Credit: Warner Bros.Gary Oldman is now an iconic actor and Hollywood star, but according to him, it wasn’t always like that. The star appeared on the Drew Barrymore show earlier this week and discussed his career and time in Hollywood, crediting his continued success to two of the biggest franchises he appeared in.
He brought up his time starring as Commissioner James Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Batman trilogy, as well as his role as Sirius Black in the Harry Potter franchise. Speaking candidly to Drew and the audience, he explained that his performances and those movies helped to revitalize his career, saving him during a time when he had no prospects.
Oldman explained that there had been a shift in the film industry where several studios and productions had shifted overseas to places like Budapest, Prague, and Vancouver for tax purposes (according to Barrymore) and he had had to turn down a ton of roles due to being a single father at the time and having to take care of his sons. “Thank God for Harry Potter,” he said candidly. Oldman continued, saying, “The two, Batman and Harry Potter, really saved me. Because it meant that I could do the least amount of work for the most amount of money and then be home with the kids.”
Oldman made his Harry Potter debut in the third franchise film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in 2004 as Harry’s godfather, Sirius Black. Unfortunately, he would only appear in two more Harry Potter films, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), because Sirius dies in the latter film. Although he does make a cameo in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011), Oldman’s portrayal of Sirius and his death is one that has stuck with many fans for a long time.
Speaking on the Dark Knight trilogy, Oldman explained that he would split his time between filming in LA and his home in London, often filming for two or three days and going back home for a week or long weekend in order to spend time with his family and raise his boys. To this day, Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy is one of the most popular Batman adaptations, one which further cemented Gary Oldman as an icon in the film industry.
Considering the Harry Potter franchise kickstarted the careers of dozens of child actors, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, it’s heartening to know the effect it had even on seasoned actors like Oldman, creating a legacy for the actors involved in the pop culture sensation that’s still one of the best-selling franchises today, almost 30 years after the release of the first book, over a decade after the final film was released, and despite the controversies that have surrounded creator J.K. Rowling and some of the other cast.
His most recent performance was in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which was released earlier this year, and starring in the Apple TV+ series, Slow Horses.
What’s your favorite Gary Oldman role? Let us know in the comments below!