Actress Miriam Margolyes has again drawn criticism, this time for describing her reported £60,000 salary for the Harry Potter film series as "rubbish." The remark comes days after she faced backlash for using an offensive term to describe ITV presenter Andi Peters' skin color.
Margolyes, 85, portrayed Professor Sprout in two of the eight Harry Potter films, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2." Speaking at a live panel event, she expressed dissatisfaction with being primarily associated with the role, stating she has undertaken more significant work. "I’m not thrilled that everybody thinks of me as Professor Sprout," she said. "Because I have done other, better things."
She revealed her earnings from the franchise, saying, "£60K – it’s f***ing rubbish!" Margolyes acknowledged that others may have earned more but attributed it to the nature of the industry.
The actress, who is promoting her new book "Full English," also addressed the controversy surrounding her comments on ITV's "This Morning." During a segment on Thursday, she used the term "high yalla" to describe Peters' complexion. ITV producers reportedly intervened, and the clip was removed from the show's online recording.
Speaking at a promotional event for her memoir, Margolyes stated she did not intend to offend Peters, whom she had just met. "I didn't want to embarrass or hurt Andi because he seems very nice," she explained. "I'd never met him before; I didn't know who he was and I didn't know he was black until I saw him."
She further elaborated on her interest in people's identities, stating, "I wanted to know what he thought about it because that's what interests me." Margolyes also used an offensive term for disabled people while discussing how different groups feel about their identities.
The term "high yalla," an outdated and offensive slang term in the U.S. for a light-skinned Black person, sparked outrage on social media. Critics accused Margolyes of racism, with one commenter noting it was "19th-century American racism." Others defended her, suggesting her comments were born of ignorance rather than malice.
Peters has stated he must be "ready for anything" when appearing on television. His colleague Jeremy Vine described the interaction as "seriously nerve-wracking."