Michael Cera almost joined the Wizarding World—but fear of fame made him walk away before it really started.
In a recent interview on Justin Theroux’s podcast, the “Superbad” and “Scott Pilgrim” star revealed that he was once in early talks for a role in “Fantastic Beasts”, the “Harry Potter” prequel series. But he backed out before things got serious.
Michael Cera on Declining Harry Potter Role
“I don’t even know if I was offered,” Cera said. “I think I just declined to engage with it because I think it would be like probably six years commitment or something. But also, I did sort of make a conscientious choice to limit my exposure a little bit, or just try and be a little more in control of it.”
His hesitation wasn’t about the quality of the films, which were major box office successes and planned as a five-part series by J.K. Rowling. It was about how big that commitment really was—and what it might do to his life.
“I had a big fear of doing things that I would get too famous,” he admitted. “Especially little kids’ movies.”
It’s not hard to imagine why. “The Fantastic Beasts” films, centered on magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and featuring younger versions of Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and Gellert Grindelwald (played by Johnny Depp and later Mads Mikkelsen), come with intense global attention—and a fan base that spans generations.
Cera, known for keeping a low profile and favoring quirky indie projects, simply wasn’t ready to sign on for something that would’ve likely taken over his life. But now? Things might be different.
“I think I’ve outgrown that particular feeling,” he said. “But if a franchise came along now and seemed interesting, I don’t think on the grounds of it being a franchise I would storm out of the office or anything.”
Fresh off his first Wes Anderson film (“The Phoenician Scheme”), Cera seems more open than ever to expanding his resume—maybe even into blockbuster territory.
Had he said yes all those years ago, the “Fantastic Beasts” series might have looked a little different. But as it stands, Cera’s almost-casting is just another Hollywood what-if—and a reminder that even in fantasy franchises, real-life choices shape the magic behind the scenes.
