Harry Potter star dunks on their “mediocre” performance

One of Harry Potter’s most celebrated stars just delivered a harsh verdict on their acting across the Warner Bros. adaptations.

The Harry Potter franchise is notable for including a “who’s who” line-up of British acting talent during its decade-long run.

Not only did the eight fantasy flicks launch the careers of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, but they also boasted memorable turns by the likes of Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Helena Bonham Carter, and Alan Rickman.

And while the Harry Potter movies never landed any of their stars an Oscar, consensus among fans and critics is that all involved delivered commendable turns – although one cast member disagrees.

Harry Potter star dunks on their “mediocre” performance

Indeed, Sirius Black actor Gary Oldman isn’t a big fan of a particular performance in the Harry Potter movies: his own! Oldman – an Oscar winner widely hailed as among the finest actors of his generation – suggested he whiffed the Sirius role during an episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast.

“I think my work is mediocre in it,” Oldman said. “Maybe if I had read the books like [Severus Snape actor] Alan [Rickman], if I had got ahead of the curve, if I had known what’s coming, I honestly think I would have played it differently.”

However, Oldman cut himself some slack soon after, chalking up his scathing self-critique to his drive to constantly improve as an actor. “I’ll tell you what it is,” he explained. “It’s like anything, I think if I sat and watched myself in something and said, ‘My God, I’m amazing,’ that would be a very sad day, because you want to make the next thing better.”

Gary Oldman shares the real reason he signed on for Harry Potter

Oldman’s comments come weeks after he revealed the real reason he signed on for Harry Potter and Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy: his kids. According to the British thespian, both franchises afforded him the time and money he needed to raise his two boys following his divorce.

“Thank God for Harry Potter,” Oldman said. “I tell you, the two [film series] – Batman and Harry Potter – really, they saved me, because it meant that I could do the least amount of work for the most amount of money and then be home with the kids.”

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