Actor Alan Cumming had a few choice words for the producers of ‘Harry Potter.’
The “Spy Kids” actor was not keen on becoming a star of the billion-dollar franchise.
Cumming was in the running for the role of Hogwarts’ Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.”
Other actors considered for this role include Hugh Grant and Rupert Everett. The role of Professor Lockhart ultimately went to Kenneth Branagh.
Cumming recently opened up to The Telegraph about his decision to pass up the role.
“I didn’t turn it down,” he told the publication. “I told them to f*** off!”
Telling Producers to F-OFF!
As for why he had such harsh words for the producers, it had everything to do with pay discrepancies and lies!
“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,” he added.
“And I had the same agent as Rupert, who of course, they were going to pay more,” Cumming said. “Blatantly lying, stupidly lying, as well. Like, if you’re going to lie, be clever about it.”
The entire casting seemed quite sketchy according to Cumming.
“I said, tell them to f–k right off,” he continued. “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–king gave it to Kenneth Branagh, came out of the shadows.”
The Official Professor Lockhart
Cumming most recently lent his voice to the controversial HBO Max cartoon, “The Prince.” He portrays Owen, Prince George’s butler.
Like Orlando Bloom, the actor defended the royal satire.
When asked by The Telegraph whether or not he thinks the Royal family would find the cartoon humorous, he responded, “I don’t know. If they appreciate satire, they might…”
Unlike many critics of the show, Cumming feels the show isn’t as malicious as the media is making it out to be.
“It’s quite tender, actually – my character with George, it’s a really lovely relationship. It’s not as mean as people think.”
Bloom, who lends his voice to the cartoon version of Prince Harry.
“Initially, I was like, ‘Hmm, how do I feel about this,’ because I’m a British boy who’s very proud of my roots, I understand how the royal family is loved by some and loathed by others, and I’ve always understood it as part of my heritage and background,” he said of “rolling the dice” on whether or not to do the show.
Bloom admitted a show of this nature isn’t his typical go-to, but at the end of the day it was an offer he couldn’t pass up.
“I’m not someone who wants to poke fun at anyone normally, but this was so clever, witty and affectionately done,” he said.