Actor Alan Cumming was almost cast in the Harry Potter movies. But, unfortunately, there were some salary disputes, and he refused the role.
Scottish actor Alan Cumming opened up about a role he could have had in Harry Potter. Alan shared he and Rupert Everett both competed for the role of Professor Gilderoy Lockhart from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The two shared the same agent, and had some issues with the salary. The role of Lockhart ultimately went to Kenneth Branagh.
Alan Cumming opened up about the Harry Potter in an interview with The Telegraph (via The Independent). He shared that in 2002, the producers of Harry Potter offered him the role of Prof. Lockhart.
Alan shared: “I didn’t turn it down. I told them to f*ck off!”
Alan continued: “They wanted me and Rupert Everett to do a screen test, and they said they couldn’t pay me more than a certain sum, they just didn’t have any more money in the budget.”
“And I had the same agent as Rupert, who of course, they were going to pay more. Blatantly lying, stupidly lying, as well. Like, if you’re going to lie, be clever about it. I said, tell them to f*** right off. And thought, well Rupert’s going to get the part. They made him screen test, and I remember he brought his own wig. And then they f***ing gave it to Kenneth Branagh, came out of the shadows.”
Can you imagine Alan as Lockhart? At this point, I can’t see anyone else as “magical me” than Kenneth Branagh.
