Actor Robbie Coltrane portrayed the gentle giant, Rubeus Hagrid, in the Harry Potter film series, but another popular actor lobbied for the role. Coltrane played the character in all eight movie adaptations based on the book series by J.K. Rowling; however, another well-known actor was vying for the role when the franchise was in early development.

Hagrid played an integral role in the Harry Potter series, introducing the young boy wizard to the wizarding world in the first installment. The half-human and half-giant served as the gamekeeper for the grounds of Hogwarts and was later promoted as the professor for Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid remained a key ally of Harry, as well as Ron and Hermione, throughout the tumultuous events that surrounded Lord Voldemort’s return. By the end of the series, it was unearthed that Hagrid was a member of the Order of the Phoenix and participated in the Battle of Hogwarts.

Before Coltrane was cast as Hagrid, the Scottish actor was best known for playing Valentin Dmitrovich Zhukovsky in the James Bond movies, GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough. He also had a long-running role on the TV series, Cracker. Hagrid was one of the most beloved characters to come out of Harry Potter and Coltrane greatly succeeded in adapting the role into live-action. He may have turned out to be a perfect choice for the part, but American actor and comedian Robin Williams originally fought for the part. Williams was rejected from the role of Hagrid for a very interesting reason.

Why Robin Williams Was Turned Down For The Role Of Hagrid

When Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone went into development in early 2000, the casting was the top priority. Chris Columbus was already on board to direct the debut installment of the franchise. At the time, Williams approached Columbus to play Hagrid since he was a major fan of the book series. Williams and Columbus previously collaborated on Mrs. Doubtfire, Nine Months, and Bicentennial Man so they knew each other well. Columbus, however, was unable to cast Williams in a part due to Rowling’s policy of only casting actors from the UK, specifically, those who identify as British and Irish. In fact, Coltrane was Rowling’s first pick from the start.

Due to Williams’ American nationality, he never wound up in a Harry Potter role. His acting career turned out just fine, appearing in dozens of films over the next decade and a half. The titles included Death to Smoochy, RV, Man of the Year, Happy Feet, August Rush, and the Night at the Museum trilogy. The beloved actor tragically passed away in 2014 after committing suicide. One of his posthumous releases included one last collaboration with Columbus who served as a producer on Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.

Next: Why JK Rowling Could Never Kill Off Hagrid In Harry Potter

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