James McAvoy Says He Was Offered 'A Ton of Money' to Star inHarry PotterBefore He Got Famous

Mar. 15, 2025

James McAvoy in September 2024 (left); Daniel Radcliffe in ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ (2002) (right).Photo:Roy Rochlin/Getty; Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett

Roy Rochlin/Getty; Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett

James McAvoyturned down a potential role inHarry Potterto find more consistent work as a young actor.

While McAvoy, 45, promoted his new movieSpeak No Evilon the Friday, Sept. 13, episodeHappy Sad Confusedpodcast, the actor said he “was nearly in"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stonein response to a question about whether he may be interested in taking a role as a Hogwarts teacher or in aStar Warsproject down the line.

“Almost, yeah, I can probably say this one. The very first movie, I think it was — who is the — is itTom Riddlein the first one, yeah? But he’s like in it… for like a scene in a flashback or something like that? And they had — I simply remember it was right in the beginning of my career,” he said.

“I auditioned for it and I think they wanted to put me on a retainer,” McAvoy added. “And they offered me something like - it was crazy, I’d hardly done any work - and me and I think maybe 10 other actors or something like that - they wanted to put us on retainer so that they could hold us and keep us to choose later.”

While McAvoy did not entirely clarify what role he was up for, he described the offer as “a really strange thing” and said the offer featured a hefty sum for an up-and-coming young actor. “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,” he added.

James McAvoy (center) in ‘Bollywood Queen’ (2002).Enterprise/Kobal/Shutterstock

Enterprise/Kobal/Shutterstock

Because of the offer’s retainer clause, McAvoy said if he agreed to the contract, he “wouldn’t be able to do any work for about seven months” and that his agent Ruth Young told him not to accept the offer.

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When podcast host Josh Horowitz asked McAvoy in jest whether he would now audition for the franchise’s lead role in thein-the-works HBO television adaptation, the actor did not appear interested in venturing to Hogwarts.

“I don’t know if there’s anything that I’m really missing in terms of what I’ve covered. I don’t think I’ve done enough sci-fi, just because I love it,” he said, pointing to his role in 2003’sChildren of Duneand theX-Menmovies. “I don’t think I’ve done enough comedy but I’ve been able to be funny in things that aren’t funny. Always trying to bring the gags.”

Speak No Evilis now in theaters.

source: people.com