Gary Oldman, renowned for his role as Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series of movies, recently expressed dissatisfaction with his performance in the franchise. During an episode of Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, the 65-year-old actor described his portrayal as mediocre. He was less than pleased with his portrayal of the famous wizard, especially since his character died in the seventh and final film.
Sirius Black is the godfather of Harry Potter, who first appeared in the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, in 2004. He returned for two more films and even appeared in the final movie, 2011, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
But despite his popularity with fans, Oldman isn’t exactly proud of how he portrayed the beloved character. On the podcast, he called his performance “mediocre.” He said he didn’t feel he could capture Sirius’s whole personality.
He also said that his interpretation might have been different if he had read J.K. Rowling’s books before filming, a practice that his co-star, the late Alan Rickman, followed. However, he did not think reading the books would have made him a better performer.
Another aspect of his portrayal that he wasn’t happy with was the scene in which Harry rescued his godfather from dementors at a frozen lake. He said it was one of the most challenging stage directions he had to follow in his 41-year career and required him to lie down on the ground for an extended period.
The veteran actor also revealed that he is still upset over how his character was killed in the series. He explained that he didn’t want to appear in the following few films after his character was defeated, but he did return for a cameo appearance in the sixth movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
During the podcast, Oldman shared personal thoughts about his life and career. He said that his roles in the Harry Potter and Dark Knight trilogies helped him reclaim his professional and personal dignity. He also said that he was glad to have found work in the franchises because it allowed him to balance his acting career with the demands of being a single father.
Oldman has three children, Alfie, Charlie, and Gulliver, with his ex-wife Lesley Manville. He also reveals that he turned down many jobs that required him to travel to exotic locations to spend time with his family. He said he now takes round trips to LA from London 27 times a year to be close to his children. He also says that he is not a fan of the Harry Potter franchise but that it helped him find work and stay close to his family. You can listen to his full interview below.
