The Big Picture
- Jessie Cave disagrees with Miriam Margolyes’s view on adult
Harry Potter
fans, expressing disappointment. - Margolyes suggested that adult fans should “grow up” and move on from
Harry Potter
, causing controversy within the fandom. - British-Australian actor Margolyes, known for various roles, sparked debate similar to William Shatner’s “Get a life!” comments towards
Star Trek
fans.
While Harry Potter star Miriam Margolyes thinks adult fans of the franchise should “grow up”, another actor from the franchise disagrees. Jessie Cave, who played Hogwarts student Lavender Brown in the three final films of the franchise, was asked about the famously outspoken Margolyes’ statement at a recent convention. As reported by Deadline, Cave replied that “It’s such a shame that that happened. You know how she is — she’s just a bit funny. And I think she didn’t mean for it to be taken like that, I hope.” She added, “I really don’t like that she said that.”
Margolyes, who played Professor Sprout in the franchise, kicked off the row in the Potter fandom last month, when she stated in an interview for New Zealand television that “I worry about Harry Potter fans because they should be over that by now. It was 25 years ago, and it’s for children. I think it’s for children.” Of adult fans of the franchise, she said “They get stuck in it. I do Cameos, and people say, ‘We’re having a Harry Potter-themed wedding, and I think, ‘Gosh, what’s their first night of fun going to be?’ I can’t even think about it.” In another interview soon afterward, she doubled down on her comments, stating “it was 25 years ago. Grow up!”
Who Is Miriam Margolyes?
British-Australian actor Margolyes first gained attention in the UK as a voice actor, and later branched out into live-action film and television, making prominent appearances on the Black Adder series of historical comedies. Her voice can be heard in Babe, James and the Giant Peach, and Happy Feet; she has also made live-action appearances in productions as diverse as Baz Luhrmann‘s Romeo + Juliet, Kenneth Branagh‘s supernatural neo-noir Dead Again, and the action horror End of Days, in which she all-too-briefly battles Arnold Schwarzenegger. She recently lent her voice to “The Star Beast”, the first of last year’s Doctor Who specials, voicing the cute-but-diabolical alien Beep the Meep.
Margolyes isn’t the first franchise star to bite, however gently, at the hand that feeds. Perhaps most famously, Star Trek icon William Shatner appeared in a 1986 Saturday Night Live sketch where, after being besieged by trivial questions at a convention, he exhorted the assembled Trekkies to “Get a life!”
The Harry Potter films can currently be streamed on Fubo and Peacock; a new television series adaptation is in the works at Max. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
