James McAvoy, a well-known actor, revealed that he was almost cast in a Harry Potter movie as the character “Tom Riddle.” During an interview with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, McAvoy discussed his audition process for the role. He mentioned that despite the character having a brief scene in the first film, he was in contention for the part early in his career.
McAvoy explained that the casting process was not straightforward, as the studio wanted to place him on a retainer with ten other actors. This would have allowed the studio to hold and keep them so they could make a decision later. Despite his limited experience in the industry at the time, the studio was willing to offer him around forty thousand pounds for the role.
However, McAvoy ultimately decided to turn down the role due to the terms of the contract. Being on a retainer with the studio meant that he would not be able to work for seven months, which was a significant commitment for the actor at that stage of his career. In retrospect, McAvoy’s decision worked out well for him, as he went on to achieve great success in his acting career, particularly for his role in the Narnia franchise.
James turned to the one person he knew he could trust, his agent, who had been by his side for approximately 25 years. His reliance on her word was evident as he sought her guidance. She responded with a firm “Absolutely not. Don’t do that,” assuring him that they would find a different opportunity.
Following this exchange, fans took to the comments to express their shock and opinions regarding the idea of James appearing in a Harry Potter movie. One fan wrote, “With those eyes, he would have made a great Tom Riddle. I’m imagining his younger face… He really fits the book’s description really well.” Another fan expressed, “I think it’s good he didn’t take it. He would’ve been held onto that role and typecasted.”
Despite the initial opportunity, it seems that everything worked out well for James in the end, and it appears that he harbors no regrets about his decision.
