A Harry Potter star is once again speaking candidly about aging, health, and the reality that she believes she does not “have long to live.”
Miriam Margolyes, best known for playing Professor Pomona Sprout, recently made several revelations during an appearance on The Romesh Ranganathan Show.
Margolyes, 84, confirmed that she hopes to permanently relocate to Italy with her long-term partner, Heather Sutherland.
“[Brexit] has affected my life because I can't go and live in the house that I bought,” Margolyes said. “[It’s the] first house I ever bought in Italy, which is where Heather and I wanted to end our lives together.”
The actor explained that Brexit restrictions may now force her to pursue another nationality.
“I’m going to have to become Dutch or Italian,” she said. “I’m already Australian as well as English, so how many nationalities do you have to have before you can live in the house that’s yours?”
Miriam Margolyes Opens Up About Her Health
Margolyes’ latest comments arrive after several years of increasingly open discussions surrounding her health and mortality.
In 2023, the actor underwent a transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedure to avoid open-heart surgery. After the operation, she joked publicly that she now has “a cow’s heart.”
She has also spoken openly about mobility struggles caused by spinal stenosis and admitted she may eventually require a wheelchair.
In previous interviews, Margolyes acknowledged concerns surrounding mortality directly, admitting, “I haven't got long to live.”
Speaking to British Vogue in 2023, the actor reflected candidly on aging.
“When you're young, you never think about death. You just think about your next f*** basically. I think about death a lot,” she said.
“You can't help but be aware that the amount of time ahead is less than the time before you.”
The comments quickly sparked concern online, particularly among Harry Potter fans who have followed Margolyes since her appearances in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
The ‘Harry Potter' Star Has Frequently Criticized the Franchise
Margolyes has also become known for her blunt opinions about the Harry Potter franchise itself.
Over the past several years, the actor has repeatedly criticized adult fandom surrounding the series, previously insisting that Harry Potter “is for children” and arguing that grown fans should eventually “get over it.”
During her appearance on The Romesh Ranganathan Show, she revisited those comments.
“When people say on Cameo, ‘we’re having a ‘Harry Potter' themed wedding,’ and I would say, ‘Well, I think it’s time you let that go,’” she said.
However, Margolyes admitted she has become more understanding of why fans remain emotionally attached to the franchise decades later.
“You can’t let go of bits of your childhood, and I didn’t realize that because it wasn’t my childhood,” she said. “I was in my 50s or 60s when I did that.”
The actor’s latest comments come as Warner Bros. continues expanding the wizarding world franchise through television, theme parks, and live experiences.
HBO is currently developing a rebooted Harry Potter adaptation expected to span multiple seasons, while Universal recently expanded its Wizarding World offerings through Epic Universe's Ministry of Magic-themed land.
At the same time, several original cast members have publicly distanced themselves from parts of the franchise in recent years, particularly following J. K. Rowling’s comments on the transgender community.
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint have all publicly spoken against Rowling’s views.
Margolyes, meanwhile, has remained one of the franchise’s most outspoken voices for entirely different reasons — less focused on controversy and more willing than most to openly discuss aging, illness, and death.
