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Robin Williams Almost Had A Huge Role In The Harry Potter Movies

He was turned down for this iconic role.

Robin Williams wanted to play Hagrid in the Harry Potter film series, but was turned down because only British actors were allowed.

So'that's'why Nicolas Cage wasn't cast as Dumbledore...

In an interview with The Huffington Post, Harry Potter casting director Janet Hirshenson explained why Williams had been rejected, and also shed light on the process behind casting Harry, Hermione and Ron.

“Robin [Williams] had called [director Chris Columbus]because he really wanted to be in the movie," said the casting director. "But it was a British-only edict, and once he said no to Robin,he wasn’t going to say yes to anybody else, that’s for sure. It couldn’t be.”

Hirshenson added that Robbie Coltrane was authorJ.K. Rowling’s first choice to play Hagrid, anyway, but can you imagine how different the films would’ve been with Robin Williams as Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts…

The casting director also spoke about the specific requirements needed to fill the roles of Harry, Ron and Hermione.

To play Hermione, "The character needed to be towards the annoying side at times, but not too annoying," Hirshenson said. For Harry, the actor had to have blue or green eyes. For Ron? Rupert Grintjust won them over because of his loveable mug, apparently. “We said, ‘Look at that face on Rupert," said Hirshenson. "That’s Ron. Look at that face."

Hirshenson also revealed what it was like the first time Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint came together. “After we chose, they pulled the three of them up to Chris’s office, not telling them they got the part, but they were standing there, the three of them, looking at each other, probably figuring, ‘I think we may be it,’ the casting director said.

“So they told them they had it.‘Yay, yay, yay,’ and then they started chattering amongst themselves because they hadn’t known each other very much.”

“Emma asked Daniel if he liked the books and he said, ‘Yeah, I like WWF better, and she did aharumphor some Hermione thing that was so perfect, just as herself.‘[Gasp]WWF!’ And we just all were like, ‘Whoa, this is them.’”

At the first table read, Hirshenson remembered how J.K. Rowling had “such a smile on her face.”

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