down. The part would ultimately go to Christian Coulson.

Michael Cera has been bringing awkward and lovable characters to the screen for years, turning himself into a household name with roles in comedic movies like "Juno," "Superbad," and "Year One." He has even stepped into the world of fantastical pop culture thanks to his starring role in "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" and the animated TV miniseries "Scott Pilgrim Takes Off." Like many of his films, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" has the same comedic qualities while mixing in action and the awe-inspiring visuals that can only come with the magic seen in the Wizarding World. So, it's no surprise that the people behind the Harry Potter spin-off series approached him to take up a role in this next installment.

According to information that Variety received from sources, Cera was one of the people in talks to play Jacob Kowalski. The shy aspiring baker is a Muggle, who is referred to as a no-maj in this film series, and he becomes Newt Scamander's (Eddie Redmayne) right hand while falling for a gorgeous witch named Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol). Sources told The Wrap that Cera turned down the role and opted to play Robin in "The LEGO Batman Movie" alongside Will Arnett, who plays the title character. The role of the loveable No-Maj would eventually go to Dan Fogler.

Harry Potter's mom was almost played by the woman who brought the entire series to life. When asked if she played an unnamed witch in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," J.K. Rowling took to her previous website to reply that she was not featured in the second film. However, she did almost play Harry's mom, Lily in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." "The filmmakers did ask me to play Lily Potter in the Mirror of Erised in the first film, but I really am not cut out to be an actress, even one who just has to stand there and wave. I would have messed it up somehow," she wrote. The role went to Geraldine Somerville.

In his biography "Beyond the Wand: The Magic & Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard," Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, wrote that while many assumed that Rowling played a big role in the films, she really wasn't that involved in the process. "I think I only recall seeing her once or twice on set," he wrote (via The Independent). 

As for the upcoming Harry Potter TV series, Variety has reported that Rowling is not managing the franchise. However, the head of global consumer products at Warner Bros. Discovery said that company executives do speak with her literary agent in regards to certain details. This amid the controversy surrounding transphobic comments made by the author, which is one of the five reasons why the series is likely destined to be a flop.