‘Harry Potter’ Actress Passes On MCU Role Because Of Her ‘Dislike’ of America

Dozens of actors have made the leap from the Wizarding World of the Harry Potter movie franchise to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For an actor, it’s the perfect gig. If you can land a recurring role in either franchise, it gives you the opportunity for steady work for years to come.

Related: Disney Had ‘Harry Potter’ And Let it Walk Out the Door To Universal

But for one Harry Potter star, making the jump to the Marvel Cinematic Universe required her to do something that she hated doing: being in America.

Miriam Margolyes, who played Professor Pomona Sprout in the Harry Potter films had the opportunity to become one of the characters in the MCU. When she was told of the project, it was described to her as “a story about witches.”

The project MCU project that producers wanted Margolyes for was the follow-up to Wandavision. It went through many names, but would ultimately become Agatha starring Kathryn Hahn. 

Related: Disney Flees Florida For Greener Pastures in Neighboring State

Filming the Marvel Studios show was set to take place in Atlanta, as Disney has moved most of its move production to that state thanks to massive tax breaks. But Margolyes passed on the role, claiming that she hated spending time in America.

Margolyes said:

I don’t like America and I didn’t want to be in Georgia for four months. So I just said, ‘well, I want a million pounds’ and they said, ‘you can have half a million,’ and I said, ‘no, I don’t want to do it,’ so it just stopped. Really it’s a story about my own greed rather than anything else.

Production on Agatha continued without Margolyes and the MCU series’ first season is set to debut in September.

The former Professor Sprout is not against working with Disney or even working in America. She has started in dozen of movies that were made in the state, including Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Julies (1996), where she starred as the Nurse. Margoyles will also have a small role in Doctor Who on coming out on Disney Plus in May.

While many a Hollywood star have passed on movies for worse reasons, Margolyes passing on Marvel Studios show because of her dislike for America seems to be one of the strangest reasons.

After having starred in the Harry Potter franchise, she should know how attached fans get to these characters and the potential that comes with that type of fandom.

But clearly her hatred of America far outweighed her greed and the actress will just have to stay in Australia for now.

What do you think of Professor Sprout passing on an MCU role because she “dislikes America?” Let us know in the comments.