Many of the actors who appeared in the eight-film Harry Potter series have become synonymous with the characters they played. For many fans, Daniel Radcliffe is the one and only Harry Potter. Alan Rickman will always be Severus Snape. And so on.
Might the same have happened to Robin Williams if he had been cast in the movies? The comedian and actor has played many iconic characters in his life, from the Genie in Aladdin to Mrs. Doubtfire in Mrs. Doubtfire. And as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone director Chris Columbus told Total Film, the actor also wanted to be in the Potter films. “I had a conversation with Robin Williams, who wanted to play Lupin,” Columbus recalled. “It was very difficult for me to say, ‘It’s all British. There’s nothing I can do.'”
Robin Williams’ lost Harry Potter role
Remus Lupin first appears in the third Harry Potter film as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. Harry, Ron and Hermione discovery that not only was Remus close to Harry’s father, but he’s also a pretty terrifying werewolf. Despite that, the character becomes a mentor for Harry, taking an oath to protect his late friend’s child.
Based on the character, this is a role I could definitely see Robin Williams playing. And you can’t help but notice the connection between this character and his loveable-yet-unorthodox teacher character John Keating from Dead Poets Society. If Williams could pull off the British accent, I think he’d have a good shot at playing Lupin.
In the end, Columbus chose to stick to his guns and cast British actor David Thewlis as Lupin. I wonder if Warner Bros. would be open to casting Williams in Fantastic Beasts (which takes place in America) if he were still around today.
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h/t SF Gate